OLONETS REGION
sights
Historical and cultural area “Southern Karelians of Central Olonets”
Lisya Selga village
Historical and cultural area “Southern Karelians of Central Olonets”
Lisya Selga, Myatchozero and
Sappavaara villages are
unique for their` architectural
and building techniques.
Lisya Selga village (selka, selga means hill, ridge) has preserved its near-original look of the late XIXth century
and the historic landscape. This small village is situated 5 km west of Olonets-Petrozavodsk highway. It is
located on uneven terrain with houses built on hills and banyas in lowlands. You can’t really trace any pattern
in placing houses which definitely makes the village more picturesque. Houses were usually built with the
dwelling part facing the south to create a favorable microclimate for living.
There are large complex houses traditional for Southern Karelians, barns and banyas in the village. When you
enter the village you can see a small chapel (early XXth century). A good state of the historical layout of the
village and traditional constructions are of great architectural and ethnographical interest. Several buildings – a
house and barns – are on the lists of monuments of folk architecture.
Bolshaya Selga village, a unique complex monument of
wooden architecture of the Southern Karelians
Bolshaya Selga village
Bolshaya Selga is situated 10 km from Olonets in the southwest of Olonets plain at the watershed of the Olonka
and Megrega rivers. Officially, Bolshaya Selga is part of one big village called Selga which comprises three
parts – Bolshaya Selga, Malaya Selga and Kamenny Ruchey. The village is recognized as a historic settlement
and belongs to one of the oldest (late XVIIth century) settlements in Olonets region. It was first mentioned in
1707 in the census book of this area. At that time there were 10 homesteads in the village.
The remaining buildings and the layout are dated the second half of the XIXth century.
Bolshaya Selga village
The village is located on uneven terrain mainly on the hill (called selga) which stretches from northwest to
southeast. In the lowlands on the shore of a small lake and in the southern part of the village banyas are built
between the rows of houses.
In the past the village boasted the Chapel of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin with the belfry, now
destroyed. Unfortunately, two production areas with threshing barns located at the southern end of the village
which were still there in the 1920s have not remained either.
Bolshaya Selga village
The village layout mainly comprises large complex houses of the late XIXth — early ХХth centuries typical for
the Karelians living in Olonets area. The village boasts several monuments of architecture. A row of old
houses that form a street has also remained.
Bolshaya Selga village
In the peasant’s house
Bolshaya Selga village
One of the most interesting sites in the village is Dubrovin’s house. He was a
local craftsman. His house presents a unique original piece of folk wooden
architecture with splendid carvings on many decorative details.
The interior of the living quarters shows some of Dubrovin’s works such as
tables, chairs and cupboards.
Bolshaya Selga village
Typical-for-Olonets-region gardens in front of the rows of houses and special fences around ploughed fields,
hayfields and pastures add coziness and liveliness to the village area.
Bolshaya Selga village
St. Ilya’s Day on August 2 is widely celebrated in the village
The Transfiguration Vazheozersky Monastery
The Transfiguration Church
The Church of All Saints and the Chapel of
Martyrs and Confessors of Russia
Today, Vazheozersky monastery is the only active monastery in Olonets region. It is situated in
Interposelok village which was built in 1935 on site of the Zadne-Nikiforovskaya hermitage founded in the
XVIth century.
The Transfiguration Vazheozersky Monastery
The monastery on Vazhskoe Lake was initiated by Gennady, the first disciple of St. Alexander Svirsky, who set out
to these lands in search of solitude. His other disciple Nikifor became the first abbot of the Zadne-Nikiforovskaya
hermitage. February 22, the day of his death, is remembered as the Day of the Patrons of the Karelian land –
saints Nikifor and Gennady of Vazheozero.
The Transfiguration Vazheozersky Monastery
The history of the monastery is very complicated. It suffered from the devastating forays in the early XVIIth
century, went through difficult times and was even destroyed. In 1885 there was a great fire which destroyed
all wooden buildings forcing the community spread to other monasteries of the eparchy. Under the auspices of
John of Kronstadt, who became the patron of the monastery, the Church of All Saints (where the relics of the
monastery founders are located) was restored. And in 1892 father John consecrated a new 5-cupola wooden
Church of the Transfiguration.
The Transfiguration Vazheozersky Monastery
After the Revolution the cloister shared the fate of many other monasteries. In 1920 a state farm (sovkhoz) was
established there and in 1935 the building of Interposelok village began. The Transfiguration Church was turned
into a gym and the Church of All Saints became a club. Following 1945 there was a settlement for juvenile
criminals and then a psychiatric hospital. On March 14, 1992 the Zadne-Nikiforovskaya hermitage revived for the
third time – now as a convent (a monastery for women).
The Transfiguration Vazheozersky Monastery
In 2000 the relics of its former resident, blessed monk Vladimir were transferred to the convent. In the same
year the hermitage acquired its original status – a monastery for men.
Olonets plain is the largest migration site
of gray geese in Northern Europe
“Olonia – the goose capital” festival
In 2001 the first eco festival was held in Olonets with support from the Baltic Fund for Nature and the
World Wildlife Fund in order to attract attention to the problem of preservation and protection of geese.
Today, this annual festival brings together ornithologists, scientists and representatives of the Baltic Fund
for Nature and the World Wildlife Fund.
During the festival such important issues as maintaining the number of geese flocks, keeping agricultural
lands in biologically sound condition, attracting attention of local population to the problem of bird
protection, development of tourism and as a consequence, development of crafts and folk groups are
discussed.
Bridges of Olonets
Bridges are the only links between
the banks of the Megrega and
Olonka rivers. There are 8 bridges
in the city. They are mostly wooden
and stone but you can still come
across pedestrian suspension
bridges.
Nowadays suspension bridges look very unusual
and definitely evoke amusement by the visitors.
City park in Olonets
The city park is situated in the historic
part of Olonets. It is 150 years old. The
park boasts more than 50 kinds of trees
and shrubs, some of which are rare for
Karelia. A stone pavement, Mariinsky
road and Kuttuev’s house are located in
the center of the park. Merchant Kuttuev
was one of the richest residents of
Olonets who contributed a great deal to
the development of the city and the
region.
Smolensky Cathedral
Smolensky Cathedral was built on site of the former wooden church in 1752. Emperor Alexander I himself prayed
in this church when visiting Olonets in 1819. During the Great Patriotic war, when the region was occupied, the
building was taken by the Lutheran church. After the war the Cathedral was turned into a movie theater and in
1974 a local history museum occupied the building. In 1992 it was returned to the church together with the icon
of the Virgin Smolenskaya. Later this 17th-century icon was stolen and has not been found yet.
The Assumption Church
This is the only church which has never
been closed since its foundation. It was
built in 1788 under the auspices of
Empress Catherine II and consecrated
by Varlaam, archimandrite of Alexander
Svirsky Monastery.
Sts. Florus and Laurus Church in Megrega
This is one of the oldest wooden churches in Karelia. It
was built in 1613 in memory of the victories of Russia in
the war with Sweden. The church is situated on the old
road from Novgorod to the Northern lands 12 km from
Olonets.
The church was consecrated as Sts. Florus and Laurus
Church who were worshiped by peasants as the keepers
of cattle and patrons of farmers. Although the church is
on a small hill it is hardly visible from the road as it is
hidden by the trees of the cemetery’s pine grove.
The church is quite small and is made of logs. Later on in
the XIXth century it was planked from the outside.
Sts. Florus and Laurus Church in Megrega
Severe interior of the church has been almost fully preserved. There is a rare 3-tier iconostasis in front
of the altar by the eastern wall. The church is active with services held occasionally.
In the church suburbs there is an old cemetery where people are still being buried.
St. George Chapel in Pertiselga village
St. George Chapel is situated 19 km from Olonets. It
was built in the late ХVIIIth century and completed in
the XIXth century.
The chapel comprises 2 log constructions of different
height and built at different time. One is a chapel
proper and the other is an inner porch. You can see a
small belfry above the inner porch. The eastern wall
of the chapel proper is three-cornered. On the roof
ridge above the chapel proper there is a small
octahedron with a small cupola. The original ceiling
was made in the form of a pyramid (the sky-type
ceiling) but in the XIXth century it was changed into
horizontal.
Inside the chapel there is a big carved cross. The
entrance to the chapel is from the north through the
porch. An old forged handle on the inner door of the
chapel is of great interest. The chapel is traditionally
situated in the outskirts of the village in a cemetery’s
big grove and can be noticed only at the immediate
approach.
Varashev stone
In 1617 Russia and Sweden
signed the Stolbovsky peace
treaty which put an end to the
Swedish intervention in Russia in
1609-1617. As a result Russia
ceded Izhora land and Karelian
district which included the
Northwestern Ladoga Lake area.
In 1721 after the victory of Russia
in the Northern war the border was
moved to the west according to
the Nistadt peace treaty.
Varashev stone (the origin of the name is unknown) was the border site
between Russia and Sweden in 1618 – 1721 starting with the Ladoga
Lake shore and up north.
Varashev stone marks the frontier
between Russia and Sweden in 1618 - 1721
(Pogrankondushi village)
Inscription on the stone
Roadside cross in Tatchelitsa village
The roadside cross in
Tatchelitsa village
(1 km from Olonets)
dates the early ХIХth
century and is one of
the few wooden
roadside crosses
which have remained
in Karelia.
On the right side of the cross there are carvings with
the Bible text. The cross is made of massive timber.
Olonets Games of Santa Clauses
Every year in the beginning of
December Olonets welcomes
this winter festival.
PAKKAINE
Pakkaine is the symbol of the
Olonets Games of Santa
Clauses. He is a local national
hero with a very interesting
story. The legend says that
Pakkaine was born in the
beginning of severe winter in
a merchant’s wagon heading
home from the fair.
The newly born was named
Pakkaine (a frost boy in the
Karelian language). He grew
up very fast and soon turned
into a strong and cheerful guy.
He was a young and
successful merchant and a
traveler.
Pakkaine has a female friend
Luminaine (a snow lady in the
Karelian language).
FEREZI Festival of National Costume
Ferezi
means “a
long skirt
with bodice
on straps”
(in Karelian)
held annually in October
Maidon Päivü Milk Festival
The festival
was first held
in Olonets in
August 2004.
The cows’ procession
OLONETS REGION
sights