| Kizhi
 Kizhi is one of the most special destinations in
Russia. Located on the island of the
Lake Onega it features a beautiful ensemble of wooden churches,
chapels and houses. Kizhi is included in the list of World Heritage
sites. In 16th century the area of Kizhi was home to more than 100
villages, but now it is just a giant museum. The jewel of Kizhi is
the 22-domed Transfiguration Church (built in 1714). The church was
built without a single nail. In 1960 number of other churches were
moved to the island to create one of the most unique and
interesting open air museums of our time.
One of the most atmospheric places in Northern Russia is Kizhi Island in Lake Onega to the
northeast of St Petersburg. What used to
be an ancient pagan ritual site is now a popular tourist
destination and an open-air museum containing a beautiful ensemble
of wooden churches, chapels and houses. These fantastic buildings,
usually put together without a single nail, are, for most, the very
essence of the Russian experience, and there is an amazing array
here, with over 80 pieces of wooden architecture, either built here
or carried from all the parts of Karelia and
reassembled.
The gem of the Island is the Kizhsky Pogost (Kizhi
Enclosure) which includes two churches and a bell-tower standing
between them. The highlight is the massive 23-domed Transfiguration
Church built in 1714. Reaching almost 100 feet, it is one of the
tallest log buildings in the world, but it is ingenious stacking of
the domes that makes the church so extraordinary. The interior is
beautifully decorated, too, with four stunning stepped iconostasis
consisting of 102 XVII-XIX century icons.
 Next to the Transfiguration Church is the smaller,
nine-domed Church of Intercession built in such a way that it
balances and supplements the larger church. Its domes are neat and
expressive but seem almost modest next to its extravagant neighbor.
The Kizhsky Pogost is completed by the bell-tower standing between
the two churches. All the three constructions are put on the UNESCO
World Heritage list.
Among other highlights of Kizhi is the diminutive Church
of Resurrection of Lazarus moved here from the Murom Monastery. It
is by far the oldest building in the collection, dating back to the
14th century, and maybe the oldest wooden building in
Russia. It is believed by the monks to
have a 'miraculous power that cures the illnesses.' The Chapels of
Archangel Mikhail, of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, of the
Divine Savior and many others complete the ensemble of this
atmospheric place.
Usually half a day is enough to look at the key places,
but it is worth taking a whole day to explore the nearby villages
which preserve the character of peasants' times and contain many
ancient artifacts like tableware and tools.
 The nearest city to Kizhi is Petrozavodsk, which has
direct flights from Moscow. From Petrozavodsk's ferry terminal you
can take a hydrofoil which does several outward trips a day in the
mornings in summer, then several return trips in the afternoon. The
last starting back from Kizhi, even in high summer, is about 4.25
pm, so mind the time since there's no accommodation for an
overnight stay! In winter, you can reach the island by chartered
helicopter, which can be very expensive unless you are traveling in
a group.
Kizhi is especially beautiful during the long northern summer
white nights when the church domes shine with a mysterious, almost
phosphoric light. At sunset, too, when the sun is sinking below the
horizon, everything is illuminated by a scarlet glimmer that
gradually drops to leaden gray. And on fine winter mornings, the
snow-covered churches dazzle like weird fairy palaces in the sun.
It's not easy to get to the island at these special times - most
people go on a brief summer day trip from Petrozavodsk - but it's a
memorable experience whenever you go.
You can visit Kizhi this summer on a Russian River Cruise
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