Petrozavodsk
Overview
Petrozavodsk is the capital of Karelia region, the land of forests and lakes in the northwestern part of Russia. The city was founded in 1703 by Peter I the Great on the western shore of Lake Onega, the second largest lake in Europe, as an ironworks to supply ordnance to St. Petersburg, his new capital. Its modern industries include engineering and timber working.
The city’s neoclassical façades, a large student population and connections with Finland make for a distinctly European atmosphere, and the appealing lakefront promenade is made for long walks. Petrozavodsk has many tourist attractions in close proximity, such as the Kizhi Architectural Preserve, Kivach Falls and Ruskeala Mountain Park. It is also the launching point for visits to Valaam Monastery.
Federal subject: Republic of Karelia
GPS coordinates: 61°47′N 34°20′E
Area: 135 square km
Population: 279,000
The highest point: Kukkovka Hill (193 m)
The largest lake in Europe: Ladoga Lake
Climate: subarctic
Language: Russian
Sights
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KIZHI ISLAND
The island is renowned for its open-air Museum of Architecture, whose collection consists of over 80 restored monuments of wooden architecture from different areas of the country, forming a glimpse of the past. There are artisans who demonstrate traditional crafts of the XVIIIth-XIXth century, weaving, woodcarving and painting. The most impressive site of the island is the Church of the Transfiguration (the church of twenty-two wooden domes). This architecture masterpiece featuring five tiers of 22 domes, was built in 1714 without the use of a single nail, only with an axe and pine. The church magically changes its color depending on the time of the day. The Pogost of the Kizhi Island, a fenced area that includes the Church of Transfiguration, the Church of Intercession (9-domed church) and a bell tower, is included into the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
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VALAAM
Rightly titled “The pearl of the Russian North” and “The jewel of the Ladoga Lake”, Valaam (Finnish for “a high mountain”) is renowned as location of Russia’s oldest monastery. During its history, dating back to the Xth – XIth centuries, the monastery has grown into an outstanding architectural complex, gaining fame across the world. Central monastery complex made of stone dominates the archipelago. Its construction started in the first decade of the XIXth century and was completed in 1845-1862. The history of the monastery is
full of events, but the main thing that attracts tourists is the nature of Valaam. It is so unique that in the XIXth century, Valaam became somewhat a school of landscape painting, where graduates of the St. Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts, such as I. Shishkin, A. Gine, and F. Vasiljeva, did their degree, immortalizing its landscapes in paintings, stored nowadays at the most renowned museums of the world. The territory of the archipelago received the national park status in 1999. -
RUSKEALA MOUNTAIN PARK
One of the most striking and surprising places of the Northern Ladoga area is the Ruskeala Mountain Park, a unique and multidimensional monument to nature and the history of mining. The heart of the park lies in the Marble Canyon. An old abandoned quarry, which had delivered stone for almost three centuries, now caters for tourists. A huge bowl, carved by people in marble, stretches 456 meters from north to south, and is 109 meters in width. Filled with the purest emerald-green water, it is framed by slightly sloping and steep rocks, reaching the height of 25 meters above the water.
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KIVACH NATURE RESERVE
Kivach Nature Reserve is the standard of nature of the middle taiga of South Karelia. It is sometimes called “Karelia in miniature” because on this small piece of land almost all features, intrinsic to the nature of the Republic of Karelia, are concentrated. The reserve was created in 1931 to preserve the nature surrounding plain Kivach waterfall on the river Suna. This 10.7 m high waterfall is the second largest in Europe and is about 8,000 years old. It formed when the glacial lake, that used to cover the area, retreated after the melting of the last ice sheet.
Hotels
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COSMOS PETROZAVODSK HOTEL
Number of rooms: 103
Distance to the city centre: 2 km
Distance to the airport: 18 km
Address: 26 Kuybyshev str., Petrozavodsk, Russia 185035A modern business hotel on the shore of Lake Onego, situated in the heart of the city, and a great option for those who combine a business trip with sightseeing in Karelia.
The hotel’s building is shaped as a ship and offers a panoramic restaurant serving Russian and European cuisines. All rooms are fitted with Italian furniture and all necessary conveniences you expect from a four-star hotel. Its facilities include a restaurant, a bar, a gym, a sauna complex, a swimming pool, and private parking.
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FRIGATE HOTEL
Number of rooms: 80
Distance to the city centre: 1 km
Distance to the airport: 20 km
Addess: 1A Karl Marx avenue, Petrozavodsk, Russia 185035FRIGATE Hotel is a new four-star hotel in the heart of Petrozavodsk. One of its distinctive features is its location just a two-minutes’ walk from the pier, where hydrofoils depart to the Kizhi Island, home to the world-famous Open-Air Museum of Cultural History and Architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its modern and comfortable rooms were completely renovated in 2018 according to a new minimalist designer project. A beautiful view over the park and Onega Lake (the second largest lake in Europe) opens from the windows. Hotel guests will especially appreciate the cuisine of its fish restaurant, the best one in Karelia.
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PITER INN HOTEL
Number of rooms: 180
Distance to the city centre: 1 km
Distance to the airport: 18 km
Address: 1 Gagarin square, Petrozavodsk, Russia, 185035This four-star hotel is set in the heart of Petrozavodsk, just a 2-minutes’ walk from the central station. Every room comes with a telephone, air conditioning, a digital TV, a safety deposit box, a private bathroom with a hairdryer. Dining options include a Paulaner restaurant offering Bavarian, local and International cuisine as well as its own brewery, and a coffee shop. The hotel offers conference facilities, laundry services, private parking, and a 24h gym.
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COUNTRY HOUSE LUX
Number of rooms: 131
Distance to the city centre: 2 km
Distance to the airport: 12 km (Petrozavodsk)
Address: Yuzhnaya street 2, Shuya, Russia 185000Set in Shuya in the Karelia region, Country House LUX has an area of 350 sq.m and accommodates up to 7 guests. This modern and comfortable house is fitted with three bedrooms, a kitchen, climate control, a safe and a fireplace, a hairdryer, dressing gowns and towels in the bathrooms. The kitchen is equipped with an electric kettle, a dishwasher, a fridge and a washing machine. Country House LUX features a private beach area, a terrace overlooking the river, free parking and free Wi-Fi.
