Kizhi interesting facts for children. Kizhi is an open-air museum. Information about Kizhi: how to get there, what to see

The basis of the collection of architectural monuments of the museum-reserve, its semantic center is the temple ensemble of the Kizhi churchyard (XVIII-XIX centuries), consisting of the 22-domed Church of the Transfiguration, the nine-domed Intercession Church, a hipped bell tower and a chopped log fence.

Kizhi churchyard

The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord (1714) is the most famous building in Kizhi. The names of the creators are unknown, and the beautiful legend about master Nestor, who, having finished his work, threw an ax into the lake with the words “there was no such church and never will be”, is very widespread in the North in relation to many monuments of wooden architecture. Not very reliable is another popular belief that it was cut down without a single nail - an aspen plowshare (scales covering the domes) is attached to the domes with small nails.

The height of the church is 37 m; On the eight are two more, smaller ones. Chapters vary in size from tier to tier in order to avoid monotony and create a kind of rhythmic pattern. The system for protecting the building from decay is no less thought out, even decorative elements often serve to drain water and properly ventilate the air. Inside the temple, the vertical volume was covered with a sixteen-sided ceiling - the “sky”, lost during the war, a carved iconostasis (1770) has been preserved. It is composed of 104 icons, the oldest of which, typical of the northern school of icon painting, date back to the end of the 17th century.

Church of the Transfiguration

The Church of the Transfiguration, a perfect work of Zaonezhsky masters, is a kind of "swan song" of Russian wooden architecture, which at that time reached the pinnacle of its development. It was built as a "cold" summer temple, and next to it, half a century later, the "warm" Kletskaya Church of the Intercession of the Virgin (1764) was erected. The builders managed to create a work that was a harmonious part of the ensemble, and not just a separate building. In the Church of the Intercession, the original “subordination” to the dominant Transfiguration Church is visible - a powerful octagon on a quadrangle, which could carry a huge tent, is crowned with a modest nine-domed with small, elegant domes; the silhouette expanding upward emphasizes the pyramid of the main building of the ensemble directed upwards. However, some researchers believe that the Church of the Intercession was originally built as a hipped roof. At present, the four-tiered tablo iconostasis with 44 icons of the 17th-19th centuries has been restored. In the entrance hall there is an exhibition "History of the Kizhi Orthodox parish".

The belfry of the Kizhi Pogost (1863) was erected already at a time when Russian wooden architecture was in decline, and yet, despite the seeming rusticity and details alien to tradition, the building blended surprisingly harmoniously into the ensemble. The scheme is traditional - an octagon on a quadrangle. Heavy, two-thirds of a log house high, the quadrangle surprises connoisseurs of cult wooden buildings with its disproportion, but you can see that it is raised exactly to the height of the piers of the Transfiguration Church and the height of the quadrangle of the Intercession Church, which once again emphasizes the unity of the three buildings. Currently, a remote control for the bell ringer is installed on the bell tower of the Kizhi churchyard. There are 12 bells in the pendant on the console (9 ancient and 3 modern).

Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, bell tower and Church of the Intercession of the Virgin

By the middle of the XX century. only a stone ridge remained from the fence of the churchyard. The appearance of the original fence was restored by restorers according to engravings of the 18th century. in the book of N. Ozeretskovsky "Journey through the lakes of Ladoga and Onega". The reconstruction project was based on the preserved fence of the Vodlozersky-Ilyinsky churchyard, as well as the Pochezersky churchyard of the Arkhangelsk region. The modern fence is a high stone embankment, on which a wall of powerful logs, tied in rows, is laid. On top of the wall is a gable roof. On the western corner of the fence there is a small turret covered with a hipped roof - epancha. Gates with openwork door panels lead to the churchyard from the north and east. The central entrance in the western wall is limited on both sides by two log cabins under a common roof. The log fence was reconstructed according to the project of the architect A. Opolovnikov in 1959.

Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus

Another of the main attractions of the museum-reserve is the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus, brought from the Murom Monastery, from the eastern shore of Lake Onega. This small Cletian church gave rise to many legends among believers and hypotheses among scientists. The dating of the construction of the temple has been a subject of controversy for almost a century. The church was first mentioned in the will of the Byzantine monk, the founder of the Murom monastery, Lazar of Murom, who died in 1391, but in the document of the Olonets spiritual consistory it is rather contradictory: “... in the name of St. Lazar, the cemetery was built in 7086. from the Universe (1578), wooden, built by the founder of this monastery, St. Lazar. Analysis of architectural details does not clarify this issue. The iconostasis, consisting of 17 icons of the 16th-18th centuries, has been preserved in the church. It represents the oldest type of a two-tiered iconostasis, consisting of local and deesis rows, including the royal doors and the northern ponomarsky doors.

Peasant's house Oshevnev

Not far from the Kizhi churchyard is the architectural and ethnographic complex "Russian Zaonezhie". The exposition "village" began in 1951-1959. from the House of the Peasant N. Oshevnev (1876) brought from the Bolshoi Klimenets Island. The building is built in the form of a "purse" - a yard-shed adjoins the side wall of the housing and is covered with a gable asymmetrical roof. The outbuilding included a barnyard, a hayloft and two storerooms. The residential part faces the lake and is richly decorated, it includes 2 huts, a hall, a room, a light room in the attic, a pantry and a canopy. The hut was called a room with a stove, it is believed that the owners spent the winter in the hut on the first floor, and settled throughout the house in the summer. Now the interiors of the huts, the upper room, the shed, the stables have been restored in the house, ethnographic exhibitions are held in the hall. Along the second floor there is an open gallery, the windows of the side gables are decorated with balconies. Previously, the window frames were painted orange-yellow, and the roof overhangs were painted red, which greatly enlivened the appearance of the house.

In addition to the main house, the peasant estate also includes separate outbuildings. Fires have always been the main disaster for the peasants, and the barns taken away from the main house could save the most valuable thing - grain and flour, and not let them die of starvation. There are several outbuildings near Oshevnev's house: a two-story barn from the village of Yuzhny Dvor (XVIII century), a barn from the village of Lipovitsy (early 20th century) and a bathhouse from the village of Mizhostrov (early 20th century).

House of the peasant Elizarov

The house of the peasant Elizarov (end of the 19th century) from the village of Potanevshchina is somewhat smaller. The interiors of both buildings are similar, but unlike Oshevnev's house, Elizarov's house was heated in black. This method of heating the premises was in many ways more convenient for peasant families - less firewood was used, the wood-boring beetle did not start, it was warmer in the hut. The smoke collected above the "voronets" shelves, and the walls below this level and the ceilings were thoroughly washed and scraped every week. Elizarov's house is one-storey, it is made of heavy logs and modestly decorated, although the side balconies and the “ambulance” are also present here. In the utility room there is an exhibition that tells about the secrets of creating the Kizhanka boat. On the shore near the house there is a bathhouse (beginning of the 20th century) from the village of Ust-Yandoma.

A little further south of the Kizhi churchyard is the most modest Shchepin's House (1907). The type of building here is a "beam", when residential and utility rooms are stretched in a line under one roof. In the interior you can see items related to cooperage craft (making barrels, buckets, jugs and other wooden utensils).

Windmill

The exposition sector "Russian Zaonezhie" also includes a water mill (1875) from Berezovaya Selga, a windmill (1928-1929) from Nasonovshchina and the chapel of the Archangel Michael (early 18th century) from the village of Lelikozero.

Chapel of the Archangel Michael

The Klet Chapel of the Archangel Michael belongs to the common type of northern chapels. This is a three-part log cabin, consisting of a vestibule, a refectory and a chapel proper. The building is richly decorated with carved elements, it has preserved a two-tiered iconostasis with icons of local writing and a “sky” - a painted ceiling of 12 segments. From the western shore of Lake Onega, the House of Sergeev (1908-1910) and a forge (beginning of the 20th century) from the village of Suisar were brought to Kizhi.

House of the peasant Sergeyev

In the central part of the island there are two historical villages: Yamka, mentioned for the first time in 1563, on the east coast and Vasilyevo, mentioned in 1582, on the west. In these villages, buildings have been preserved, which are now included in the museum fund, many architectural monuments were brought from other places in Zaonezhie: peasant houses, stables, barns and barns. Near the village of Yamka, the chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands (XVII-XVIII centuries) from the village of Vigovo has been preserved, and the architectural dominant of Vasilyevo is the local chapel of the Assumption of the Mother of God (XVII-XVIII centuries), which is the oldest building on Kizhi Island.

House of the peasant Yakovlev

Three large peasant houses and several outbuildings make up the Russian Pudozhya exposition sector, where the architecture of the inhabitants of the eastern shore of Lake Onega is presented, and even further north you can see houses typical of Karelians and Vepsians. The Karelian estate here is represented by the house of the peasant Yakovlev (1980-1990s) from the village of Klescheyla, a bow cross and barns, and among the monuments of northern Karelians and Karelians-Lyudiki, the chapel of the Three Hierarchs from the village of Kavgora (second half of the 18th century) is interesting. . Two granaries and a bathhouse make up the outbuildings of the Vepsians.

Visitors are introduced to the monuments of the island by the routes offered by the museum's excursion service. Recently, an "Ecological Path" has been laid, giving an idea of ​​the nature of the island, an interactive family route has been developed to Yakovlev's house, where you can take part in traditional peasant household processes. During museum holidays, a folklore ensemble often performs.

On the territory of the museum there are several cafes and shopping kiosks, guest houses. You can also ask for accommodation in the villages to the locals.

Postcard. Kizhi from a bird's eye view

A few words about how the exhibits of the museum are located. Most of them are located in a small area, in that part of the island that is south of the pier. Those three hours that are allotted for the tour are enough for a leisurely inspection. But here the villages of Yamka, Vasilyevo and all other buildings that are from the pier to the north are not included in the usual excursion. How to get to them is not entirely clear. I noticed a bus on the road, but while I was thinking, he left. Perhaps it was just designed to move around the island. Walking here is quite tiring. But I still had almost an hour before the ship's departure, and I still went to that part of the island that is not included in the official route. He reached the windmill that stands there on a hillock, at the same time looked at the village of Yamka and at the chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands, which towered in the distance. But he didn’t go to the village of Vasilyevo, he was afraid to be late. I wonder if there are no bike rentals here?

Another windmill. On the left is the Chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands.

Also, the question remained unclear whether it is possible to come here on one ship and leave on the next one. The fact is that when boarding, everyone is given badges around their necks, and when selling a ticket, they also ask for a phone number. All this is done, apparently, so that people do not get lost on the island, do not fall behind their ship and do not violate the well-established conveyor for serving tourists.

View of the nose of the "Meteor" and the Kizhi churchyard

Now let's sum up. Well, what can I say about Kizhi. I liked the museum as a whole, although my expectations were certainly higher. The cost of an entrance ticket of 130 rubles for citizens of the Russian Federation (and equated to them, gygy :)) is quite sane. But 625 rubles for foreigners, or almost 15 euros, is already too much. For that kind of money, even Western European museums already have to spin in front of customers. And here everything rests, one might say, on one exhibit - the 22-head of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Meanwhile, it is clearly not eternal, and the metal plates on its rickety walls speak of this. Well, it is difficult in our climate for wooden buildings to stand for 300 years! She collapses, what then? And then Kizhi will simply turn into a "wabaihumuuseum", of which there are plenty in the world.

I wonder if there are really no craftsmen who could build something like that now? Is it really that difficult with modern technology? Take something old as a basis, make a project on a computer, cut logs to size and assemble. Of course, at first it will be a "remake", but all the old times were once a remake! Yes, and most of the local exhibits were collected at the current location, in fact, anew. I think that in such a place, new buildings could fit into the overall ensemble. In a word, it is necessary to somehow develop the museum further, the world does not stand still!

Why are the monuments and sights of Russia unique and why do foreign tourists come to us with pleasure?

Because we have a rich cultural heritage in Russia, a lot of unique things, a lot of things to see and "cannot be measured with a common yardstick." It is a sad fact that a huge number of monuments of history and Orthodoxy were destroyed and destroyed in the 20th century during wars and political troubles. And what we managed to save and collect bit by bit - causes doubly fair admiration and respect, and is rightfully ranked among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. And let's be patient and indulgent to the fact that most of the historical sights are hidden by restoration scaffolding for many years.

One of these monuments is Museum-reserve "Kizhi". Kizhi Island is located in the center of many large and small islands-skerries of Lake Onega in the North of Russia. This is a lake, but its temperament is the most northern, marine. In a storm, waves can reach 5 meters, and in autumn, coastal fortifications can be blown apart. And the wind is not weak from 10 meters per second or more.

Kizhi Island is located 68 km from Petrozavodsk. From May to September, during the navigation period, tickets for "comets" and "meteors" are sold at the city's pier, which regularly make routes there. The journey takes from 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes. In winter, when Lake Onega is covered with a thick layer of ice, you can get there by hovercraft. For lovers of outdoor activities and extreme sports, ski trips are offered during this period.

Pleasure, I must say, is not cheap. As, however, any trip to Russia. A round-trip boat ticket will cost 2,750 rubles + an entrance ticket to the museum. So for a family of three, you yourself can calculate how much everything will be, and you also have to pay for the tour, and save it for a memorable souvenir.

The Kizhi Museum-Reserve is a unique man-made architectural monument of wooden architecture and ethnography. They come here to look at wooden structures made without a single nail! And we will not debunk these beliefs.

The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord welcomes guests - the highest and most monumental building on the island.

The main attractions of the Kizhi Museum-Reserve- Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Church of the Intercession of the Virgin and the Bell Tower of the Kizhi Pogost.

And here you can also admire the real houses and ancient buildings of the northern Russian villages of the late 19th century, which were carefully collected and preserved in this most beautiful place in Russia, see and get acquainted with everyday life, culture and traditional life, household items of our northern ancestors.

The main attractions of the Kizhi Museum, the center and hallmark of the island are Orthodox shrines - the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin and the Bell Tower of the Kizhi churchyard.

A lot has been written about the history of the creation of this church, the information is the same and you can find it on other sites.

But I would like to talk about the uniqueness of the restoration work that has been underway since 1980 under the close attention of UNESCO. Initially, the question was, how could such a wooden building have been preserved since 1714, regularly watered by rain and blown by northern winds, and how can it be restored now ?! They rushed all over the world to look for technologies for preserving and processing wood without the use of chemical compounds. And they are not, just as there are no specialists in this matter. I had to return to the experience of the ancestors, who created these structures and the great-grandchildren of local architects, hereditary carpenters and woodworkers work here. And the uniqueness is that the pines used in the construction of churches were cut down exclusively in winter, in a severe cold, exclusively with axes. Scientists believe that in this version natural preservation with resin took place, which allowed the tree to be so well preserved for many centuries in natural conditions. Withstood such trunks for 8 years and only then used in construction. There is also an opinion that in the period from the 14th to the 19th century there was an "Ice Age" and 1714 was the peak of cold weather, so the trunks have a very high density of rings. All this also makes the restoration process in modern conditions much more difficult.

You can visit and admire the interior decoration in the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin.

Church of the Holy Mother of God - one of the main buildings on the island

Here you can visit the service, listen to the ringing of bells and the chants of the monks. Local icons are interesting, most of which are painted by local residents.

The domes of churches amaze with their fine workmanship. Each dome consists of a small detail - a plowshare, naturally cut by hand from aspen. Therefore, the new domes after the restoration will shine with a golden color.

We recommend ordering a tour, because the story about the life and way of life of the northern inhabitants is quite interesting. The houses that were built by our ancestors and presented in the museum's exposition are large and usually they contained all possible amenities for life. Due to the cold climate, the ground floor also housed a barnyard, a barn for hay and firewood, and a place to store tools and equipment. The convenience of construction was that in the summer it was easy to repair and replace logs, clean the room.

There was also a living room on the first floor. The families were large, 20 people each, they all lived in the same room. Here they stoked the stove "in a black way", cooked food, slept, worked, raised children, wove fishing nets, led a normal life.

The stove in the living room was heated "in black", so the ceilings in the house had a dark color.

A story from the life of the northerners

Interestingly, wealthy families also had a second floor. But his functions were purely "representative". Here they received guests, kept luxury items and, sometimes, allowed the newlyweds to spend the night.

Second floor - "representative" room

Separately, perhaps, only the bath was located, for obvious reasons. Banya is a sacred place not only for northerners, but also for any Russian inhabitants. Here they bathed, gave birth and buried dead relatives in the fierce cold. Bath is a sacred place and many superstitions and rituals are associated with it. The bath was heated exclusively "in a black way".

In the museum-reserve "Kizhi" you will find many interesting objects that tell about the traditions and life of the northern peoples. Therefore, stock up on comfortable shoes and clothes. The weather in Karelia is very changeable, and within 3 hours you can steam up in the sun, get caught in the rain and freeze in the wind. But nothing can spoil the impression of the beauty of landscapes, the tranquility of the Russian north and the spirit of antiquity surrounding you. We have something to be proud of!

We wish you a pleasant journey!

The Kizhi open-air museum is located on an island in Lake Onega. Tourists from Petrozavodsk are transported there by high-speed hydrofoil boats. The journey takes 1 hour and 15 minutes. This pleasure is worth (there and back) - 1950 rubles. And I also thought that trains in New Zealand were expensive ...

Bearing in mind that there were always some problems with these ships, expressed in the chronic lack of tickets, I specifically timed the trip to the Estonian public holiday on August 20, which this year fell on Thursday, and the next day I took a day off with such a calculation, to be in Petrozavodsk on Friday, i.e. on a weekday.

The large river station in Petrozavodsk does not work, tickets for motor ships are sold in a small booth at the pier. I came almost to the very opening, around 8 am, but the nearest time for which I was offered tickets was only at 2:15 pm. Tellingly, there was no such time in the Meteors' schedule. Well, then it will be time to walk around the city.

At the appointed time I was at the pier. At the same time, there were not very many people, many seats in the Meteor remained free, and this despite the fact that all day in the booth they were offering tickets for this particular time. I wonder where all the tickets for 11:30 and 12:15 went?

A few words about the Meteor itself. Its interior, apparently, has not changed since Soviet times. The foam chairs were so crushed that they had to sit on almost bare metal tubes. However, the toilet was quite decent :)

"Meteor" on the background of the embankment of Petrozavodsk

There are no open decks on the Meteors, but in the middle of the cabin there was a smoking area from which you could lean out with a camera and take pictures of some of the landscapes passing by. It was from here that I managed to photograph the Kizhi churchyard before we moored to the island.

Yes, and with the help of iGo on a smartphone, I managed to measure the average speed of the Meteor - somewhere around 57 km / h.

River pier in Kizhi

So, for starters, let's read what the Russian North guidebook from the Polyglot publishing house, which I bought the day before in the House of the Military Book on Nevsky, writes about Kizhi:

Kizhi Island (length 7 km, width - from 1.5 to 0.5 km) is located in the south of the Zaonezhsky Peninsula among a picturesque cluster of islands called the Kizhi skerries. Since ancient times, the island was covered not by forests, but by arable land and hayfields. The Kizhi skerries and the south of Zaonezhie have been inhabited for centuries, this is evidenced by numerous archaeological sites dating back to the era of the middle and late stone. About 9-6.5 thousand years ago, tribes belonging to the eastern branch of the Caucasians lived here, and those who came here in the 10th century. Novgorodians met with the Sami population and the whole. The name of the island comes from the language of the Karelian people - the word kiza meant "game, fun, dance", so "Kizhi" can be translated as "island of games" or "fun".

By the time these lands were transferred to the Muscovite state in 1478, the population was already Russian, although the culture of Zaonezhye was distinguished by its unique originality, representing a fusion of Slavic and Finnish cultures, while the locals clearly recognized themselves as descendants of the Novgorodians right up to the beginning. 20th century In Zaonezhye, for centuries, ancient Russian legends and epics were preserved and passed down orally from generation to generation, and at the same time, wooden architecture and folk crafts were actively developed.

Kizhi. Postcard

Kizhi Island has traditionally been the center of the villages of Southern Zaonezhye and the Unitskaya Bay - the Spaso-Kizhi Pogost, a district that included about 180 villages, their description is first found in Andrei Pleshcheev's Scribe for 1582-1583, and 20 years later "115 villages of living and 88 abandoned ones. The Kizhi churchyard united the surrounding peasants until the 1930s. 20th century

During the Time of Troubles, the churchyard was ravaged by the Swedes and the Polish-Lithuanian detachments, therefore, after the signing of peace with Sweden, a fortress was cut down around the Kizhi churchyard to protect against attacks. The threat of foreign intervention weakened only with the onset of the Petrine era and victory in the Northern War.

In the beginning. 18th century the peasants of the Kizhi Pogost are attributed to the new ironworks, where they had to work off taxes, which ruined even strong farms. On the second floor. 18th century a wave of riots swept across Zaonezhie after the royal decree on raising taxes. The famous Kizhi uprising of 1769-1771. was shot by government troops. It is believed that the most beautiful Assumption Church in Kondopoga was a kind of monument to the victims of the massacre of the rebels.

During the Second World War, Zaonezhye was under Finnish occupation for about three years, but already in 1945, the Kizhi churchyard was declared a state reserve, in 1951 the first architectural monument was transported to the island - the house of the peasant Oshevnev. In 1990, the architectural ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

Now in the Kizhi Historical, Architectural and Ethnographic Museum-Reserve, covering an area of ​​about 10 thousand hectares, there are 87 monuments of traditional folk architecture of the 14th-20th centuries, including the ensemble of the Kizhi churchyard, 26 unique archaeological sites, more than ten historical settlements territory of the Kizhi volost. The museum is annually visited by about 170 thousand tourists from Russia and abroad.

Schematic representation of the location of the exhibits on about. Kizhi
(in fact, the distances between buildings are much greater)
kizhi.karelia.ru

The basis of the collection of architectural monuments of the museum-reserve, its semantic center is the temple ensemble of the Kizhi churchyard (XVIII-XIX centuries), consisting of the 22-domed Church of the Transfiguration, the nine-domed Intercession Church, a hipped bell tower and a chopped log fence.

Kizhi churchyard

The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord (1714) is the most famous building in Kizhi. The names of the creators are unknown, and the beautiful legend about master Nestor, who, having finished his work, threw an ax into the lake with the words “there was no such church and never will be”, is very widespread in the North in relation to many monuments of wooden architecture. Not very reliable is another popular belief that it was cut down without a single nail - an aspen plowshare (scales covering the domes) is attached to the domes with small nails.

The height of the church is 37 m; On the eight are two more, smaller ones. Chapters vary in size from tier to tier in order to avoid monotony and create a kind of rhythmic pattern. The system for protecting the building from decay is no less thought out, even decorative elements often serve to drain water and properly ventilate the air. Inside the temple, the vertical volume was covered with a sixteen-sided ceiling - the “sky”, lost during the war, a carved iconostasis (1770) has been preserved. It is composed of 104 icons, the oldest of which, typical of the northern school of icon painting, date back to the end of the 17th century.

Church of the Transfiguration

The Church of the Transfiguration, a perfect work of Zaonezhsky masters, is a kind of "swan song" of Russian wooden architecture, which at that time reached the pinnacle of its development. It was built as a "cold" summer temple, and next to it, half a century later, the "warm" Kletskaya Church of the Intercession of the Virgin (1764) was erected. The builders managed to create a work that was a harmonious part of the ensemble, and not just a separate building. In the Church of the Intercession, the original “subordination” to the dominant Transfiguration Church is visible - a powerful octagon on a quadrangle, which could carry a huge tent, is crowned with a modest nine-domed with small, elegant domes; the silhouette expanding upward emphasizes the pyramid of the main building of the ensemble directed upwards. However, some researchers believe that the Church of the Intercession was originally built as a hipped roof. At present, the four-tiered tablo iconostasis with 44 icons of the 17th-19th centuries has been restored. In the entrance hall there is an exhibition "History of the Kizhi Orthodox parish".

The belfry of the Kizhi Pogost (1863) was erected already at a time when Russian wooden architecture was in decline, and yet, despite the seeming rusticity and details alien to tradition, the building blended surprisingly harmoniously into the ensemble. The scheme is traditional - an octagon on a quadrangle. Heavy, two-thirds of a log house high, the quadrangle surprises connoisseurs of cult wooden buildings with its disproportion, but you can see that it is raised exactly to the height of the piers of the Transfiguration Church and the height of the quadrangle of the Intercession Church, which once again emphasizes the unity of the three buildings. Currently, a remote control for the bell ringer is installed on the bell tower of the Kizhi churchyard. There are 12 bells in the pendant on the console (9 ancient and 3 modern).

Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, bell tower and Church of the Intercession of the Virgin

By the middle of the XX century. only a stone ridge remained from the fence of the churchyard. The appearance of the original fence was restored by restorers according to engravings of the 18th century. in the book of N. Ozeretskovsky "Journey through the lakes of Ladoga and Onega". The reconstruction project was based on the preserved fence of the Vodlozersky-Ilyinsky churchyard, as well as the Pochezersky churchyard of the Arkhangelsk region. The modern fence is a high stone embankment, on which a wall of powerful logs, tied in rows, is laid. On top of the wall is a gable roof. On the western corner of the fence there is a small turret covered with a hipped roof - epancha. Gates with openwork door panels lead to the churchyard from the north and east. The central entrance in the western wall is limited on both sides by two log cabins under a common roof. The log fence was reconstructed according to the project of the architect A. Opolovnikov in 1959.

Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus

Another of the main attractions of the museum-reserve is the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus, brought from the Murom Monastery, from the eastern shore of Lake Onega. This small Cletian church gave rise to many legends among believers and hypotheses among scientists. The dating of the construction of the temple has been a subject of controversy for almost a century. The church was first mentioned in the will of the Byzantine monk, the founder of the Murom monastery, Lazar of Murom, who died in 1391, but in the document of the Olonets spiritual consistory it is rather contradictory: “... in the name of St. Lazar, the cemetery was built in 7086. from the Universe (1578), wooden, built by the founder of this monastery, St. Lazar. Analysis of architectural details does not clarify this issue. The iconostasis, consisting of 17 icons of the 16th-18th centuries, has been preserved in the church. It represents the oldest type of a two-tiered iconostasis, consisting of local and deesis rows, including the royal doors and the northern ponomarsky doors.

Peasant's house Oshevnev

Not far from the Kizhi churchyard is the architectural and ethnographic complex "Russian Zaonezhie". The exposition "village" began in 1951-1959. from the House of the Peasant N. Oshevnev (1876) brought from the Bolshoi Klimenets Island. The building is built in the form of a "purse" - a yard-shed adjoins the side wall of the housing and is covered with a gable asymmetrical roof. The outbuilding included a barnyard, a hayloft and two storerooms. The residential part faces the lake and is richly decorated, it includes 2 huts, a hall, a room, a light room in the attic, a pantry and a canopy. The hut was called a room with a stove, it is believed that the owners spent the winter in the hut on the first floor, and settled throughout the house in the summer. Now the interiors of the huts, the upper room, the shed, the stables have been restored in the house, ethnographic exhibitions are held in the hall. Along the second floor there is an open gallery, the windows of the side gables are decorated with balconies. Previously, the window frames were painted orange-yellow, and the roof overhangs were painted red, which greatly enlivened the appearance of the house.

In addition to the main house, the peasant estate also includes separate outbuildings. Fires have always been the main disaster for the peasants, and the barns taken away from the main house could save the most valuable thing - grain and flour, and not let them die of starvation. There are several outbuildings near Oshevnev’s house: a two-story barn from the village of Yuzhny Dvor (XVIII century), a barn from the village of Lipovitsy (early XX century) and a bathhouse from
the village of Mizhostrov (beginning of the 20th century).

House of the peasant Elizarov

The house of the peasant Elizarov (end of the 19th century) from the village of Potanevshchina is somewhat smaller. The interiors of both buildings are similar, but unlike Oshevnev's house, Elizarov's house was heated in black. This method of heating the premises was in many ways more convenient for peasant families - less firewood was used, the wood-boring beetle did not start, it was warmer in the hut. The smoke collected above the "voronets" shelves, and the walls below this level and the ceilings were thoroughly washed and scraped every week. Elizarov's house is one-storey, it is made of heavy logs and modestly decorated, although the side balconies and the “ambulance” are also present here. In the utility room there is an exhibition that tells about the secrets of creating the Kizhanka boat. On the shore near the house there is a bathhouse (beginning of the 20th century) from the village of Ust-Yandoma.

A little further south of the Kizhi churchyard is the most modest Shchepin's House (1907). The type of building here is a "beam", when residential and utility rooms are stretched in a line under one roof. In the interior you can see items related to cooperage craft (making barrels, buckets, jugs and other wooden utensils).

Windmill

The exposition sector "Russian Zaonezhie" also includes a water mill (1875) from Berezovaya Selga, a windmill (1928-1929) from Nasonovshchina and the chapel of the Archangel Michael (early 18th century) from the village of Lelikozero.

Chapel of the Archangel Michael

The Klet Chapel of the Archangel Michael belongs to the common type of northern chapels. This is a three-part log cabin, consisting of a vestibule, a refectory and a chapel proper. The building is richly decorated with carved elements, it has preserved a two-tiered iconostasis with icons of local writing and a “sky” - a painted ceiling of 12 segments. From the western shore of Lake Onega, the House of Sergeev (1908-1910) and a forge (beginning of the 20th century) from the village of Suisar were brought to Kizhi.

House of the peasant Sergeyev

In the central part of the island there are two historical villages: Yamka, mentioned for the first time in 1563, on the east coast and Vasilyevo, mentioned in 1582, on the west. In these villages, buildings have been preserved, which are now included in the museum fund, many architectural monuments were brought from other places in Zaonezhie: peasant houses, stables, barns and barns. Near the village of Yamka, the chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands (XVII-XVIII centuries) from the village of Vigovo has been preserved, and the architectural dominant of Vasilyevo is the local chapel of the Assumption of the Mother of God (XVII-XVIII centuries), which is the oldest building on Kizhi Island.

House of the peasant Yakovlev

Three large peasant houses and several outbuildings make up the Russian Pudozhya exposition sector, where the architecture of the inhabitants of the eastern shore of Lake Onega is presented, and even further north you can see houses typical of Karelians and Vepsians. The Karelian estate here is represented by the house of the peasant Yakovlev (1980-1990s) from the village of Klescheyla, a bow cross and barns, and among the monuments of northern Karelians and Karelians-Lyudiki, the chapel of the Three Hierarchs from the village of Kavgora (second half of the 18th century) is interesting. . Two granaries and a bathhouse make up the outbuildings of the Vepsians.

Visitors are introduced to the monuments of the island by the routes offered by the museum's excursion service. Recently, an "Ecological Path" has been laid, giving an idea of ​​the nature of the island, an interactive family route has been developed to Yakovlev's house, where you can take part in traditional peasant household processes. During museum holidays, a folklore ensemble often performs.

On the territory of the museum there are several cafes and shopping kiosks, guest houses. You can also ask for accommodation in the villages to the locals.

Postcard. Kizhi from a bird's eye view

A few words about how the exhibits of the museum are located. Most of them are located in a small area, in that part of the island that is south of the pier. Those three hours that are allotted for the tour are enough for a leisurely inspection. But here the villages of Yamka, Vasilyevo and all other buildings that are from the pier to the north are not included in the usual excursion. How to get to them is not entirely clear. I noticed a bus on the road, but while I was thinking, he left. Perhaps it was just designed to move around the island. Walking here is quite tiring. But I still had almost an hour before the ship's departure, and I still went to that part of the island that is not included in the official route. He reached the windmill that stands there on a hillock, at the same time looked at the village of Yamka and at the chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands, which towered in the distance. But he didn’t go to the village of Vasilyevo, he was afraid to be late. I wonder if there are no bike rentals here?

Another windmill. On the left is the Chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands.

Also, the question remained unclear whether it is possible to come here on one ship and leave on the next one. The fact is that when boarding, everyone is given badges around their necks, and when selling a ticket, they also ask for a phone number. All this is done, apparently, so that people do not get lost on the island, do not fall behind their ship and do not violate the well-established conveyor for serving tourists.

View of the nose of the "Meteor" and the Kizhi churchyard

Now let's sum up. Well, what can I say about Kizhi. I liked the museum as a whole, although my expectations were certainly higher. The cost of an entrance ticket of 130 rubles for citizens of the Russian Federation (and equated to them, gygy :)) is quite sane. But 625 rubles for foreigners, or almost 15 euros, is already too much. For that kind of money, even Western European museums already have to spin in front of customers. And here everything rests, one might say, on one exhibit - the 22-head of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Meanwhile, it is clearly not eternal, and the metal plates on its rickety walls speak of this. Well, it is difficult in our climate for wooden buildings to stand for 300 years! She collapses, what then? And then Kizhi will simply turn into a "wabaihumuuseum", of which there are plenty in the world.

I wonder if there are really no craftsmen who could build something like that now? Is it really that difficult with modern technology? Take something old as a basis, make a project on a computer, cut logs to size and assemble. Of course, at first it will be a "remake", but all the old times were once a remake! Yes, and most of the local exhibits were collected at the current location, in fact, anew. I think that in such a place, new buildings could fit into the overall ensemble. In a word, it is necessary to somehow develop the museum further, the world does not stand still!

Perhaps the most famous landmark of Karelia is Kizhi Island with a unique architectural ensemble. This island is located in the northern part of Lake Onega. Its length is 7 km, width in different places is from 0.5 to 1.5 km. In 1966, the Kizhi State Historical and Architectural Museum was founded here. Now he is known all over the world. Tourists not only from Russia, but also from other countries of the world come here to admire the masterpieces of wooden architecture. Excursions from Petrozavodsk and St. Petersburg are regularly organized. In 1990, the museum on Kizhi Island was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and in 1993 - in the State Register of Especially Valuable Cultural Heritage Sites of the Peoples of Russia. In 2011, the Kizhi Museum received the title of the best museum in Russia. So we can say with confidence that it is a "pearl" not only of Karelia, but of the whole country. The Kizhi Museum regularly hosts various folk festivals and other events.

An interesting fact is that when pronouncing the word "Kizhi", the emphasis is placed on both the first and second syllables. At the same time, the first variant is often used in Karelia, and the generally accepted variant in other regions of Russia is with an emphasis on the second syllable.

The name of the island Kizhi comes from the Karelian word "kizhat", which can be translated as "games". In the X century. settlers from Novgorod began to develop the harsh northern lands, they began to cultivate the land, fish, and raise livestock. It is the Novgorodians who are the ancestors of modern Kizhans. In the 15th century, Novgorod was annexed to the Muscovite state - along with it, the Kizhi lands were annexed. Around that time, the first documentary mentions of the Kizhi churchyard date back. Here the word "graveyard" means several villages united among themselves. The administrative and religious center was located on the island of Kizhi.

Already in those days there were places of worship here. Peasant unrest is known from history. The fact is that in the XVII century. iron-smelting plants were built on Lake Onega, and many Karelian peasants were assigned to these enterprises. But the freedom-loving northerners, accustomed to doing their own thing, rebelled. Two riots are widely known in history, both were brutally suppressed. In 1697, a fire broke out from a lightning strike during a severe thunderstorm. Many buildings were destroyed. After some time, their recovery began.

So, why is the Kizhi Museum so attractive to tourists from all over the world? What objects are included in it? Here is a unique architectural ensemble - a fine example of wooden architecture. Firstly, these are two wooden churches and a bell tower of the 18th-19th centuries, which were originally located here. By the time they were built, carpentry was at its peak. It is clear that gradually wooden buildings give way to stone ones. The churches in Kizhi are a magnificent example of the traditional wooden architecture of northern Russia. In addition, after the formation of the museum, a number of buildings from various regions of Karelia were brought here. It should also be noted the picturesque nature that surrounds all this splendor.

Another building on the island of Kizhi is the Church of the Intercession (or the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin). This is the so-called "winter" (ie, heated) temple. It was built in 1764. Its creators faced a difficult task - after all, there was a magnificent Transfiguration Church nearby, with which the newly erected temple should be in harmony. And it was beautifully executed. The Church of the Intercession does not pretend to the greatness of the Transfiguration Church, but only complements it. Its roof is crowned with nine domes - one central, which is surrounded by eight more.

The third object, which was originally located on the island, and was not moved here in the process of the formation of the museum, is the hipped bell tower. It was built in 1863 on the site of an old dilapidated bell tower. It consists of two log cabins: the lower part is a four-sided log cabin, an octahedral smaller one is installed on it. Above is a belfry, above it is a tent. The hipped bell tower perfectly complements the churches described above.

Also on the island of Kizhi there are several buildings that were transported here already in the 20th century. a few years before the opening of the museum. First, the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus. This is the oldest surviving building in Karelia. According to legend, many centuries ago, the Monk Lazar founded the Murom Monastery on the eastern shore of Lake Onega. He also built the church, which was the first building of the monastery. It is named after the biblical character - Lazarus from Bethany, his miraculous resurrection is described by John in the New Testament. This church was the main relic of the monastery, it was believed that it relieves serious illnesses. During the years of Soviet power, an agricultural commune was organized on the site of the Murom Monastery. In 1959, the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus was dismantled and moved to Kizhi. In 1960 it was restored. The iconostasis of 17 icons of the 16th-18th centuries has been preserved.

Chapel of Michael the Archangel, including a hipped bell tower, was transported to the island of Kizhi in 1961. Previously, it was located in the village of Lelikozero.

Also on Kizhi Island you can see a windmill built in 1928. In 1976 it was reconstructed. The mill is still in operation today. The body is mounted on a vertical shaft, so it can be rotated in the direction of the wind. Eight wings are mounted on a horizontal shaft.