Kizhi facts. Wooden churches of the kizhi island. Location: contact information

The place where they are located attracts not only tourists, but also those who want to touch the age-old shrine. Wooden churches the islands of Kizhi, built in 1714, keep ancient mysteries and secrets, conveying the atmosphere of their time. The island of Kizhi, like the temples located on it, is considered a UNESCO heritage. And, although today no one serves in them, these architectural monuments continue to attract the attention of parishioners with their history. Here's what we learned about this unique creation today.

A little about the island and the temple

Admiring the beautiful wooden temples on the Internet, many are wondering on which island the wooden churches of Kizhi are located and how to get there. The island, more precisely, the churchyard, on which the temple is located, is located on Lake Onega in Karelia. The closest city to it is Petrozavodsk, from where you can get to the territory of the museum-reserve, in which the legendary temple of the Transfiguration of the Lord is located.

It was built on the site of another ancient church, which once burned down from a lightning strike. The construction of the new Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord began on June 6, 1714, and the Church of the Intercession became the prototype for the creation of this architectural masterpiece. Holy Mother of God in the Vologda region. According to the traditions of Russian architecture, the church was built of wood, and, according to some sources, not a single nail was used in the construction process. In fact, there are nails in the temple now, but they are located only in the domes. In the very same room they are not.

This temple was never heated, and served in it only in summer time... However, another winter church was built on the churchyard, in which services were held from October 1 to Easter. The first building burned down, and in 1769 another temple was built in its place - the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin. It is much smaller in size than the Temple of the Transfiguration, it has fewer baths, but its architecture is just as amazing. Particularly attractive is its graceful domes, very beautiful and delicately executed. At the entrance to the temple itself there is a vestibule and a refectory. It was there in pre-revolutionary Russia that various meetings were held, orders were read and public events were organized, because until the twentieth century, the church was an integral part of the state system.

Nearby there is a bell tower and an old cemetery with wooden crosses. The bell tower is also completely made of wood and is made in the same style as the temples. Today it is also considered a museum attraction and belongs to the protected cultural monuments.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, when churches were demolished throughout Russia, the churches of Kizhi passed this fate. And even not only because even then not everyone knew on which island the wooden churches of Kizhi were located, but also because of their interest in the temple as a special architectural monument. Therefore, during the burning of churches, not a single temple was damaged, and in 1945 one of them became a museum, which today is visited by tens of thousands of people from all over the world to admire the unique creation of Russian architecture.

At the end of the reign of the Russian Empire, mass production of New Year and Christmas cards with images of Kizhi temples began, and in 1911 Schlugleit's famous painting "In the Far North", the central part of which was a churchyard with wooden temples, was bought by Emperor Nicholas II himself.

On October 2, 1945, the territory of the temples was recognized as the Kizhi nature reserve, and in 1991 it became protected by UNESCO as a cultural monument.

A legend is associated with the temples, according to which they were built without a single nail. The builder Nestor even threw an ax into the lake with the words: "This has never happened and will never happen again" so that no one else could build such a unique temple out of wood. In fact, there are nails, but they are hidden in the domes, but the building of the bell tower and temples itself does not contain them. A special construction technique was used in the construction, the secret of which still no one can guess.

The complex construction of the Transfiguration Church was carried out only with axes. The very sharp ax did not cut the tree like a saw, keeping it natural properties, which contributed to the safety of the material. To decorate the domes of the temple, special scales of a ploughshare made of aspen were used. Thanks to a special processing technology, they sparkled in the sun, casting in different colors, depending on the characteristics of the lighting. This can be seen even today in various photographs. Therefore, it is surprising that they shine silver during the onset of white nights, reflect the gold of the dawn at sunset and shimmer with a mysterious blue glow, like the sky with a north wind.

It is possible to describe for a long time what the wooden churches of Kizhi are known for today. But it is better to see with your own eyes this beautiful creation of human hands on the Internet or to decide on a trip to Karelia. Maybe the ancient temples of the island will help you get in touch with man-made beauty, inspiring you to develop your own skills and talents.

Amazing and mysterious Kizhi island Is a place that has become a real symbol of the skill and talent of the architects of the Russian North. Today it houses a museum-reserve, included in the List of objects of the world cultural heritage UNESCO.

The island is located in the northern part, 68 kilometers from, and is the most popular attraction in Karelia after. Tourists come here from all over Russia, from the nearest Scandinavian states, from the Baltic states and Western Europe, from Asia and even from overseas.

Most interesting objects museum under open air- fabulous Transfiguration and Intercession churches, a bell tower with a hipped dome, windmill with eight wings, the chapel of the Archangel Michael and the Oshevnev house-museum, as well as old huts and outbuildings brought here from other places and organically complementing the general historical picture.

About the Kizhi island and its attractions - our article.

• It is believed that the island of Kizhi got its name from the Karelian word "kizhat", which means "merrymaking" in translation. Archaeologists are of the opinion that pagan rituals and ceremonies took place here in pre-Christian times.
• Most of us are used to pronouncing the word "Kizhi" with an emphasis on the second syllable, however, philologists and locals argue that the orthoepically correct variant is the pronunciation of the name of the island with an accent on the first syllable.
• In addition to the historical and architectural museum, there are three villages on the Kizhi island - Kizhi, Vasilyevo and Yamka. Each of them has only two or three courtyards, but this does not prevent them from attracting tourists every year - such landscapes and such a unique peasant flavor cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
• The ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost received the status of a historical and architectural monument in the 1920s, but it became an open-air museum only four centuries later, in 1966.
• During the years of the occupation of Karelia by the Finnish troops, the ensemble miraculously did not suffer - it was saved only by the fact that the Finns treated it carefully in the hope of including the island into their country and making it an object of research for Finnish scientists. Of course, these plans were not destined to be realized, but they managed to save the unique monuments of Russian wooden architecture.

• There is a legend that the invaders still planned to destroy the island of Kizhi and all its attractions, however, seeing the incredible, almost unearthly beauty of the Intercession and Transfiguration churches, the pilots flying the bombers dropped bombs into the lake. However, no documentary evidence of this fact has yet been found.
• The Transfiguration Church on Kizhi Island is made of pine logs, and its domes and barrels are covered with the so-called " ploughshare"- small plates carved from aspen. The use of such materials gives rise to an amazing combination of gray-brown shades of log church walls with silvery domes covered with aspen plates reflecting all the colors of the surrounding nature. Against the background of the cold northern sky, this picture takes on even greater beauty and mystery.

• It is believed that the churches of the island were built without a single nail. This statement is only partly true - in the construction of walls and towers, nails were really not used, but when covering the domes with aspen scales, they were still used.
• In the middle of the 20th century, the first large-scale restoration of the ensemble was carried out - it lasted 10 years. In the 80s, a metal frame was installed in the Transfiguration Church to prevent the building from collapsing. Unfortunately, he damaged some of the logs, so the iconostasis and the unique “sky” ceiling had to be disassembled.
• The last restoration of the ensemble began in 2010 and continues to this day. In order not to damage the general historical appearance of the buildings and prolong their life, the master restorers use, among other things, the techniques that were used 300 years ago in the construction of the Transfiguration Church.

Attractions of the island of Kizhi

Site of the Kizhi Museum-Reserve: kizhi.karelia.ru Price entrance ticket: 600 rubles, pensioners, students - 300 rubles, children under 16 - free.

The main attractions of the island are, of course, the “summer” Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the “winter” Intercession Church, the tent-roofed bell tower and the surrounding fence. All together they form a single ensemble "Kizhi Pogost", which is not the same in the whole world. It is located in the southern part of the island, for the sake of it tourists mainly come, visiting the island for the first time. Word " churchyard"In this case means administrative District... It is the objects of the Kizhi Pogost that are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

There are other buildings on the island that are very interesting for both adults and teenage children.

Transfiguration Church on Kizhi Island

Transfiguration Church under restoration

The 38-meter Transfiguration Church is the main monument of Kizhi Island, probably known to every schoolchild. It is her photo that is printed in history textbooks in topics about Russian architecture. The completely wooden building, crowned with 22 domes, giving it the appearance of a royal tower from a Russian fairy tale, dates back to 1714. It is believed that it was built on the site of a church that burned down at the end of the 16th century.

There are two main legends regarding the creation of this greatest architectural masterpiece. The first is that the designer and builder of the Transfiguration Church was none other than the Emperor Peter the Great himself. He sailed on Lake Onega, saw a dumped forest on the shore and ordered a miracle to be erected, equal to which there is and will never be.

The second legend says that the Transfiguration Church on the island of Kizhi was built by a talented craftsman named Nestor. Having finished the work, he threw the ax into the waters of Lake Onega - this was done so that no one would ever dare to build something as great again. Be that as it may, the covenant of both Peter and Nestor has been fulfilled - probably, a master has not yet been born whose talent could surpass the skill of the creators of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

Even the shape of the church is not typical for religious buildings of that time - it is round. The creator chose the octagon as the main figure. There are three in the temple, each of them consists of two tiers and lower than the previous one in height. The parishioners also took an active part in the construction of the temple. The temple is a "summer" building and does not work in winter.

Unfortunately, in the 80s of the last century, the iconostasis and the unique "heavenly" ceiling were damaged during the installation of the metal frame - they had to be disassembled and transferred to various museums for storage. Since 2010, the Transfiguration Church has been under reconstruction. I must say that the very frame, because of which part of the interior decoration of the church suffered, nevertheless played a positive role - only thanks to it the building has not yet collapsed under its own weight.

A refectory is attached to the Transfiguration Church - an equally unique structure, the logs of which tend to flow into a clear and sunny weather... In the past, locals used it for public gatherings, courts, or various festivals.

Church of the Intercession

The Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, like the Transfiguration Church on the Kizhi Island, is a unique monument that testifies to the incredible skill and talent of the architects of the Russian North. Its architecture has something in common with the architecture of the Transfiguration Church and the tent bell tower - all together they form an integral composition and organically complement each other.

The Church of the Intercession has a more modest size and austere appearance. It is crowned with only nine domes, and the only decorative element of its facade is a patterned wooden pediment, the geometric forms of which are directed towards the heavens. This is the so-called "winter" type of temple, intended for worship in the harsh winter.

It is known that the Church of the Intercession burned and was rebuilt several times, and the look that we admire today, it acquired only in 1764. The temple is equipped with a high porch and a vestibule - this is a characteristic feature of the churches that were being built at that time in the northern part of the Russian Empire. The interior decoration is represented by a high iconostasis, many elements of which were lost during the bloody events of the first half of the 20th century. In the 50s, it was restored and today both parishioners and tourists can see it.

Hipped bell tower

The hipped bell tower is another building located between two churches, which is an integral part of the Kizhi churchyard ensemble and has retained the same style, despite the fact that it was built much later than the Pokrovsky and Transfiguration churches. The melodious ringing of her bells still echoes throughout the area. It is known that 300 years ago there was a belfry in its place, which was demolished due to dilapidation.

The bell tower, which has survived to this day, was built in 1863. It, like both churches, can be clearly seen from the side of Lake Onega.

Chapel of Michael the Archangel

The Chapel of the Archangel Michael is another part of the magnificent Kizhi ensemble. It is a small wooden building with a vestibule and a bell tower, built at the beginning of the 19th century. The building was brought to the island of Kizhi from the village of Lelikozero, in the northern part of Onega.

This building, like many others on the island, has a typical appearance. architectural masterpieces Russian North. It is crowned with a double roof and a tall wooden dome with a cross. Her main distinctive feature- a hipped-roof belfry-belfry, towering over the entrance hall. The interior decoration is also unique - a high iconostasis that merges with the "heavenly" ceiling. It dates back to the 18th century.

The house of the wealthy peasant Nestor Oshevnev is another historical building dating back to the second half of the 19th century. This large house, intended for a large family, today is a museum of the life, way of life and customs of the wealthy peasants of Zaonezhie late XIX- the beginning of the XX centuries.

The house has a typical form for Zaonezhie - the residential part and outbuildings are under the same roof. This allowed tenants to carry out many works without going outside, which was a great advantage in winter. The facade is decorated with patterned balconies and a gallery.

Every thing in the house is real, which has come down from us from that distant and mysterious time. There is a stove, a cradle for children, dishes, a spindle, a large chest, and a samovar. All this creates a unique and inimitable atmosphere - entering here, as if you are moving in time and find yourself in the past, which is left so far behind.

Sergeev's house has a square shape, so it seems that there are no outbuildings here, unlike Oshevnev's house. But if you go around it from the other side, you can see that they have not gone anywhere, but simply taken back, but they are still under the same roof with the residential part. The facade of the house is richly decorated, especially the carved frames on the windows attract attention.

The interior has not been reconstructed - there is a worn wooden floor, the same worn furniture is placed in the corners and in the center. Today there are two expositions: one is devoted to Karelian applied art, the second - to the oral folk art of the inhabitants of Zaonezhie.

Baths

There are four baths on the island, which are also brought from others. settlements Karelia. It is not difficult to find them - they are located on the very shore of the lake by the water. These are simple wooden buildings with a few soapboxes and a stove inside.

The facade of the baths was not decorated in any way, because they were perceived simply as a way to maintain the purity of the body, and no sacred meaning was invested in them. Nevertheless, the bathhouse had to be even in the most run-down village.

Eight-winged windmill

The eight-winged mill is a relatively young structure, created in the 1920s. It was brought to the island of Kizhi from the village of Volkostrov.

There are two floors inside the mill - on the first there is a flour chest and a device for grinding flour, on the second there is a mill ladle, millstones and a shaft, at the end of which there are wings. Surprisingly, the eight-winged windmill is currently performing its original function of grinding grain and making flour.

Interesting articles

In Karelia, on the wonderful Onega Lake, there is an incredibly beautiful fabulous island, called Kizhi. The island is considered an invaluable museum of architecture, the scale of which is simply amazing. Kizhi is an unusual place that has been famous for its craft for many centuries, because many artists and poets lived and worked here. If someone remembers the famous epics about Ilya Muromets or Vladimir Krasnoe Solnyshko, then it should be said that they were created on the territory of this wonderful island.

Having visited the island for the first time, just stepping on its amazing territory, you can feel a significant surge of energy, touch something light and beautiful, breathe in clean air on your full chest and find out what real freedom is.

If you move to the recent past and study a little the history of the island, you can find out that there were as many as 14 villages here. Unfortunately, only two have survived to this day, which bear the names Vasilyevo and Yamka. One of the surviving villages is conveniently located on the eastern shore of the famous Onega Lake. The second village is located on the western bank of this wonderful reservoir. There are only a couple of houses in each of the villages, but this did not become an obstacle for curious adventurers, so there are always a lot of tourists in this place. Tourists from all over the world come here all year round, because such landscapes as on this island are not common. In addition, this place is full of interesting monuments and the rest here seems to be simply divine.

Excursions are regularly held in the city of Kizhi to acquaint tourists with this interesting and unusual place. River cruises on Meteora pass from Petrozavodsk, but they do not have enough time to fully study unique nature of this place. To fully explore the island, see all the interesting natural places and sights, you need to plan your travel itinerary yourself.

The most popular sights of Kizhi

Among the main attractions of Kizhi, it is worth noting the Transfiguration Church. It was erected back in 1714, and not a single nail was used for its construction. The church has as many as 22 domes, which with their gilding complement the brightness of the sun sowing. From a bird's eye view, the view of this temple will make it possible to distinguish it from others, because this unique monument has no analogues. The temple is made so interesting and original that if you take into account the cuttings, the appearance of a cross is formed on all four sides. The altar of this majestic temple faces the western side, but the refectory with a porch is conveniently located on the eastern side. The view from this porch is simply amazing and mesmerizing for tourists. Visiting this architectural monument, you can enjoy not only its beauty, but also fully embrace the settlements, villages and straits.

Inside, the temple radiates unearthly beauty. Everyone who gets here will feel complete peace. The altar in this majestic temple has 4 tiers, it is covered with a huge number of icons, the exact number of which is 102 pieces. The space inside is evenly flooded with calm and pacifying light.

Such an architectural monument as the Intercession Church also deserves special attention. The temple was built in 1764, it is wooden and has 9 chapters, the shape of which is rather unusual, making the construction lighter and more original. Outside, the structure is decorated with wooden pillars, but inside the temple looks very modest. If you compare it with the previous version. Unfortunately, in the course of history, the very first iconostasis of this building has not survived, and the current one was completed during the restoration of the church, in 1950.

The top three attractions of the island include the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus. History suggests that this landmark was built back in 1391. Overeating suggests that the church began to be built after Vasily the Monk appeared to Lazarus. It is this temple that is considered the first building belonging to the Murom Monastery. The construction of this monastery was dedicated precisely to the Biblical story, which says about the resurrection of Lazarus. Locals say that the temple has the power to heal from various ailments and precisely because of this this place became a great center of pilgrimage.

What architectural monuments of Kizhi are still worth seeing

There is also the Chapel of the Archangel Michael on the island, which is characterized as follows:

was transported to Kizhi from Lelikozero in 1961;

has a very picturesque appearance;

consists of 3 parts, which together form a rectangle;

the walls are built on the north side, and the window faces west;

the bell tower from above is successfully completed with a magnificent tent;

outside the architectural monument is decorated with towels with circles and rhombuses;

inside, in the center of the ceiling, there is a large icon of Christ, and the evangelists are depicted in the corners.

In addition to this monument, there is also a Tent Bell Tower on the island. It was built back in 1863, but was completed in 1874. The belfry tent is supported by 9 columns and ends with a dome with a cross. In sum, the structure looks very interesting and harmonious. To illuminate the interior of the bell tower, there are 4 windows, which are made in the form of beautiful arches.

Continuing to travel around the island, tourists will be able to see a tall wooden palisade. Its original has not survived, but the reconstruction was able to accurately convey it. A copy was made already in 1959, in addition to these sights, on the island you can see old mills, as well as barns. All of these attractions are collected throughout the region and delivered to the island, which has turned into a huge museum.

Oshevnev's house can also be considered a popular place among tourists. It looks like Karelian houses that were built before the revolution. The building has two floors and is richly decorated with carvings. There is also an ancient windmill on the island, which cannot be found anymore.

What else is new and interesting on the island

Monuments and churches are, of course, good, but we must not forget about the amazing nature of this place. The island has a beautiful relief, it stretches near the coast rare forest, meadows and the sun can be seen from afar, reflecting its glare in the lake. Many of the villages of the island went under water, but thanks to this, it was possible to create a unique museum here, which collected more than 50 thousand original, interesting and fascinating objects. All these items accurately tell about the life of the indigenous people of the region and it is thanks to them that you can study the history. On the island, you can get to know more about the following subjects:

antique women's jewelry;

original embroidery;

handmade toys;

household items and tools.

But the interesting aspects of Kizhi do not end there, because rare, original and interesting things are still brought here. New expositions are constantly developing, tourists are invited to become participants in master classes that introduce old crafts. Visitors to the island who come here for the holidays can watch interesting performances and become active participants in them. You can get here for a few days, without any problems choosing an accommodation option.

There are no hotels on the island, but it is quite well possible to stay with local residents. Kizhi is unique place, which is worth visiting and you need to stay here for a few days. To see all the monuments and enjoy the unforgettable nature, you can get here with the whole family, getting an incredible boost of energy and cheerfulness. In general, tourists who want to visit Kizhi will definitely not regret it, this is just a wonderful place where you should definitely visit. The island fascinates and attracts attention, allows you to completely disconnect from urban everyday life, delve into history, look at beautiful monuments and just have a great time. It is for great impressions and positive emotions that you should go here.

The amazing Kizhi Museum-Reserve is rightfully considered a symbol of Russian architecture and business card Russian North. This mysterious open-air museum attracts more and more visitors from all over the world every day.

Kizhi Island is located in the north of Lake Onega, not far from Petrozavodsk. The most comfortable and fastest way to get to the island from the capital of Karelia is the meteor on Kizhi, which will take tourists to the reserve in less than an hour and a half.
The most memorable objects of the island are the Transfiguration and Pokrovskaya churches, a bell tower with a hipped roof, a windmill. Tourists will also be interested in the chapel and the Oshevnev House, and, of course, old huts and buildings brought here from different parts Karelia.
Transfiguration Church
The most recognizable monument on the island of Kizhi, without a doubt, is the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, or the Transfiguration Church. The unique wooden building 38 meters high is crowned with 22 domes. The temple was built in 1714. Services are held here only in summer.

Church of the Intercession of the Virgin

Mill

Chapel of Michael the Archangel

The core of the collection architectural monuments Museum-reserve, its semantic center is the temple ensemble of the Kizhi churchyard (XVIII-XIX centuries), consisting of a 22-head Church of the Transfiguration, a nine-domed Pokrovskaya church, a tent bell tower and a chopped log fence.

Kizhi churchyard

The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord (1714) is the most famous building of the Kizhi. The names of the creators are unknown, but beautiful legend about the master Nestor, who, having finished his work, threw an ax into the lake with the words "there was no such church and there will not be", is very widespread in the North in relation to many monuments of wooden architecture. Another common opinion that it was cut down without a single nail is also not very reliable - an aspen ploughshare (scales covering the heads) is attached to the domes with the help of small nails.

The height of the church is 37 m, the basis of the structure is an octagon with four cuttings, such structures are called "twenty-two walls". On the figure eight there are two more, smaller ones. The chapters vary in size from tier to tier in order to avoid monotony and create a kind of rhythmic pattern. The system of protection of the building from decay is no less well thought out, even decorative elements often serve to drain water and proper ventilation of the air. Inside the temple, the vertical volume was covered with a sixteen-sided ceiling - the “sky”, lost during the war; the carved iconostasis (1770) has been preserved. It is made up 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 Zaonezh masters, is a kind of "swan song" of Russian wooden architecture, which reached the peak of its development at that time. It was built as a "cold" summer temple, and next to it, half a century later, a "warm" church of the Intercession of the Mother of God was erected (1764). The builders managed to create a piece that was a harmonious part of the ensemble, and not just a separate building. In the Church of the Intercession, one can see the initial "subordination" to the dominant Transfiguration Church - a powerful octagon on a four, which could carry a huge tent, crowned with a modest nine dome with small, graceful domes; the silhouette expanding upward emphasizes the upward-directed pyramid of the main building of the ensemble. However, some researchers believe that the Intercession Church was originally built as a tent-roofed one. Currently, a four-tiered tyablo iconostasis with 44 icons of the 17th-19th centuries has been restored. In the hallway there is an exhibition “History of the Kizhi Orthodox Parish”.

The bell tower of the Kizhi Pogost (1863) was being built at a time when Russian wooden architecture was in decline, and yet, despite the seeming simplicity and details alien to traditions, the building surprisingly harmoniously merged into the ensemble. The scheme is traditional - an octal on a four. The overweight, two-thirds of the log-house height, the quadruple surprises the connoisseurs of cult wooden buildings with its disproportionality, however, you can see that it is raised exactly to the height of the cathedrals of the Preobrazhensky Church and the height of the quadruple of the Intercession Church, which once again emphasizes the unity of the three buildings. At present, a remote control for the bell ringer is installed in the bell tower of the Kizhi churchyard. The pendant on the console contains 12 bells (9 old and 3 modern).

Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the bell tower and the 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 from the engravings of the 18th century. in the book by N. Ozeretskovsky "Traveling on lakes Ladoga and Onega". The reconstruction project was based on the preserved fence of the Vodlozersky-Ilyinsky churchyard, as well as the Pochezersky churchyard Arkhangelsk region... The modern fence is a high stone embankment, on which a wall of powerful logs tied with ribbons is laid. On top of the wall there is a gable plank roof. On the western corner of the fence there is a small turret covered with a hipped roof - epancha. From the north and east to the churchyard there are gates with openwork door leaves. The central entrance in the western wall is bounded on both sides by two log cabins under a common roof. The log fence was reconstructed by 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, with east coast Lake Onega. This small cage church has given rise to many legends among believers and hypotheses among scientists. The dating of the temple has been a subject of controversy for almost a century. For the first time, the church was mentioned in the will of the Byzantine monk, founder of the Murom monastery, Lazar of Murom, who died in 1391, but the document of the Olonets spiritual consistory speaks of it rather controversially: “... in the name of the Monk Lazar, the cemetery was built in 7086. from the World (1578), wooden, built by the founder of this monastery, the Monk Lazarus. " The analysis of architectural details does not clarify this issue. The church has preserved an iconostasis consisting of 17 icons of the 16th-15th centuries. It is the oldest type of two-tier iconostasis, consisting of a local and a deesis row, including the royal gates and the northern Ponomar doors.

House of the peasant Oshevnev

Not far from the Kizhi churchyard there is an architectural and ethnographic complex "Russian Zaonezhia". The exposition "village" began in 1951-1959. from the House of Peasant N. Oshevnev brought from Bolshoy Klimenetsky Island (1876). The building is built in the form of a "purse" - the yard-shed is adjacent to the side wall of the dwelling 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, an upper room, a loft in the attic, a storage room and a vestibule. A house with a stove was called a hut, it is believed that the owners spent the winter in the hut on the first floor, and in the summer they settled throughout the house. Now the interiors of huts, a room, a barn, sheds have been restored in the house, ethnographic exhibitions are held in the hall. Along the second floor there is a gulbische - an open gallery, the windows of the side gables are decorated with balconies. Previously, window frames were painted orange-yellow, and the eaves of the roof were painted red, which greatly enlivened the appearance of the house.

In addition to the main house, the peasant estate is also detached outbuildings. Fires have always been the main disaster for the peasants, and the barns removed from the main house could save the most valuable things - grain and flour, and prevent them from starving to death. There are several outbuildings near Oshevnev's house: a two-storey barn from the village of Yuzhny Dvor (18th 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 (late 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 room was in many ways more convenient for peasant families - less firewood was consumed, the woodworm beetle did not start, and it was warmer in the hut. Smoke collected above the Vorontsov shelves, and the walls below this level and ceilings were thoroughly washed and scrubbed every week. Elizarov's house is one-story, it is made of powerful logs and is modestly decorated, although the side balconies and "gulbische" are present here as well. 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 (early XX century) from the village of Ust-Yandoma.

A little further south of the Kizhi churchyard is the most modest House of Shchepin (1907). The type of construction here is “timber”, when living quarters and utility rooms are stretched out in a line under one roof. In the interior, you can see items related to the cooper's craft (making barrels, buckets, jugs and other wooden utensils).

Windmill

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

Chapel of the Archangel Michael

The Kletskaya chapel of the Archangel Michael belongs to the common type of northern chapels. This is a three-part log house, consisting of a vestibule, a refectory and the chapel itself. The building is richly decorated with carved elements, a two-tiered iconostasis with icons of local writing and a "sky" - a painted ceiling of 12 segments, has been preserved in it. The House of Sergeev (1908-1910) and a smithy (early XX century) from the village of Suisar were brought to Kizhi from the western shore of Lake Onega.

House of the peasant Sergeev

In the central part of the island there are two historical villages: Yamka, mentioned for the first time in 1563, on the eastern bank, and Vasilyevo, mentioned in 1582, on the west. In these villages, buildings have survived, 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 the island of Kizhi.

House of the peasant Yakovlev

Three large peasant houses and several outbuildings make up the exposition sector of the Russian Pudozhia, where the architecture of the inhabitants of the eastern shore of Lake Onega is presented, and even further north you can see houses characteristic of the Karelians and Vepsians. The Karelian estate is represented here by the house of the peasant Yakovlev (1980-1990s) from the village of Klescheila, by a bowing cross and barns, and among the monuments of northern Karelians and Karelian people there is an interesting chapel of Three Saints from the village of Kavgora (second half of the 18th century) ... Two barns 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 trail" was laid, which gives an idea of ​​the nature of the island, an interactive family route to the Yakovlev house has been developed, 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 trade kiosks, living rooms. You can also ask for an overnight stay in the villages to the local residents.

Card. 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 the part of the island that is south of the pier. Those three hours that are allotted for the excursion are quite enough for a leisurely inspection. But 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. On the road I noticed a bus, but while I was thinking, he left. Perhaps it was just intended to move around the island. Walking here on foot is rather tiresome. But I still had almost an hour before the departure of the ship, and I still went to that part of the island that is not included in the official route. I got to the windmill, which 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 rose in the distance. But he did not go to the village of Vasilyevo, he was afraid to be late. I wonder if there is no bike rental here?

Another windmill. On the left you can see the Chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands

The question also remained unclear whether it is possible to come here on one motor ship and leave on the next. 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 being done, apparently, so that people do not get lost on the island, do not lag behind their ship and do not break the well-oiled conveyor for serving tourists.

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

Now let's summarize. Well, what can I say about Kizhi. In general, I liked the museum, although the expectations were certainly higher. The cost of an entrance ticket of 130 rubles for citizens of the Russian Federation (and those equated to them, gygy :)) is quite sane. But 625 rubles for foreigners, or almost 15 euros, is already a bit too much. For that kind of money, even Western European museums have to turn around in front of their clients. And here everything is kept, 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 lopsided walls speak of this. Well, it is difficult in our climate for wooden buildings to stand for 300 years! When it collapses, what then? And then Kizhi will simply turn into "wabaikhumuuseum", of which the world is full.

I wonder if there are no craftsmen now who could build something like that? Is it really that difficult with modern technology? Take something old as a basis, make a project on a computer, carve logs to size and assemble. Of course, at first it will be a "remake", but all the old things were once a remake! And most of the local exhibits have been collected at the current place virtually from scratch. 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!