As the dictionary of V. I. Dahl testifies, taiga is a word of Siberian origin. In the Yakut language, "taiga" means "forest".
Scientists understand the taiga as a vast part of the forest zone, covered mainly with coniferous forests of pine, spruce, fir, larch and Siberian cedar (Siberian cedar pine). These forests stretch in a wide strip across the northern part of the territory of Russia, Scandinavia, Canada and the northern regions of the United States.
Within the taiga, forest-tundra light forests, northern, middle and southern subzones and coniferous-broad-leaved forests of odtaiga are distinguished. Hidden forests are characterized by simplicity of layered structure and poverty. species composition plants and animals.
Forests dominated by spruce, fir and Siberian stone pine form a dark coniferous taiga. Under the canopy of such a forest, which barely transmits light, there is no or sparse woodland, the soil is covered with mosses or a bedding of needles. Larch and pine forests form light coniferous taiga. These are predominantly sparse-layer forests, with good illumination, often with well-developed undergrowth and grass-shrub layer. Along the river valleys, the taiga invades the tundra zone, mountain ranges in the deciduous forest zone.
Taiga occupies 10% of the Earth's land mass. About 70% of commercial wood is harvested in it conifers, a lot of medicinal raw materials; a large number of game animals live here and the main base of hunting is located. In the fur preparations of our country, the taiga gives 100% of the harvested sable, 90% of the column, 80% of the squirrel, 50% of the ermine, 40% of the muskrat.
The Karelian taiga, which occupies the western outskirts of the Russian taiga, is distinguished by a certain originality, which is due to the position of the region on the periphery of the Baltic crystalline shield. Millions of years ago, active tectonic processes took place here, caused by earthquakes and volcanic activity. Deep cracks ripped the crystalline foundation into blocks, hills, ridges. Later, about a million years ago, a powerful glacier began to attack this earthly firmament from Scandinavia, which retreated only 10-12 thousand years ago. The glacier leveled the mountains, plowed valleys and hollows, carried strong boulders and blocks for many hundreds of kilometers, ground and redeposited looser rocks.
There are 27 thousand people here. rivers and 62 thousand. lakes, elongated predominantly in one direction from north - west to south - east . The rivers , full of rapids and waterfalls , are swift and seething , as in the mountains . This paradox is a distinctive feature of Karelia. The scientist - geologist aptly called it "a mountainous country with a flat relief." animals and is the main base of hunting. The originality of the geological geomorphological And hydrographic conditions could not but affect the forests - and allowed scientists to single out the Karelian taiga as a special region. Forests cover a little more than half of the territory here. Another third is occupied by swamps and water surfaces. There are relatively many dry and rocky, as well as swampy forests.
Of exceptional importance is the role of numerous edge forests, stretching in endless ribbons along the banks of rivers, rivers and lakes, along the outskirts, swamps and agricultural lands. Here are the best conditions for the growth of plants, the life of animals and birds. In terms of "abundance of life", edge forests far outnumber adjacent lands in the depths of the territory.
The landscape diversity of forests in Karelia is great. If the taiga, in the usual view, is monotonous and gloomy, then the Karelian, on the contrary, has many faces and amazes with a variety of impressions.
The Karelian taiga is divided into two subzones: northern and middle. The border between them runs along the line Medvezhyegorsk Porosozero. The northern taiga passes into the Murmansk region, the southern border of the middle taiga is drawn along the border with the Leningrad region, where the southern taiga begins.
In other words, in the generally accepted economic and economic conception, the middle taiga occupies the territory of southern Karelia, the northern middle and northern Karelia.
In the northern taiga predominantly pines grow, but spruce forests are also found; in the middle one , on the contrary , spruce plantations predominate more . Coniferous forests account for 88% of the forested area.
In the middle taiga, small patches of Karelian birch can be found, although it usually grows as single trees among other birches. Karelian birch is one of the very valuable and rare species of wood.
In the south - east of Karelia one can meet larch , maple , small - leafed linden , and elms . And often found in the south of Karelia black alder. The most common in the Karelian taiga are light coniferous pine forests, which occupy more than 65% of the forested area. Pine can grow both on sandy soils and on excessively wet swamps. But she feels most comfortable in conditions of moderate moisture and sufficient mineral richness of soils. Under the cover of a pine forest, a cover of shrubs grows abundantly: blueberries, lingonberries, crowberries, wild rosemary, as well as many forest herbs.
There are much fewer forests dominated by spruce: they account for 23% of the forested area. In the middle taiga, spruce plantations occupy predominantly watershed areas, in the northern well-drained slopes of large ridges and river valleys. Green mosses predominate in the cover of dense spruce forests, blueberries and forest forbs in more sparse ones.
In general, the forests of Karelia predominantly mixed . In pine forests, the share of spruce (up to 30%) and birch (up to 20%) is high, in spruce forests there are a lot of pine and deciduous. Pure (single-species) are only pine forests of the lichen group.
In the age spectrum of the Karelian taiga, forests up to 40 years old (young forests) are currently distinguished, they include more than. Mountains bring a special originality to the vegetation cover of Karelia.
Swamps are a characteristic feature of the Karelian taiga. They are extremely diverse both in size, configuration, and composition of the vegetation cover. Small swamps are found almost everywhere, occupying all depressions in the relief that are not occupied by lakes.
The fauna of the taiga is, admittedly, relatively poor. Karelian taiga VthisrelationNotisexception.
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boarAndroeon one's owncamefromLeningradareas,
CanadianbeaverfromFinland.
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numbering 286
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Majorityconstitutebirdsforestlandscapesnear 60%,
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Having receivedgeneralperformanceOKareliantaigaAndcomponentshercommunitiesplantsAndanimals,
let's get acquaintedWithseparatetheirrepresentatives.
The Republic of Karelia is located in Northern Europe, on the border of Russia with Finland. It is called the center of wooden architecture, the pantry of mushrooms and the most mysterious region in Russia. Lots of things have been done here beautiful photos, but they are not able to convey the whole gamut of feelings that these places evoke in the traveler. Fabulous taiga forests, transparent lakes, virgin nature, an abundance of historical and architectural monuments - all this must be seen with your own eyes.
Mount Vottovaara
In the central part of the republic, 20 kilometers southeast of the village of Sukkozero, there is a curious place - Mount Vottovaara, the highest peak of the West Karelian Upland (417 meters).
Locals call this place of power Death Mountain and consider it a portal to the other world - an anomalous effect on electrical equipment, nature, and the human body is noted here. The dead silence, as well as the depressing sight of trees bent, broken by the wind and blackened after the fire, enhance the ominous feeling.
In 1978, a complex of ancient cult seids was discovered on the mountain - stones-boulders of a run-in form, located in groups. At the same time, huge blocks lie on smaller ones, creating the impression of stones on legs.
Also on Vottovaara there is a mysterious staircase to the sky - 13 steps carved into the rock, ending in an abyss.
Mount Kivakkatunturi
It is located in the Paanajärvi National Park, in the Loukhi district. The height of the mountain is 499 meters, and the name is translated from Finnish as “stone woman” – at the top there are many seids, one of which resembles the head of an old woman.
The ascent to Kivakka is quite easy and takes 1-2 hours - in addition to the trodden path, for the convenience of tourists, wooden bars. When climbing, you can see around the landscape features characteristic of these places - hanging swamps and high-altitude lakes lying on the slopes of the mountain and indicating the water content of the rock.
The beauty of Paanajärvi Park is clearly visible from the open top. This place becomes especially picturesque with the advent of autumn, when the plants paint the mountain in yellow-crimson colors.
Ruskeala Mountain Park (Marble Canyon)
The basis of this tourist complex in the Sortavala region of Karelia is a former marble quarry. The blocks mined here were used for facing the palaces and cathedrals of St. Petersburg and other Russian cities. Now these quarries have turned into man-made marble bowls filled with the purest water and cut through by a system of shafts and adits resembling mysterious caves and grottoes.
The mountain park is 450 meters long and about 100 meters wide. It is equipped for tourists - footpaths have been cleared, observation platforms have been created, there is parking for cars, and boat rentals. It is from the water that the most impressive views of the surrounding rocks, up to 20 meters high, open up. Also on the boat you can swim into the marble grotto and admire the bizarre reflection of water in the translucent vaults.
Marble Canyon Caves
No less curious are the mines and adits of the quarry, where you can get on a guided tour. Most of these caves were flooded, but there are also dry ones - the higher the air temperature on the surface, the more deadly cold is felt here.
For the unique acoustics, one of these grottoes is called Musical. However, Proval Cave is of the greatest interest, in the roof of which a hole 20 by 30 meters in size was formed. Another name for the Pit is the Hall of the Mountain King or the Ice Cave, it is best to descend into it during the cold season, when the 30-meter water column in the grotto is hidden under ice. Drops flowing from the arches formed numerous ice stalactites and stalagmites, the beauty of which is emphasized by the backlight.
Ruskeala waterfalls (Akhvenkoski waterfalls)
Not far from the village of Ruskeala, where the Tokhmajoki River is divided into several branches, there are 4 small waterfalls. Falling from rocky ledges 3-4 meters high, kvass-colored water foams and rumbles.
The area around is ennobled, there are wooden gazebos, a cafe, a souvenir shop. Once upon a time, films “The Dawns Here Are Quiet” were filmed in these places, “ Dark world”, now along the Tohmajoki River, overcoming waterfalls, they carry out rafting in kayaks (canoes).
Paanajärvi National Park
This corner wildlife It is located in the north-west of Karelia, in its most elevated part and occupies about 103 thousand hectares. The park owes its name to the unique lake Paanajärvi, which arose in the faults of the rocks. The boundaries of the park run along the line of this lake and the Olanga River.
The landscapes here are picturesque and diverse - mountain peaks alternate with gorges, stormy rivers and noisy waterfalls coexist with the calm expanse of lakes.
The park contains the most high point Republic - Mount Nourunen. Here you can also see the Kivakkakoski waterfall - one of the largest and most powerful in Karelia.
Daylight hours in winter are very short - already from the end of August you can observe northern lights. But in summer the sun sets only for 2-3 hours - it's time for white nights.
National Park "Kalevalsky"
This park was created in the extreme west of Karelia in 2006 to preserve one of the last old-growth pine forests in Europe. On the territory of 74 thousand hectares, pines occupy about 70%, the age of many trees reaches 400-450 years.
For thousands of years, these places have been an unchanging habitat for various species of animals and plants, and the virgin beauty of the forests fascinates even now. In the park you can see many large rivers with picturesque waterfalls, deep clean lakes.
There are also several villages here - Voknavolok is considered the cradle of Karelian and Finnish cultures, where the songs of the Kalevala epic were born, many historical and cultural monuments have been preserved in Sudnozero, and Panozero is considered one of the oldest settlements in the region.
Body archipelago
It is a group of 16 small islands in the White Sea, near the city of Kem. In order to preserve the unique landscape and the diversity of flora and fauna, the state landscape reserve "Kuzova" was created here. Now there are special places for visiting tourists on 3 islands - Russian Body, German Body and Chernetsky.
In addition to beauty surrounding nature the archipelago attracts with an abundance of seids, labyrinths, ancient settlements of people of the Mesolithic and Bronze Age, religious buildings. The islands are shrouded in many legends and are still a mystery to historians and archaeologists.
Girvas volcano crater
IN small village Girvas in the Kondopoga region of Karelia is the oldest surviving volcano crater in the world, its age is about 2.5 billion years.
The full-flowing Suna River used to flow here, but after the construction of a dam for a hydroelectric power station, its channel was drained, and the water was let in another way, and now petrified lava flows are clearly visible in the half-empty canyon. The crater itself does not protrude above the ground, but is a depression filled with water.
Waterfall Kivach
Translated from Finnish, the name of the waterfall means "powerful", "swift". It is located on the Suna River and is the fourth largest flat waterfall in Europe. Kivach consists of four rapids with a total height of 10.7 meters, of which the sheer drop of water is 8 meters.
Due to the construction of a hydroelectric power station in this area, there was a large outflow of water, which somewhat reduced the attractiveness of the waterfall. best time spring is considered to be a visit to this attraction, when the Suna is gaining strength, feeding on melt water. In 1931, the State nature reserve"Kivach".
Waterfall White Bridges (Yukankoski)
This waterfall, located on the Kulismajoki River in the Pitkyaranta region of the republic, is one of the highest and most beautiful in Karelia and reaches about 18 meters in height. In summer, the water in the river warms up well, which allows you to swim in it and stand under the falling streams of water.
In 1999, on the territory adjacent to the waterfall, a hydrological nature monument "White Bridges" was established, the area of which is 87.9 hectares. Due to its location in the forest, away from the highway, Yukankoski is not very popular with travelers.
Martial waters
This name is given to a balneological and mud resort, as well as a village in the Kondopoga region. The resort was founded by Peter I in 1719 and is the first in Russia.
There are 4 wells here, from which mineral water, their main feature is the amount of iron, which is greater than in other sources in Russia and abroad. In each source, the concentration of iron is different, and the waters also contain calcium, magnesium, manganese, and sodium.
Sapropelic silt sulfide muds extracted from the bottom of Lake Gabozero also have healing properties.
The resort is visited for the treatment of diseases of the blood, cardiovascular, digestive, genitourinary and musculoskeletal systems, respiratory organs. Here, according to the project of Peter I, the Church of St. Peter the Apostle was built, and opposite the temple is the building of the local history museum "Marcial Waters".
Valaam Island
The name of the island translates as " high ground"- it is the largest of the islands of the Valaam archipelago, located in the north of Lake Ladoga.
Every year Valaam attracts thousands of tourists - its rocky territory 9.6 kilometers long and 7.8 kilometers wide is covered with coniferous forests, large and small inland lakes, indented by numerous channels, bays and bays.
Here is also the village of Valaam and a monument of Russian architecture - the Valaam stauropegial monastery with many sketes (buildings located in hard-to-reach places).
Good Spirit Island
This island, located on Voronye Lake, is not marked on any geographical map, for which it is often called Karelian Shambhala. You can get to it while rafting down the Okhta River and only with the help of the tips of the guides.
The place is a paradise for the traveler and is famous for its convenient parking areas, excellent fishing and picturesque surroundings. However, most of all, people are attracted by the abundance of wooden handicrafts on the island - a real museum under open sky created by the hands of tourists. Some items date back to the 70s of the last century. According to legend, this place is inhabited by spirits that guard the island and inhabit every craft, bringing good luck to its maker.
Solovetsky Islands
This archipelago, which includes more than 100 islands, occupies 347 square kilometers and is the largest in the White Sea. It is located at the entrance to the Onega Bay and is included in the specially protected protected area.
Here is the Solovetsky Monastery with many churches, the Maritime Museum, an airport, a botanical garden, ancient stone labyrinths and a whole system of canals through which you can go by boat.
Near Cape Beluga lives the White Sea beluga whale - a white whale. Beautiful nature and an abundance of historical and architectural monuments attract many excursion groups to these places.
Lake Pisan
This reservoir is located in the central part of the Republic of Karelia, and has a tectonic origin - the lake was formed as a result of a fault earth's crust, which is clearly evidenced by the symmetry of its shores. The name of the lake is translated as "the longest" - occupying up to 200 meters in width, it extends for 5 kilometers in length. In some places, the depth exceeds 200 meters.
On the northern shore of the reservoir there are parking lots, convenient places for fishing and launching boats. When moving south, the banks become higher, forming a gorge with rocks rising 100 meters above the water. Virgin nature, silence and absence nearby settlements make this place especially attractive for lovers of solitude.
White Sea
This inland sea, located in the north of the European part of Russia, belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin and has an area of 90 square kilometers. Due to the cold water even in summer (up to 20 degrees), there is not too much tourist flow on the White Sea, and nature in many places remains untouched.
On the islands of the sea coast, blueberries and mushrooms grow abundantly, in the water you can see jellyfish, fish, seals and beluga whales. The unique spectacle is sea bottom after low tides, it is filled with a variety of living organisms.
Lake Ladoga (Ladoga)
It is located in Karelia and the Leningrad region and is the largest fresh water reservoir in Europe - the length of the lake is 219, and the maximum width is 138 kilometers. The northern shores are high and rocky, with many bays, peninsulas, large and small islands; the southern coast is shallow, with an abundance of rocky reefs.
Along Ladoga there are a large number of settlements, ports and recreation centers, numerous ships glide along the water surface. Numerous historical finds from different eras have been found at the bottom of the lake, and even now these places are popular among diving enthusiasts. Mirages and brontides also occur here - a rumble coming from the lake, accompanied by the seething of water or weak vibrations of the earth.
Lake Onega (Onego)
This lake is called the younger sister of the great Ladoga - it is the second largest fresh water body in Europe. There are more than 1,500 islands of various sizes on the territory of Onego, dozens of ports and marinas are located on the shores, and the Onego Sailing Regatta is held annually.
The water in the lake is clean and transparent thanks to the mineral shungite, which is literally lined with the bottom. In addition to fish, there is a bivalve mollusk that grows mother-of-pearl balls of pearls in its shell.
Taiga forests rich in mushrooms and berries, charming northern nature, a huge number of monuments of history, architecture, folk art attract many tourists to these places.
Onega petroglyphs
On the eastern coast of Lake Onega in the Pudozh region of Karelia, there are ancient rock paintings dating back to the 4th-3rd millennium BC. They are collected in 24 separate groups and cover an area of 20 kilometers, more than half of the petroglyphs are located on the capes Peri Nos, Besov Nos and Kladovets.
In total, about 1100 images and signs are carved into the rocks, mainly drawings of birds (especially swans), forest animals, people and boats. Some petroglyphs are up to 4 meters in size.
Among the mystical figures is the mysterious triad "demon, catfish (burbot) and otter (lizard)." In order to neutralize this evil spirits, around the 15th century, the monks of the Murom Holy Assumption Monastery knocked out a Christian cross over the image.
Kinerma village
The name of this ancient Karelian village, lost in the Pryazha region, is translated as "precious land". The settlement, founded over 400 years ago, has up to two dozen houses, half of which are architectural monuments. The buildings are located in a circle, in the center of which is the chapel of the Smolensk Mother of God and the old cemetery.
More recently, the fate of the village was in question, only 1 person lived here permanently. However, thanks to the efforts of local residents, it was possible to restore buildings, improve life, and attract tourists. For the preservation of the historical appearance of Kinerma, it was recognized as a complex monument of the wooden folk architecture of the Karelian Livviks. She also won the competition "The most beautiful village in Russia."
Museum-Reserve "Kizhi"
The main part of this unique open-air museum is located on Kizhi Island in Lake Onega. The heart of the collection is the ensemble "Kizhi Pogost", consisting of the 22-domed wooden Church of the Transfiguration, the smaller Church of the Intercession and the bell tower uniting them, now the complex is included in the List world heritage UNESCO.
The museum is constantly replenished with chapels, houses, icons, household items, outbuildings brought from the surrounding Karelian, Russian and Vepsian villages, it also presents a number of historical objects of Zaonezhye and Petrozavodsk.
Assumption Church
Temple of the Dormition Holy Mother of God is located in the city of Kondopoga, on the shores of Lake Onega. The church was built in 1774 in memory of the peasants who died during the Kizhi uprising (1769-1771).
Thanks to its height of 42 meters, it has become the tallest wooden church in Karelia. The interior decoration has survived to this day and, with its modesty, contrasts with rich modern temples.
A visit to the Assumption Church is not included in the list of mandatory routes, there is no invasion of tourists, but the newlyweds get married and the locals baptize their children. It's worth coming here surrounding beauty and the special atmosphere of this place.
Sometimes affectionate, but often gray, dank edge of endless taiga and innumerable lakes. Rocks, swamps, rivers, streams. Mosquitoes, midges, berries, mushrooms, fishing. Off-road, abandoned villages, fields overgrown with grass, carved into the living body of the forest, most often under clean. Crazy sunsets and sunrises. Unforgettable white nights. Seagulls over flat water and white steamships.
This is all Karelia. The edge is heavy but beautiful. With your soul.
Who lives by his own laws and rules.
Karelia is located in the northwest of the country and is part of the Northwestern Federal District. This is a republic within Russia: it has its own coat of arms, flag and anthem. About 50% of the territory of the Karelian region is covered with forest, and a quarter is a water surface. Karelia is the "land of lakes", there are more than 61,000 lakes, 27,000 rivers and 29 reservoirs. Most large lakes- Ladoga and Onega, and the largest rivers are Vodla, Vyg, Kovda, Kem, Sunna and Shuya.
On the Ladvinskaya Plain
Karelia is crossed by the "Blue Road" - an international tourist route connecting Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. The main types of recreation in the region: excursion tours(Kizhi - Valaam - Solovki - Kivach Waterfall - Marcial Waters - Ruskeala Marble Canyon), leisure(ATV safaris, rafting on rapids, hunting and fishing, hiking, skiing, cycling tours, jeep tours), children's and youth camps, event and holiday tours, holidays in cottages and tourist complexes.
waterfall "Yukaknkoski"
Vedlozero
The capital is Petrozavodsk. Large cities and tourist centers: Kondopoga, Kem, Kostomuksha, Sortavala, Medvezhyegorsk, Belomorsk, Pudozh, Olonets. The population is about 691 thousand people.
The fauna of Karelia is relatively young; it was formed after ice age. In total, 63 species of mammals live on the territory of the republic, many of which, for example, the Ladoga ringed seal, flying squirrel and brown eared ear, are listed in the Red Book. On the rivers of Karelia, you can see the huts of European and Canadian beavers.
The Canadian beaver, as well as the muskrat, the American mink are acclimatized representatives of the fauna North America. The raccoon dog is also not a native inhabitant of Karelia, it comes from Far East. Since the late 1960s, wild boars began to appear, and roe deer enter the southern regions. There is a bear, lynx, badger and wolf.
From year to year, geese flying north stop to rest in the fields of the Olonets Plain in Karelia
285 species of birds live in Karelia, of which 36 species are listed in the Red Book of Karelia. The most common birds are finches. There is upland game - hazel grouse, black grouse, white partridges, capercaillie. Every spring to Karelia from warm countries the geese are coming. Birds of prey are widespread: owls, hawks, golden eagles, marsh harriers. There are also 40 pairs of rare white-tailed eagles. Of the waterfowl: ducks, loons, waders, many gulls and the largest diving duck in Karelia - the common eider, valuable for its warm down.
Just like the fauna vegetable world Karelia was formed relatively recently - 10-15 thousand years ago. Coniferous forests predominate, to the north - pine forests, to the south - both pine and spruce forests. The main conifers are Scotch pine and Scotch spruce. Less common are Finnish spruce, Siberian spruce, extremely rare - Siberian larch. Small-leaved species are widespread in the forests of Karelia, these are: downy birch, warty birch, aspen, gray alder, and some types of willow.
Karelia is the land of berries, lingonberries, blueberries, cloudberries, blueberries, cranberries grow in abundance here, raspberries grow in the forests - both wild and wild, sometimes moving from village gardens. Strawberries and currants grow abundantly in the south of the republic. In the forests, juniper is common, bird cherry and buckthorn are not uncommon. Occasionally there is a red viburnum.
Museum-Reserve "Kizhi" 
The Kizhi Museum-Reserve is one of the largest open-air museums in Russia. This is a unique historical, cultural and natural complex, which is a particularly valuable object cultural heritage peoples of Russia. The basis of the museum collection is the ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost, an object of the World Cultural and natural heritage UNESCO.
Church of the Transfiguration
37 meters of unprecedented beauty, 22 domes stretching to the sky!
Undoubtedly, the most famous and outstanding building of the ensemble. The church is the tallest building on the island. It can be seen from almost anywhere on land and water. The architecture is impressive. It doesn’t fit in my head, how is it possible to build such beauty without a modern tool, without nails ?! But the church was indeed built without a single nail in 1714. Just this year, the laying of the altar of the church took place. The history of the church says that it was erected on the site of an old one that burned down from a lightning strike.
Church of the Intercession
The second church of the ensemble - winter, in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God (Feast of October 14) - was built half a century after the Transfiguration Church. The church is crowned with nine cupolas. In Russian wooden architecture, such a structure is unique. The existing four-domed iconostasis of the Intercession Church consists of genuine icons, many of which were painted specifically for this temple. The oldest of them dates back to the 16th century. Divine services are held in the Church of the Intercession during the summer and until the Intercession itself. In 2003, the parish received the status of a stauropegic parish and is under the patronage of His Holiness Patriarch and All Rus' Alexy II.
Voitsky Padun
It is located in Central Karelia on the Nizhny Vyg River, 2 km from the village of Nadvoitsy. The waterfall as such is no longer there, only its dried-up bed remains framed by dark rocks, green forests and mighty boulders. But once the waterfall was famous, legends and traditions were composed about it. His fame grew significantly in the 18th century, when the Voitsky copper mine began to work nearby.
One of the last famous people, who visited the "acting" waterfall, was the writer M.M. Prishvin. He left a description of it, which also contains the following words: "... Rumble, chaos! It's hard to concentrate, it's unthinkable to realize what I see? But it pulls and pulls to look... Obviously, some mysterious forces influence the fall water, and at every moment all its particles are different: the waterfall lives some kind of infinitely complex life of its own ... "
Balaam. Bay "Rocky Coast"
Balaam. Bay "Rocky Coast". Having passed from the pier of Bolshaya Nikonovskaya Bay to the south-west of the Valaam archipelago, we get to the area of the most picturesque bay "Rocky Coast" with unique nature Valaam and Ladoga surrounding it.
Balaam. Bolshaya Nikonovskaya bay
Mountain park "Ruskeala". The pearl of the Mountain Park is the Marble Canyon.
Marble Canyon is a monument of industrial culture (mining) of the late 18th - early 20th centuries, officially included in the list of cultural heritage of Russia in 1998. and drifts, there are no more in Europe. From here, blocks were obtained for facing many architectural creations of St. Petersburg, including the majestic St. Isaac's Cathedral.
This is the oldest of the Ruskeala quarries. Its length is 450 m, width 60-100 m, depth 30-50 m. It is flooded to the level of the upper underground horizon. The Finns flooded the quarry before the start of the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-40. Most adits of the first third of the last century are under water. Only one of them is located above the water level.
Outwardly, the Marble Canyon makes a tremendous impression: gray-white rocks break off into a turquoise lake with heavily indented shores, and go to a depth of many meters.
Some of the boulders hang above the water at a negative angle, and you can swim in a boat into the grottoes that have formed in sheer cliffs and admire the play of light on the marble ceiling. The grottoes look very beautiful, the white marble of the vaults and walls is wonderfully reflected in calm water.
The combination of the nature of Karelia and human activities have given this quarry an amazingly picturesque look that attracts travelers not only from Karelia, but also from St. Petersburg, Moscow and other places.
Ruskeala waterfall "Akhvenkoski"
Ruskeala waterfall Ahvenkoski translated from Finnish as "Perch threshold". Locals sometimes call it "the waterfall at the three bridges". At this point, the winding river Tohmajoki crosses the road three times.
The Ahvenkoski waterfall gained particular fame thanks to the film “The Dawns Here Are Quiet” filmed in 1972.
Mannerheim line
The Mannerheim Line (fin. Mannerheim-linja) is a complex of defensive structures between the Gulf of Finland and Ladoga, created in 1920-1930 on the Finnish part of the Karelian Isthmus to deter a possible offensive strike from the USSR 132-135 km long.
This line became the site of the most significant fighting in the "Winter War" of 1940 and received great fame in the international press. Three lines of defense were planned between Vyborg and the border with the USSR. The one closest to the border was called “main”, then there was “intermediate”, near Vyborg “rear”.
The most powerful node of the main line was located in the Summakyl area, the place of the greatest threat of a breakthrough. During the Winter War, Finnish and beyond Western press called the complex of the main defensive line after the commander-in-chief, Marshal Karl Mannerheim, on whose orders plans for the defense of the Karelian Isthmus were developed back in 1918. On his own initiative, the largest structures of the defense complex were created.
The defenses of the Mannerheim Line were greatly exaggerated by propaganda on both sides.
place of death of the 1217th regiment
From 24.00 6.02.42 Until the outgoing day of February 7, 1942, the enemy defended the taken lines, simultaneously all continuous attacks on the defense sector. The 1217 Infantry Regiment heroically, defending every inch of land with fire and counterattacks, threw the enemy back to their original position. The enemy suffered heavy losses. But, having met strong resistance from the enemy, the units lay down and went on the defensive. Surrounded by 1217 joint ventures, having not received reinforcements with manpower and ammunition, he died in fierce battles with the enemy, 28 people remained from the regiment.
The bodies of the dead Soviet soldiers, according to the descriptions of an eyewitness, lay in 2-3 tiers, and during an artillery attack, parts of the bodies scattered throughout the forest. In total, encircled from the division went missing - 1229 people died.
From the memoirs of the former private of the 8th Finnish Infantry Division Otto Koinvungas from Oulu: “The first thing we saw when we arrived at the front line was a soldier carrying a whole cartload of corpses of Russian soldiers on a horse. In early January, the Russians went on the attack, but were defeated. On both sides of the road there were so many Russian soldiers, dead and frozen, that the dead, standing, supported each other.
From Onega - to Ladoga. Svir river.
Svir - big river in the north-east of the Leningrad region of Russia, near its administrative border with the Republic of Karelia, an important link in the Volga-Baltic waterway. The Svir originates in Lake Onega and flows into Lake Ladoga. There were rapids in the middle reaches of the Svir, but after the construction of a cascade of power plants on the river, the dams raised the water level, flooding the rapids and creating a deep waterway along the entire length of the river.
The Svir has two significant tributaries - the Pasha and Oyat rivers, used for timber rafting. The river is inhabited by perch, bream, pike, roach, burbot, catfish, salmon, grayling, etc.
The originality of the river is given by the many islands. The river flows in the lowlands, which in the past were occupied by glacial reservoirs. The river is inhabited by perch, bream, pike, roach, burbot, catfish, salmon, grayling, etc.
WINTER IN KARELIA
Kivach waterfall in winter
Ice hummocks on Lake Onega
Russian and foreign tourists have long had their eyes on the Karelian region. And the point here is not only in its virgin nature and unique architectural monuments. The main reason is simple: the tourist season in the republic is not limited to three summer months- people go to Karelia continuously throughout the year. Both fans of active tourism and those who love quiet travels with the whole family will find a rest for themselves here.
Photos are not mine. A huge number of Yandex sites and pages have been used. Sorry for not naming anyone in particular.
Karelia is traditionally called the forest and lake region. The modern terrain was formed under the influence of a glacier, the melting of which began thirteen thousand years ago. Ice sheets gradually decreased, and melt water filled depressions in the rocks. Thus, many lakes and rivers were formed in Karelia.
Virgin forest
Karelian forests are the real wealth of the region. For a number of reasons, forestry activities miraculously bypassed them. This applies to massifs located along the Finnish border. Thanks to this, islands of virgin nature have been preserved. Karelian forests can boast of pine trees that are five hundred years old.
In Karelia, about three hundred thousand hectares of forests are in the status national parks and reserves. Virgin trees form the basis of the Pasvik, Kostomukshsky, national park"Paanayarevsky".
Green wealth: interesting facts
Green moss pine forests, which are represented by tall trees, settled on more fertile soils. In such a dense forest, the undergrowth is very rare and consists of juniper and mountain ash. The shrub layer is made up of lingonberries and blueberries, but the soil is covered with mosses. As for herbaceous plants, there are very few of them.
Lichen pine forests grow on depleted soils of slopes and rock tops. Trees in these places are quite rare, and the undergrowth is practically absent. The soil covers are represented by lichens, reindeer moss, green mosses, bearberry, cowberry.
Spruce forests are typical for richer soils. The most common are green mosses, consisting almost exclusively of spruce trees, sometimes aspen and birch can be found. On the outskirts of the swamps there are sphagnum spruce forests and long mosses. But for the valleys of streams, marsh-grass with mosses and frail alder and meadowsweet are characteristic.
mixed forests
At the site of clearings and conflagrations, once primary forests are replaced by secondary mixed forest areas, on which aspens, birch, alder grow, there is also a rich undergrowth and a grassy layer. But among hardwoods, conifers are also quite common. As a rule, it is a spruce. Exactly at mixed forests in the south of Karelia there are rare elm, linden, maple.
swamps
Approximately thirty percent of the entire territory of the republic is occupied by swamps and wetlands, which form a characteristic landscape. They alternate with forests. Wetlands are divided into the following types:
- Lowlands, the vegetation of which is represented by shrubs, reeds and sedges.
- Horses that feed on atmospheric precipitation. Blueberries, cranberries, cloudberries, rosemary grow here.
- Transitional swamps are an interesting combination of the first two types.
All marshes are externally very diverse. In fact, these are reservoirs covered with intricate mosses. There are also swampy pine areas with small birches, between which dark puddles with duckweed glisten.
Beauty of Karelia
Karelia is a land of extraordinary beauty. Here, swamps overgrown with mosses alternate with virgin forests, mountains give way to plains and hills with amazing landscapes, a calm lake surface turns into raging rivers and a rocky seashore.
Almost 85% of the territory is Karelian forests. Coniferous species predominate, but there are also small-leaved ones. The leader is a very hardy Karelian pine. It occupies 2/3 of all forests. Growing in such harsh conditions, it, according to the local population, has unique healing properties, nourishing others with energy, relieves fatigue and irritability.
Local forests are famous for Karelian birch. In fact, this is a very small and nondescript tree. However, it has gained worldwide fame due to its very durable and hard wood, which resembles marble due to its intricate pattern.
Karelian forests are also rich in medicinal and food herbaceous and shrubby plants. There are blueberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cloudberries, cranberries and lingonberries. It would be unfair not to mention the mushrooms, of which there are a great many in Karelia. The earliest of them appear in June, and already in September the period of picking mushrooms for salting begins - there are waves, bruises, milk mushrooms.
tree varieties
In the Karelian open spaces, pines grow, whose age is at least 300-350 years. However, there are also older examples. Their height reaches 20-25 or even 35 meters. Pine needles produce phytoncides that can kill microbes. In addition, this is a very valuable breed, its wood is good for shipbuilding and just for construction works. And rosin and turpentine are extracted from the sap of the tree.
A completely unique long-lived pine grows in the Marcial Waters, whose age is about four hundred years. She is listed the rarest trees. There is even a legend that the pine was planted by those close to Peter I, but if we take into account its age, then most likely it grew long before that period.
In addition, Siberian and common spruce grows in Karelia. In these conditions, she lives two to three hundred years, and some specimens live up to half a century of age, while reaching 35 meters in height. The diameter of such a tree is about a meter. Spruce wood is very light, almost white, it is very soft and light. It is used to make the best paper. Spruce is also called a musical plant. She received this name not by chance. Its smooth and almost perfect trunks are used for the production of musical instruments.
In the Karelian forests, a serpentine spruce was found, which is a natural monument. It is of great interest for cultivation in park areas.
Larches, common in Karelia, are classified as coniferous trees, but they shed their needles every year. This tree is considered a long-liver, as it lives up to 400-500 years (height reaches 40 meters). Larch grows very quickly, and is valued not only because of its hardwood, but also as a park culture.
In dry spruce and pine forests, there is a lot of juniper, which is a coniferous evergreen shrub. It is interesting not only as an ornamental plant, but also as a medicinal breed, since its berries contain substances used in folk medicine.
In Karelia, birches are quite widespread. Here, this tree is sometimes also called a pioneer, since it is the first to occupy any free space. Birch lives for a relatively short time - from 80 to 100 years. In the forests, its height reaches twenty-five meters.
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The vegetation cover of Karelia includes about 1200 species of flowering and vascular spores, 402 species of mosses, many species of lichens and algae. However, a little over 100 species of higher plants and up to 50 species of mosses and lichens have a significant influence on the composition of vegetation. About 350 species have medicinal value, and are listed in the Red Book of the USSR as rare and endangered species in need of protection.
Within Karelia, there are boundaries of distribution of a number of species. For example, in the eastern part of the Pudozhsky region there is the western border of the distribution of Siberian larch, in the Kondopozhsky region - the northern border of corydalis, medicinal primrose; the northern limit of the area of the marsh cranberry is located, although in the Murmansk region, but not far from the border with Karelia; to the north, only small-fruited cranberries are found.
Forests
Karelia is located within the subzones of the northern and middle taiga of the taiga zone. The boundary between the subzones runs from west to east somewhat north of the city of Medvezhyegorsk. The northern taiga subzone occupies two thirds, the middle taiga - one third of the republic's area. Forests cover more than half of its territory. The forest is the main biological component of most landscapes in the region.The main tree species that form the Karelian forests are Scots pine, European spruce (mainly in the middle taiga subzone) and Siberian (mainly in the northern taiga), downy and drooping birch (warty), aspen, gray alder.
Spruce European and Siberian in nature easily interbreed and form transitional forms: in the south of Karelia - with a predominance of signs of European spruce, in the north - Siberian spruce. Within the subzone of the middle taiga, in the stands of the main forest-forming species, Siberian larch (south-eastern part of the republic), small-leaved linden, elm, elm, black alder and the pearl of Karelian forests - Karelian birch are found as an admixture.
Depending on the origin, forests are divided into indigenous and derivatives. The first arose as a result of natural development, the second - under the influence economic activity human or natural catastrophic factors leading to the complete destruction of indigenous forest stands (fires, windfall, etc.) - At present, both primary and secondary forests are found in Karelia. The primary forests are dominated by spruce and pine. Birch forests, aspen forests and gray alder forests were formed mainly under the influence of economic activity, mainly as a result of clear-cutting associated with logging and slash-and-burn agriculture, which was carried out in Karelia until the early 1930s. Forest fires also led to the change of coniferous species by deciduous ones.
According to the forest fund accounting data as of January 1, 1983, forests with a predominance of pine occupy 60%, with a predominance of spruce - 28, birch - 11, aspen and gray alder - 1% of the forested area. However, in the north and south of the republic, the ratio of forest stands different breeds is significantly different. In the northern taiga subzone, pine forests occupy 76% (in the middle taiga - 40%), spruce forests - 20 (40), birch forests - 4 (17), aspen and alder forests - less than 0.1% (3). The predominance of pine forests in the north is determined by more severe climatic conditions and the wide distribution of poor sandy soils here.
In Karelia, pine forests are found in almost all habitats - from dry on sands and rocks to swampy ones. And only in swamps does pine not form a forest, but is present in the form of separate trees. However, pine forests are most common on fresh and moderately dry soils - lingonberry and blueberry pine forests occupy 2/3 of the entire area of pine forests.
Indigenous pine forests are of different ages, they usually have two (rarely three) generations of trees, and each generation forms a separate tier in the stand. Pine is photophilous, therefore each new generation of it appears when the density of the crowns of the older generation decreases to 40-50% as a result of the death of trees. Generations usually differ in age by 100-150 years.
In the course of the natural development of indigenous forest stands, the forest community is not completely destroyed; the new generation has time to form long before the complete death of the old one. Wherein average age stands are never less than 80-100 years old. In primary pine forests, birch, aspen, and spruce can be found as an admixture. With natural development, birch and aspen never crowd out pine, while spruce on fresh soils, due to shade tolerance, can gradually seize a dominant position; only in dry and swampy habitats is pine out of competition.
Forest fires play an important role in the life of pine forests in Karelia. Crown fires, in which almost the entire forest burns and dies, are rare, but ground fires, in which only living ground cover (lichens, mosses, grasses, shrubs) and forest litter are partially (rarely completely) burned out, occur quite often: they practically affect all pine forests on dry and fresh soils. If crown fires are harmful from an ecological and economic point of view, then the action of grassroots
On the one hand, by destroying the living ground cover and partially mineralizing the forest litter, they improve the growth of the forest stand and contribute to the appearance of a large amount of pine undergrowth under its canopy. On the other hand, persistent ground fires, in which the living ground cover and forest litter are completely burned out, and the surface mineral layer of the soil is actually sterilized, sharply reduce soil fertility and can damage trees.