Europe is famous for its beauty and attractiveness. Its nature has more than once become the property of songs and legends, fairy tales and poems, essays and stories. Among all the diversity, water spaces stand out. Ladoga lake- a bright representative. Its main difference from other water bodies is the rich flora and fauna.

general characteristics

Lake Ladoga is called the largest in all of Europe. Its area exceeds 18 thousand square kilometers. It is interesting that 457 kilometers of water area are occupied by the islands of Lake Ladoga, which in themselves are not so large. For example, the area of ​​the largest land areas located in the middle of the lake surface does not exceed one hectare. And in total there are more than 650 of them. Nature has placed the islands so that over 500 of them are located in the northwestern part of the lake.

The rocky islands have a bizarre shape and unusual outlines. Their height is 60-70 meters. It is especially interesting to observe the harmonious combination of coastline and island lines. The islands are separated from each other by numerous bays that cut into land areas.

Mother Nature has been working on the artistic and aesthetic design of this corner for thousands of years. globe. Lake Ladoga is one of the oldest water bodies. In its lifetime, it has seen a lot and experienced amazing events, which can be judged by the numerous remnants and remains on its banks and bottom.

New research has made it possible to find out more accurate parameters of the water body. Lake Ladoga stretches 83 kilometers wide and 219 kilometers long. Without island territory it occupies a total of 17,578 square kilometers, which allows it to be called the largest European lake.

Length coastline exceeds one and a half thousand kilometers. Scientists were able to calculate the coefficient of its ruggedness. It is 2.1, which suggests the presence of multiple bays. The bowl of the lake is distinguished by its impressive capacity, which is 908 cubic kilometers.

Lake depth

The average depth of Lake Ladoga is 51 meters. However, if we talk about the largest, the figure already grows to 230 meters. The depth map of Lake Ladoga also shows impressive indicators. It usually marks the areas that are considered the deepest.

The bottom topography is heterogeneous. Therefore, it is not surprising that the depth of Lake Ladoga varies throughout its entire water area. For example, in the southern part the bottom is flat and smooth. This helps reduce the depth. The decrease is observed from north to south. In the northern part, the depth reaches 10-100 meters, and in the southern part this value is an order of magnitude lower and varies in the range from 3 to 7 meters. The bottom is distinguished by rocky spits and shallows, and you can even find clusters of boulders.

Bottom relief

In general, such differences in depth are explained by the peculiarities of the geological structure of the bottom. Which, in turn, is due to its impressive length. The geological structure also leaves its mark on the lake basin and its appearance. Interestingly, the bottom topography seems to resemble islands. He copies them exactly. Thus, at the bottom of the lake you can observe mountains and plains, depressions and potholes, hills and slopes.

Depressions up to 100 meters deep most often predominate. There are more than 500 of them in the northwestern part of the lake. Interestingly, such formations are concentrated in groups. And they, in turn, create a kind of labyrinth of bays. This phenomenon is called skerry. The depth map of Lake Ladoga allows you to verify this.

The slope of the lake has an average of 0.0105, and the angle averages 0.35 degrees. This value is close northern shore is already equal to 1.52 degrees, and for the eastern one - 0.03. This is also considered a fairly important indicator.

Animal world

In a country like Russia, Lake Ladoga plays a huge role. He is called the supplier drinking water For Northern capital state - St. Petersburg. However, in addition to this, Ladoga is inhabited by great amount a wide variety of animals. The main place among them, of course, is occupied by fish.

Today, more than 58 varieties and species of fish are known to exist in the waves of Lake Ladoga. It is interesting that there are also those who are “guests” in Ladoga. These include conger eel, Baltic salmon and sturgeon. They only occasionally swim into the waters of the lake. Permanent place their habitat is the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic.

Unfortunately, due to the massive fishing of fish today, not all of its former inhabitants remain alive in Ladoga. Sometimes representatives of the fish kingdom disappear for no apparent reason. For example, sterlet. It no longer occurs in Ladoga waters, and researchers have never discovered the reason for this.

New species

But new inhabitants appeared in the lake. They are represented by peled and carp. The latter appeared in Ladoga relatively recently - in 1952-1953. The reason for this was that it was bred in the nearby Lake Ilmen. The fate of the peled was similar. It “wandered” to Ladoga from the Karelian Isthmus, where they began actively breeding it in the late 50s of the last century.

In addition, in the waters you can also find such fish as palia, salmon, pike perch, whitefish, bream, trout, ripus and vendace. They are distinguished by their value in the field of industry. These species are called commercial. There are also less valuable inhabitants of the lake. Among them are roach, smelt, pike, ruffe, blue bream, bleak and silver bream. They are considered no less tasty, but their use in food is represented in smaller quantities.

It is probably impossible to really name all the fish that are found in the waters of Lake Ladoga. There are so many inhabitants there that work to discover and study them continues to this day.

On the verge of extinction

Some fish of Lake Ladoga are now on the verge of extinction. Among them there are those that are considered valuable in the industrial field. The clearest example is salmon. In Ladoga there are individuals whose weight exceeds 10 kilograms. They are real giants. Interestingly, the fish go to spawn in late spring and summer. The young live there for no more than a couple of years, and then return to the lake.

The rivers are now clogged with lumber, making it difficult for salmon to spawn. In this regard, it was decided to suspend mass fishing. The corresponding law was passed back in 1960.

Another valuable fish is palia. She lives in the northern part of the lake. In winter it can be found at a depth of more than 70 meters, and in the warm months it rises to 20-30. Reproduction occurs in mid-autumn.

Whitefish also live in Ladoga. Now there are seven varieties of them in the lake. Four of them, namely lake Ladoga, Ludog, black and Valaam, are considered exclusively riverine, and the other three - Svir, Vuoksa and Volkhov - can live both in the lake and in the river. On average, during the breeding season, each individual lays about nine thousand eggs in October and November.

Just recently, people were massively engaged in catching whitefish, but now this species is on the verge of extinction. A peculiar reason for this can be called the construction of the Volkhov hydroelectric power station dam. Pisces were unable to overcome such an obstacle, and the measures people took to achieve this did not save the situation.

Rivers of Lake Ladoga

Now let's talk about waterways.

The rivers of Lake Ladoga are very numerous. This allows us to talk about its wide drainage basin. Its area exceeds 250 thousand square kilometers. Not every lake can boast such figures.

Finland and Karelia, located nearby, share water resources with Ladoga; rivers also carry their waves from the Novgorod, Pskov and Vologda lands. The water bodies of the Arkhangelsk and Leningrad regions make their contribution.

In total, about 45 thousand streams and rivers flow into Lake Ladoga. It is interesting that before becoming part of Ladoga, river waters accumulate in nearby lakes, including Saimaa, Onega and Ilmen. They, in turn, allow the formation of such tributaries of the main Ladoga as the Volkhova, Vuokse and Svir. In total, they bring more than 57 cubic kilometers of water into the lake per year. This represents approximately 85 percent of the total water mass that accumulates in the area we are considering. geographical object in a year.

All other tributaries are called small. There is no explanation for this, because among them there are also such impressive deep rivers as Janisjoki, Syas and Tulemajoki.

It should be understood that the tributaries of the Ladoga are quite young - by the standards of rivers - in age. They are only 10-12 thousand years old. That is why most of them have not yet formed wide valleys. They flow among rocky areas and steep banks.

The Baltic crystalline shield lies in the northeastern part of the lake. That is why the deepest and loudest tributaries flow into Ladoga from that side. Very often they turn into full-flowing stormy streams, encountering rocks on their way that are quite difficult to erode.

Tributary Svir

Lake Ladoga is located in Russia, and its deepest stream is called the Svir. This river flows from the Svirskaya Bay of Lake Onega, and flows into Ladoga from the southeast.

Its length is about 224 kilometers. The river includes two large tributaries, which are named Pasha and Oyat. It is interesting that the origin of this object is still covered in secrets and mysteries.

The Svir River itself and its banks are not distinguished by the picturesqueness inherent in Ladoga. The description of Lake Ladoga tells about the amazing beauty of its shores, which Svir cannot boast of. Its coastline is covered with alder bushes and marshy plants, and there are coniferous forests. Basically, the banks of the Svir River are accumulations of stones and boulders.

In ancient times, Svir was famous for its numerous rapids. They could not be called high, but the piles of boulders presented a serious obstacle to navigation. Locals very often they rescued sailors, helping them cope with crossings. Very often, residents of coastal villages and towns themselves served as sailors, pilots and even captains. The proximity to a deep river left its mark on the character and way of life of the people.

But if we talk about the animal world, it is quite large. It is in the waters of this river that salmon spawning is often observed. In spring you can find schools of these fish heading to the mouth of the Svir. The tributaries Oyat and Pasha play the main role in spawning. Ichthyologists believe that it is these rivers that can contribute to the revival of salmon in Lake Ladoga.

When to visit

Lake Ladoga for centuries-old history shrouded in secrets, riddles and legends. All this, of course, attracts numerous tourists. People also travel to Ladoga to admire the amazing beauty of nature and see with their own eyes one of the largest lakes in the world.

In order not to make a mistake, you should know when it is better to go and what time to give preference.

A trip here in May and June will be foggy in the truest sense of the word. At the end of May and beginning of June, thick fogs descend on Ladoga, in which it is quite easy to get lost. In such cases, it is very important to take experienced guides with you who will help you get on the right path and see all the surrounding beauty.

This time is considered quite cold for those places. In the evening, the skerries can be covered with a thin crust of ice, and the wind brings dampness. Of particular interest are the few hours after sunny weather. At such moments, the lake shines with calm and attractiveness. However, the very next moment a breeze blows in. It causes meter-long waves in the bays, although the lake off the coast continues to be peaceful.

One of the most striking advantages of this time, of course, after the attractive appearance of the coastal area, is the complete absence of mosquitoes. The extraordinary cleanliness of the lake is also considered a virtue. The bottom, even at a depth of several meters, can be seen extremely clearly. It is believed that if you drink water at such a moment, happiness will not take long to arrive. The water itself is clean and tasty.

Those people who value comfort and coziness should visit Ladoga at two last month summer. This period is considered the best for proper rest. In this case, the air and water temperatures exceed the optimal mark, allowing you to swim in the waves of the lake and sunbathe on the shore. On the islands you can pick berries and mushrooms, which are abundant there.

Those people who travel to Ladoga with the aim of admiring the local beauty should choose the autumn months, when literally the entire coast shimmers with gold and bronze. In October, the weather worsens, accompanied by fog and storms. At times like these you can find many artists and landscape painters here. They try to capture the lush beauty of Ladoga.

Lake Ladoga in winter also presents an interesting sight. However, it is quite cold here at this time of year. But the middle of the lake does not freeze even in severe frosts due to its impressive depth.

Those people who want to visit this corner of our vast Motherland should look for Lake Ladoga on the map. Many travel companies offer entire routes. If you wish, you can choose one of the proposed ones or create your own.

A trip to the coast of Lake Ladoga will surely be memorable for everyone. This area is distinguished by the amazing beauty of nature at any time of the year, the diversity of flora and fauna, as well as the opportunity to have a great rest.

There is such a charming region in Russia, the attractiveness of which is given by the magnificent mirror surface of countless lakes. Some information about this wonderful place can be found in this article. Here we will talk about the diversity of the landscape of this region, about where Lake Ladoga is located. A description will also be provided.

This territory occupies the northwestern part great Russia. She is discreet and at the same time surprisingly attractive and diverse. Taiga landscapes give way to swamps rich in cloudberries, lingonberries and cranberries. The more elevated areas are decorated with spruce and small-leaved forests.

This is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Europe. The length is 219 km, and the greatest width is 138 km. Its eastern and northern parts belong to Karelia, and the southern and southeastern shores belong to the Leningrad region. The water capacity of this lake is 908 km³.

Previously, the Littorina Sea was connected to the lake by a wide strait, and the river. The Mga flowed to the east and also flowed into it.

Where it is now, the land rose quickly, and thus the lake, over time, turned into a closed reservoir. The water level began to increase, its waters flooded the river valley. Mga and broke into the Tosny valley. 4000 years ago a strait appeared between Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga, which is now the valley of the river. Neva. The relief has remained virtually unchanged over the last approximately 2.5 thousand years.

The northern section of Lake Ladoga is located on the Baltic crystalline shield, and the southern section is on the East European Platform.

From the history of Lake Ladoga

The lake described is present at one of the very first geographical maps of the Moscow State, which was compiled in 1544 by Sebastian Munster (German cartographer). More detailed map was introduced in 1812 at the Admiralty Department.

Ladoga has always been a territory of important strategic importance for Russia. In the 9th century, an important waterway from the Varangians to the Greeks passed here. There is also documentary evidence of the existence of Nevo (the name of Lake Ladoga in the old days) - an ancient Russian chronicle dated 1228. And the first capital before Kievan Rus was at the confluence of the river into Lake Ladoga. Volkhov. Peter's time is also associated with this lake. Lake Ladoga also witnessed battles during the Northern War.

Where Lake Ladoga is located, a huge number of significant historical events took place. It’s impossible to list everything. But it is important to note that Lake Ladoga was the “Road of Life” during the Second World War. Most of The lake coast was under German-Finnish occupation during this difficult time for the country. The people of Leningrad were cut off from the whole world. Only the southwestern part of the lake was open to communication with Soviet troops (1941-1943). This route started from the port of Osinovets on Lake Ladoga and ended at the docks of Leningrad.

Over the entire period of the existence of this road, more than 1.5 million tons of cargo were transported and transported along it, which allowed the surviving residents of Leningrad to hold out until the blockade was lifted. Also, about 900 thousand people were evacuated along this road.

This great lake holds a lot of history. Today, in the place where that most important “Road of Life” lay, there are 102 memorial pillars and 7 monuments. All of them are listed in " Green belt Glory." This is a memory of past very difficult times.

Lake Ladoga is the largest in Europe freshwater lake. Located on the territory of Karelia and the Leningrad region.

The first name of the lake was different. In ancient Russian chronicles it was called Nevo. Scientists believe that the name comes from the Finnish word for “swamp, quagmire.” In treaties concluded with Hanseatic cities and in the Scandinavian sagas it is called Aldoga, from the Finnish “wave”. Modern name came into use only from the beginning of the 13th century. The lake began to be called Ladoga, forming the name from the name of the city of Ladoga.

Scientists have proven that the basin of Lake Ladoga is of glacial-tectonic origin. In the Paleozoic era, the waters of the ancient sea splashed here; later, a glacier formed in this place, which largely shaped the modern topography of the reservoir and its surroundings. The area of ​​the lake is 18,400 square kilometers. Its length from south to north is about 219 km. The maximum width of the reservoir (from west to east) is 138 km.

Due to its origin, Ladoga is characterized by uneven depths. The “shallowest” part of the lake is the southern one. Local depths do not exceed 70 m. But in the northern part, the average depth of Lake Ladoga is about 100 m. There are places where the water thickness reaches 260 m.

There is a noticeable pattern on Lake Ladoga: the steeper the shores, the greater the depths around them. The highest and steepest banks are in the north, directly next to the skerries. In the south they are flatter and the depths there are shallow.

By the way, the peculiarity of Ladoga is the uneven water level. In the old days they said that it grows for seven years and falls for seven years. On average, the lake's water reserves are 908 cubic kilometers. For comparison, Baikal is 24,000 km³.

32 rivers flow into Lake Ladoga, and only one flows out of it - the Neva. Many rivers connect Ladoga with other lakes. Through the Volkhov it is connected to Lake Ilmen, through the Svir River - to Onega, through Vidlitsa - to Vedlozero, through Tulema - to Tulmozero.

Sunset on Svir. The Svir River connects Lakes Ladoga and Onega.

The lake is rich in islands. Most of them are in the north. These are the famous Ladoga skerries, a beautiful necklace of islands that are separated from each other by a whimsical labyrinth of straits. An integral part of the Ladoga skerries is the famous Valaam archipelago, where the ancient Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is located.

Among the large northern islands include Lunkulansaari, Konevets, Mantinsaari, Vossinansaari and others. In the southern part of the reservoir there are very few islands and they are all small: Ptinov in the Volkhov Bay and Zelentsy in Shlisselburg Bay.

On the shore of Lake Ladoga.

The unique inhabitant of the lake is the Ladoga seal. This is the only species of marine mammal that has adapted to life in fresh water. Their rookeries on the islands of the Valaam archipelago are under special protection.

From the end of the eighth century, Slavic settlements appeared on the shore of the lake: the city of Ladoga, later Korela, present-day Priozersk. At the beginning of the 14th century, the Oreshek fortress, present-day Shlisselburg, was built at the source of the Neva. The famous monasteries on Valaam and Konevets were founded a little later.

Shore of Lake Ladoga.

At the end of the 17th century, the southern, northern and west coast Lake Ladoga was transferred to Swedish Ingria. The Swedes rename the Russian Oreshek and Korela to Noteburg and Kexholm, and found the settlement of Sortavala. With the outbreak of the Northern War, Lake Ladoga becomes an arena of military operations. The most famous battles of that period were the battle of ships near Kexholm and the capture of Noteburg. In 1721, the Ladoga coast again became Russian.

Lake Ladoga is rich in interesting places:

Ladoga skerries

Skerries are rocky islands separated by narrow straits and channels. They occupy a significant part of the northern part of the lake. The skerries stretch in a semicircle from the city of Pitkyaranta to the village of Berezovo. Throughout their entire length they are stunningly beautiful, but the most majestic landscapes begin to the northeast of the island of Koinosaari, which closes the village of Terva from the expanses of Ladoga.

On the northern coast of Lake Ladoga there is amazing city Sortavala. It owes its unique historical and cultural appearance to three states at once: Finland, Sweden and Russia, which include different time was. This is a beautiful Karelian city, surprising with its unusual architecture.

Eastern Beaches

The eastern coast of Ladoga is famous for its clean sandy beaches. Shallow water warms up well, especially if June and May are warm. These beaches are considered ideal place for relax.

Lake Ladoga in these places seems endless, and on the coast in some places you can see sand dunes. There are also some near the village of Vidlitsy. The ancient settlement is located at the mouth of the river of the same name. In the village you can admire the Church of the Great Martyr George. The surroundings of Vidlitsa attract with incredibly beautiful nature.

Beach in the Vidlitsa area.

Priozersk

Ancient Korela, modern Priozersk, is one of the ancient Russian cities with unusual interesting story. This is a beautiful town where ancient Orthodox churches and a majestic Lutheran church have been preserved. There is a unique ancient fortress here. Architectural gems surrounded beautiful landscapes with picturesque rivers and dense northern forests.

Fortress Oreshek

The Shlisselburg fortress Oreshek is rightfully considered a historical and architectural monument. Built at the beginning of the 14th century on Orekhovoy Island, it served as an outpost on the Swedish border. The citadel has withstood fierce assaults more than once, fully justifying its name. Later, the fortress became the “Russian Bastille”, where the most dangerous criminals were sent. Today there is a museum here, which operates despite restoration work that has been ongoing since 1966.

Balaam

An archipelago consisting of fifty islands, the largest of which is Valaam. This is one of the most important shrines of Orthodoxy, Northern Athos, as it is called. Here is the oldest in Russia monastery. The history of its origin goes back to the 1st century, when Valaam was visited by Andrew the First-Called. Almost a thousand years later, the first monks came to the island from Novgorod. Valaam - unique place. It's all around here wild nature, practically unchanged since the development of the island by man.

Stormy waves of Lake Ladoga, which in windy weather looks like a sea, incredibly beautiful sunsets and sunrises, steep cliffs of skerries and sand dunes eastern beaches. All this remains forever in the heart of everyone who has ever seen these magnificent landscapes. It’s worth coming here, because harsh Ladoga is not only living history, but also one of the most beautiful places Russia.

Lake Ladoga on the map.

1. Ladoga skerries;
2. Sortavala;
3. Priozersk;
4. Balaam;
5. Oreshek Fortress;
6. Beaches on east coast lakes;
7. Mouth of the Svir River.

Petrozavodsk, Kivach, Martialnye Vody, northern Ladoga, Ruskeala Waterfalls, Valaam and much more. Car and pedestrian travel for every taste - choose, and you will dream of Karelia for a very long time!

Thanks to the beautiful unique natural views and rich history the sights of Lake Ladoga attract every year a large number of tourists. Lake Ladoga is the largest in Europe. It was along it that the Road of Life passed, saving Leningraders during the siege.

• The lake is located in two regions at once - in the republic and the Leningrad region.
• Lake Ladoga is the second largest lake in Russia after Lake Baikal and the largest in Europe.
• The maximum depth of the lake is 220 meters.
• 35 rivers flow into Lake Ladoga, the largest of which are the Svir, Vuoksa, and Volkhov. Only one river flows out - the Neva.
• There are 660 islands on the lake, the most famous of them is Valaam, on which there is a monastery.
• Ladoga is a very turbulent lake, strong storms are frequent here, so for navigation, first the Staraya Ladoga and later the Novoladoga canals were built, stretching from Shlisselburg to Novaya Ladoga.
• From September 12, 1941 to March 1943, the Road of Life ran along Lake Ladoga - the only transport route connecting besieged Leningrad with the country.

Lake Ladoga on the map

Lake Ladoga is restless and stormy, huge and deep. On its banks there are cities: Shlisselburg, Priozersk, Novaya Ladoga ( Leningrad region), Sortavala, Lakhdenpokhya (Karelia). Sights of Lake Ladoga are beautiful nature, ancient fortified cities and monasteries, national natural parks, as well as the “Road of Life” memorial and the Green Belt of Glory.

It was once called the Venice of the north because of the canals built here for shipping as an alternative to the capricious and stormy Lake Ladoga. Now the Staraya Ladoga Canal, created according to the plans of Peter I, is abandoned, dry and overgrown, the locks are dilapidated. The Novoladozhsky Canal, built under Alexander II to replace the shallowed Star Ladoga Canal, continues to be used.

Shlisselburg is surrounded by Lake Ladoga and the Neva River flowing from it. During the Great Patriotic War, it was captured by the Germans (September 8, 1941) - the front passed along the Neva River, and Soviet troops were located on the opposite bank. The time of the occupation of Shlisselburg was the blockade of Leningrad, which was broken with the liberation of the city - Operation Iskra. Not far from Shlisselburg there is a museum-reserve “Breaking the Siege of Leningrad”, dedicated to this event. There is a diorama and panorama that immerse you in the atmosphere of January 1943.

About 300 meters from the shore of Shlisselburg there is Orekhovy Island, on which the heroic island is located. Built back in 1323 by the Novgorodians, it has an important strategic location - at the source of the Neva, at the entrance to Ladoga. It was captured by the Swedes, but 90 years later returned by the army of Peter I, who named it Shlisselburg (key city from German).

The Shlisselburg fortress was turned into a terrible prison for political prisoners. The fortress on the island, located near St. Petersburg, was a convenient dungeon for the enemies of the emperor or empress. Here the deposed infant sovereign John Antonovich languished for 8 years until he was stabbed to death by his jailers while trying to free him. People's Volunteers, participants in the assassination attempt on Alexander II and Alexander III and other high officials, served their sentences here.

Memorial "Oath" in the ruins of St. John's Cathedral

Oreshek again earned the military glory of the hero fortress during the Great Patriotic War. The garrison of the fortress heroically defended the Road of Life and the right bank of the Neva for almost 500 days. The Germans subjected the ancient fortress to constant artillery and mortar fire, but were unable to capture it. Oreshek was almost completely destroyed; after the war, only a small part of its buildings was restored. Now there is a branch of the Museum of the History of St. Petersburg here.

A small Karelian town on the shores of Ladoga is located near tourist city Sortavala. Here you can go to the military museum “Mount Owl”, located in the rock and admire the Finnish churches.

Located on the shores of Lake Ladoga and divided by Lake Läppäjärvi into two parts, connected by the Karelian Bridge. Sortavala is called a small architectural encyclopedia; about 200 buildings of various styles, built from the end of the 20th century to 1939 by Finnish architects, have been preserved here. The pride of the city is the Kronid Gogolev Museum, with its unique works - paintings carved from wood.

Near Sortavala there is a former marble quarry, and now the Ruskeala mountain park is one of the most popular places Republic of Karelia. The Ruskeala waterfalls are also located here - low, but very picturesque. From the Sortavala pier, ships go to the island of Valaam.

In the northern part of the lake there is the Valaam archipelago, which consists of 50 islands. The largest of them is . The sights of Lake Ladoga on the island of Valaam attract many travelers every year. These are the Valaam Monastery, Gethsemane, Nikolsky, Vladimir, Ilyinsky and other monasteries. And also amazing northern nature islands, glorified by many famous artists.

The city of Novaya Ladoga is located at the mouth of the Volkhov River. In 1702, Peter the Great ordered to surround the land of the Nikolsko-Medvedsky Monastery with a moat, and to create the Novoladoga shipyard at the place where the Volkhov flows into Lake Ladoga. Two years later, Novaya Ladoga was founded on this site.

The city is rich in attractions, including cultural heritage. This is the ensemble of the Church of St. John the Evangelist, the Memorial to the Heroes of Ladoga, Gostiny Dvor and so on.

Priozersk is a city between Lake Ladoga and Lake Vuoksa. Located 145 kilometers from St. Petersburg. This area has many cultural treasures that attract tourists from all over the world. For example, the Old Fortress, which was repeatedly stormed and attacked. People interested in faith will find interesting visit Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary or Lutheran Church. Also in the city there are monuments to Mowgli and Peter the Great.

The Korela Fortress is a stone fortress located in the city of Priozersk; it played a significant role for the Karelian Isthmus. In the Middle Ages, Korela was the most northwestern city of Rus'. At the end of the 13th - beginning of the 14th centuries, this fortress was built to defend the state from the Swedes. It was originally made of wood, but after a fire in 1310, stone buildings appeared.

For a century (1611-1710) the fortress belonged to Sweden and bore the name Kexholm. It was returned during the Northern War. It is now in a partially destroyed state.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Road of Life was the only transport route to Leningrad. Food, medicine, and weapons were transported along it to the city; people exhausted from hunger were evacuated from the city.

In winter, when Lake Ladoga froze, the road became icy, and cargo was transported to Leningrad on the famous semi-trucks. Drivers, despite severe frosts, did not close the car door or even removed it in order to have time to jump out if the car went under the ice. This can be clearly seen from the surviving photographs.

The monuments installed on the Road of Life are included in the Green Belt of Glory.

Green Belt of Glory

Broken ring

The Green Belt of Glory is memorial Complex, erected in 1965-1968 in memory of the people who defended Leningrad during its siege in 1941-1944. Its creation was initiated by Mikhail Dudin, a Soviet poet, and designed by a group of architects led by G.N. Buldakova. The belt is located exactly where the enemy was stopped in those dark days.

The complex was built using the folk method: with the help of residents and Leningrad organizations. 200 kilometers - this is the length of this attraction, which consists of two blockade rings - Small and Large.

Konevsky Nativity of the Mother of God Monastery is an Orthodox male monastery located on the island of Konevets and founded by Arseny Konevsky (Reverend) with the goal of converting Karelians to Christianity. It is often called the twin of the Valaam Monastery, located on the island of Valaam. Every year tourists interested in culture and religion, as well as simply believers, flock here.

The lake is surrounded by many cities of historical significance, but the attractions of Lake Ladoga are not limited only to culturally important cities. Thus, on the territory of Ladoga there is now the Nizhne-Svirsky State nature reserve for waterfowl as a place for their nesting. Refers to wetlands. 256 species of different birds have been recorded in the area.

In addition to them, a variety of plants, reptiles and even large mammals live here: brown bears, moose. Birds listed in the Red Book also live here: osprey, black stork, howl and other birds.

Large fresh lakes They are now a rarity on planet earth; they can be easily counted; such lakes are mainly located on the territory of our state of Russia. The wide and spacious expanse of the lake surprises a person who finds himself on its shores for the first time; there are a lot of coniferous forests that approach the shore Lake Ladoga. In pine forests you can find a large number of stone boulders overgrown with moss; these stones may have been brought water element once fell to the ground. There are a lot of islands on the lake, mostly rocky; on the shores there are a large number of Orthodox shrines, temples and monasteries. Wild animals living near the lake use it as a source of drinking, approaching the shore and quenching their thirst.

Features of Lake Ladoga.

On our territory there is the most big lake – Ladoga, it is half the size of the European state of Switzerland. The distance from the northern part of the lake to the southern reaches 230 kilometers, and the width from east to west is 80-85 kilometers, and the depth in some places reaches 200 meters. And this is only approximate data, since the mud layer at the bottom may be different and the depth is correspondingly greater, but even with such data one can judge the majesty Ladoga created by nature itself. To comparison in Lake Ladoga almost three times more fresh water, than in Lake Onega , although they are comparable in size, it’s all about the depth of the lakes.

Shores of Lake Ladoga have different type and profile, the northwestern part of the coast has a rocky appearance with many bays that are considered deep. Here the shores have beautiful cliffs rising tens of meters above the surface of the water, on which pine trees grow. Local residents call the bays in this part of the lake lips, and the rocky islands skerries; in total there are more than six hundred similar islands on the lake. There are also large islands on the lake:

• Valaam Island
• Konevets Island
• Lunkulansaari
• Kilpola
• Riek-Kalansaari
• Mantsinz saari

The most famous is Valaam island, where Orthodox monasteries and churches are located. Other names belong to the Finno-Ugric group, and the names were received from the Finnish language.

Valaam archipelago.

Coniferous forests reign on the islands of Lake Ladoga, the islands of the skerries are rocky and rise high above the water. Traveling across the lake on a ship, approaching them, from afar they resemble hedgehogs, and pine trees look like needles. Basically, most of the islands are located in the northern part of the lake, in the center of the lake is located Valaam archipelago with many islands.

Valaam Island is the largest on Lake Ladoga V Valaam archipelago, ancient monasteries and temples were founded here back in the 14th century, by Novgorod people, its size is about 60 square kilometers, or in other words, 6 by 10 kilometers, and the depth of the bays near the island reaches 150 meters. In the north of the island is located Monastic Bay, access to which by water can be made through a narrow and elongated strait between high rocks. On the shores of the bay there is a famous holy monastery of monks. On other islands Valaam archipelago, of which there are just over fifty, there are monastery hermitages where the elder monks lived and live, acquiring the Holy Spirit.

One of the centers of Orthodoxy Valaam Monastery became famous in the 15th century for the exploits of hermit monks; everyone in need of God’s guidance and help in curing various ailments flocked here. These places began to be called “Northern Athos”; it is possible to get here by ship in summer and by ice in winter. Those who attended this Holy place remained with their hearts here forever, giving delightful reviews not only of the beauty of the island, but also of the spiritual ascent of the novice monks living here. Famous people who have been here figures of Russian culture dedicated part of their creativity Valaam, in painting, in poetry, in music, in them they tried to convey a piece of the splendor and grace that they felt in these places.

And currently Valaam island, became a place of pilgrimage and tourism, after returning to the control of the monastery and monastic lands, Russian canonical Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate. In the years Soviet power atheistic orientation, Balaam survived in prayer and standing, the Holy Spirit never left these places, and the trials that befell only strengthened faith and Holy Orthodoxy.

Fortress Oreshek.

Many rivers and streams flow in, but only one river flows out - the Neva, which is small in length and flows into to the Baltic Sea near city ​​of St. Petersburg(Leningrad). The strategic importance of the place where the Neva River begins has long been known, and in the 14th century a powerful fortification structure appeared at the source of the river - Oreshek fortress, it was erected by Novgorod builders, thereby establishing themselves in these places and on Lake Ladoga. This structure protected the borders of the Novgorod principality from raids by the Swedish armies, there were a lot of sieges and attacks on the fortress, so after each the fortress was improved and completed; already in the 16th century the power of this stronghold was maximum, the walls rose along the entire perimeter of the island. Since that time, little has changed, and now we can see this unique structure as it was in those distant times.

For a short period of time in the 17th century, this fortress came under the rule of the Swedes, but thanks to Peter the Great, Russian troops finally recaptured this place from the Swedes, and the Emperor gave a new name to the fortress - Shlisselburg, or Key City, testifying to the protection of the water entrance to the Neva. Later, from the time of Catherine the Second until the overthrow of the tsarist government as a result of the revolution of 1917, the fortress was repurposed as a prison in which prisoners especially dangerous to the state were kept. Only with the advent of Soviet power did the fortress get rid of the prison on its territory. And in the years Great Patriotic War 1941-1945, faithfully served the wars defending the Motherland from the Nazi invaders; for three years the garrison successfully repelled attempts to capture the fortress by enemy troops. The fortress played a special role in protecting the “Road of Life” during the siege of Leningrad; it made it possible to deliver goods relatively unhindered both by water in the summer and by ice in the winter.

Southern part of Ladoga.

In the southern part Lake Ladoga there is a unique small island, it is of man-made origin; under Peter the Great, stone blocks were brought here, since the sandbank that existed here interfered with navigation on the waters Lake Ladoga, and many ships ran aground on their bellies. A little later on Suho Island- that’s what they called it, they built a lighthouse, which, by the way, is still functioning to this day, making navigation in these places safe.

Coast of the North-Eastern part Lake Ladoga, are distinguished by the presence of sandy areas among the rocky coast. And from the mouth Svir River in the northern direction there is a flat area with sand dunes almost 60 kilometers long, a large number of coniferous trees on the shore make these places incredibly beautiful and pleasing to the eye. Southern part of Lake Ladoga It has a gentle bank, and in some places it is overgrown with reeds and reeds, the depth here is shallow, and the shore itself is covered with small stone boulders and pebbles.

Staraya Ladoga, city and fortress.

At all times, Lake Ladoga was actively used as part of the trade route going from the North to Constantinople, where it flows into the lake Volkhov River a settlement was founded Ladoga . History says that in the 12th century a stone fortress was already erected here, which has survived to this day, its name Ladoga fortress. Another fact from history: until the 18th century, the lake was called Nevo . And only at this time the lake received its present form. Ladoga title thanks Ladoga fortress.

Mention in chronicles settlement and fortresses (today Staraya Ladoga), known since 922, built near the confluence of the Volkhov River on the right bank. This place is known in connection with the death Prince Oleg bitten by a poisonous snake that crawled into the remains of his war horse, he was told that he would die from his horse. And even the killing of his horse ultimately did not save Oleg from the fate of fate; in these places the grave of Prince Oleg is located.

For many, many years, majestic stone walls and towers have risen on the banks of the Volkhov Ladoga fortress, history has left a memory of the leader of their construction, the Novgorod man Pavel, as mentioned earlier at the beginning of the 12th century. On the territory of the fortress, several churches were built that have survived to this day, and one of which, known as the Church of St. George, was built under Yaroslav the Wise.

All the time since construction Ladoga fortress until the end of the Northern War Peter the Great, the fortress repelled the raids of the conquerors. And the Northern borders of the Russian land had serious protection by a garrison Ladoga fortress . Boris Godunov noted the zeal of the defenders by donating the bell to the city as a sign of gratitude from the Tsar and all Russian lands. After Peter the Great, the border shifted north, and Ladoga fortress lost its defensive significance, although it always remained a powerful rear during military clashes with its northern neighbors.

Winter on Ladoga.

It has long been famous in winter for its winds and ice hummocks, when ice floes crack under the force of the wind and rise, freezing in the cold; the height of such piles in some places reaches ten meters, and in the area of ​​the lighthouse artificial island Dry up to twenty meters. The lake freezes completely only in February. With the arrival of warmth, the ice begins to melt, but until summer you can find drifting ice floes on the lake, some of which move along the Neva River to the Baltic Sea. This effect on Neva River called the second ice drift, the river itself is freed from ice in April.

Navigation along Lake Ladoga starts in May and can be reached via constructed waterways before White Sea or to the Volga, they were erected during the years of Soviet power, thanks to shock construction projects in which millions of people were involved, both civilians and convicts, the construction was managed by the darkly famous GULAG organization.