Solovetsky Islands
Solovetsky Islands, the land of harsh northern nature, is the largest archipelago of the White Sea by area. It is located in its western part, 165 kilometers from the Arctic Circle. The total area of the archipelago is 347 km². Apart from the large islands – Bolshoy Solovetsky, Anzersky, Bolshoy and Malaya Muksalma, Bolshoy and Malaya Zayatsky – the archipelago also has hundreds of small islands. Administratively, the Solovetsky Islands are part of the Primorsky Municipal District of Arkhangelsk Oblast.
Video: Solovetsky Islands
Contents- Highlights
- History of the Solovetsky Islands
- Nature
Climate - Big Solovetsky Island
- Anzersky Island
- Bolshaya Muksalma Island
Malaya Muksalma - Hare Islands
- Where to stay
- Souvenirs
Where to eat - Transportation
- Useful tips
- How to get there
Highlights
History of the Solovetsky Islands
Human exploration of the Solovetsky Islands began in the Neolithic times, when the aboriginal inhabitants of the Pomorie – Protosaamians, who hunted sea animals and fished, appeared here. It is known that in the II-I centuries B.C. the Protosaamians buried their dead on the islands, erecting over their graves mounds – mounds of boulder stone, which in time formed whole labyrinths. Both names of the archipelago – Solovetsky Islands and Solovki – have Sámi roots: in Sámi “suollek” means “islands”. Probably, in these places the Sámi performed pagan rituals up to the Middle Ages.
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Nature
The landscape of the Solovetsky Islands was determined by an ancient glacier that “toured” their surface about 13,000 years ago. After the melting of the powerful ice cover, the islands were left with its traces – huge boulders of crystalline rocks brought from afar by the moving ice retreating northward. The boulders line up in ridges, they are called moraines. The sand cover of the Solovetsky Islands is also of glacial origin. These are crystalline rocks worn away by the mighty force of the glacier. On Solovki there are many deposits of semi-precious and ornamental minerals brought here – translucent quartz muscovite, red garnets, pyroxene, green jadeite, reminiscent of precious jade.
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There are no rivers on Solovki, but the local lakes, sung in folk legends and described many times in Russian literature, are simply stunning in their beauty. It seems that mirror-like water bodies are scattered chaotically on the islands – sometimes in compact groups, sometimes stretched out in a chain, and sometimes – scattered. However, in this picturesque disorder there is a certain system built by nature itself. The shape of water bodies is also diverse. Some lakes are perfectly round, some are ellipse-shaped, others are curved in the form of a horseshoe. Many of them are nameless, and the names of others have changed repeatedly over the centuries.
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Climate
The proximity of the Arctic Circle and the breath of the Arctic certainly puts an imprint on the local climate. However, the climatic conditions of the Solovetsky Islands are different from the mainland coast of the White Sea and stand out for their unexpected mildness.
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The microclimate on Solovki is characterized by some delay in the change of seasons. July-August are the summer months. The period from September 1 to September 20 is considered late summer. Then autumn begins, which lasts until the end of October, when frosts arrive. Winter prevails here for four months. The coldest month is February, but there are years when March temperatures are below February’s numbers.
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The heart of the Kremlin is the cathedral complex, which together with the fortress towers defines its unique silhouette. It was created for almost three centuries, but the main buildings belong to the XVI-XVII centuries. The dominant structure is the three-tiered Transfiguration Cathedral, which is a symbol of the greatness of the Solovetsky Monastery. This five-domed temple was erected in the XVI century and its severe appearance resembles a fortress. The thickness of its walls in some places is about five meters, and the corner aisles are similar to fortress towers. On the first tier of the cathedral there are vaulted rooms used mainly for household needs, on the second tier there are rooms of the temple itself, on the third tier there are four aisles.
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An outstanding attraction is the Dormition refectory complex, with the construction of which began stone construction on the Solovetsky Islands. It includes the Dormition Church, the Refectory and the Cellar Chambers. On feast days in the Refectory even today tables are set for guests and brethren, and the monastery bakery still bakes delicious monastery bread.
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The complex of ancient buildings includes the Church of the Annunciation, built in the best traditions of domestic temple architecture. Also on the territory of the monastery you can see the stone water mill built in the XVII century, the oldest in Russia.
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During the tour you will see and religious buildings built in later period – Holy Trinity Zosimo-Savvatiev Cathedral, the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Cathedral of Metropolitan Philip, the bell tower. A sightseeing walking tour of the Solovetsky Kremlin lasts about three hours. The cost is 400 rubles (in Russian), 650 rubles (in another language).
.Sketes and deserts
Not far from the monastery walls, on the picturesque shore of Lake Igumenskoe, is located Filippova, or Jesus’, desert. Back in the XVI century, hegumen Philip secluded himself here, spending time in silent prayer. According to the chronicles, Jesus Christ appeared to him once, after which the hegumen built a wooden chapel by the lake with his own hands. In the middle of the XIX century, the chapel was rebuilt into a church named after the Icon of the Mother of God, and later a stone cell block was erected. In 1935 Pavel Florensky, a famous religious figure, philosopher and scientist, worked here in confinement.
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Approximately 4 kilometers from the Solovetsky Kremlin, on the shore of Lake Nizhny Perth is the Makarievskaya Desert. This corner of the Solovetsky Islands, surrounded by hills, is often referred to as the dacha of Archimandrite Macarius, Gorka Farm, Botanical Garden. The unique microclimate here has long been favored by the monastic abbots. At the beginning of the XIX century, one of them, Archimandrite Macarius, arranged here a wooden chapel and two cells: for his own privacy and accommodation of monks. Then a modest two-storey house was built here, and the surrounding land began to be cultivated. There appeared vegetable gardens, on the hillsides the monks arranged terraces where they laid out flower beds, planted berry bushes, cedar trees, apple trees, and in heated greenhouses they grew melons and watermelons.
.Today the Botanical Garden of the Solovetsky Islands is set up here, where only 160 km from the Arctic Circle gardens with cherry blossoms, lilacs, apple trees and roses bloom. More than 700 species of plants planted in different historical periods are represented in the Botanical Garden.
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There are walking and bus tours to the Makarievskaya Desert. Walking tour with a review of the picturesque surroundings takes about three and a half hours, bus – an hour and a half. The cost is 400 rubles per person.
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Traveling around the lakes
Anzersky Island
The territory of the island itself is just over 17 km², it is the third largest among the Solovetsky Islands. Here you will see neither forests nor lakes, most of the island territory is covered with small woods, among which picturesque groves with low, fancifully shaped, Karelian birch trees stand out.
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In the early days of the Solovetsky monastery, these lands were used for grazing the monastery’s cows and horses. Later a cattle yard was set up here, and then hayfields appeared. In 1876 on the island was built a stone church in the name of Sergius of Rodonezh, and 20 years later – skete, which had the same name. In the XX century all the buildings fell into disrepair, but today restoration work is being carried out here.
.Malaya Muksalma
The stony islet Malaya Muksalma, the smallest of the Solovetsky Islands, occupies an area of only 0.57 km². It adjoins Bolshaya Muksalma Island from its southeastern side and is separated from the latter by a narrow strait, which can be waded across at low tide.
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Not counting the wooden barn, which is a typical household building of the XIX century, there is only one interesting attraction here – the Chapel of the Nativity. Some historians consider it to be the oldest building on the Solovetsky Islands.
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Hare Islands
Directly opposite the southwestern coast of Big Solovetsky Island are the Zayatsky Islands – Big and Small. Both of them are small. The first occupies an area of 1.25 km², and the second – 1.02 km², and they are separated by a narrow strait. You can get here from the main island by boat in 45 minutes. The excursion will cost you from 750 rubles per person. The pedestrian route runs along a specially arranged ecological path, from which it is forbidden to leave.
Where to stay
The Solovetsky Islands do not boast an excellent tourist infrastructure, and in order to be in the realm of virgin nature, tourists have to sacrifice a certain degree of comfort. Hotels and tourist complexes are concentrated on the Big Solovetsky Island. They offer both rooms with all amenities, and common rooms, where toilets and showers are located on the floor. A double room with amenities will cost you from 4500 rubles per day. On the territory of the reserve there are several guest houses, where the price for a double room starts from 3000 rubles.
.In the village of Solovetsky almost every family willingly rents accommodation. You can rent a room for 1500 rubles, an apartment – from 2550 rubles per day.
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Many nature lovers come to Solovki with their own tents. For such guests on the outskirts of the village is equipped with a site for a tent city. In order to get a place here, you will need permission from the local administration. In addition, you will have to pay a fee of 250 rubles/day per person. At the service of the inhabitants of the camp – field kitchen and bathhouse.
.Souvenirs
To remember the Solovetsky Islands you can buy illustrated books or photo albums with views of the museum-reserve, Pomor souvenirs – animal figurines made of wood. Local gingerbread called “kozulya” is popular.
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In the monastery shops you can find interesting icons.
.Where to eat
Cafes and restaurants are mostly located on the territory of the campgrounds and in hotels, but periodically they serve groups, so they are closed to individual tourists. The menu in Solovetsky establishments is quite varied, the dishes are mainly prepared from local products – fish, mushrooms, berries.
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You can have a snack in the refectories. On average it will cost 400 rubles per person, in a cafe – a little more expensive. Non-alcoholic dense dinner in a restaurant – from 1500 rubles per person.
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Transportation
