• Caucasus
  • Elbrus Region
  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Georgia
• Central Asia
  • Uzbekistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Fann Mountains
  • Tien-Shan Mountains
  • All Central Asia
  • High Peaks
• Siberia and Pacific
  • Siberia
  • Kamchatka
  • Lake Baikal
  • Tuva and Sayan
  • Altai
• European Russia
  • Curious St Petersburg
  • Russian Capitals
  • Russian North
  • Ladoga Lake
• Crimean Peninsula
  • Crimea

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Ladoga lake and the territory around it have always been attractive for many peoples and later for different countries, that’s why most of the fortresses situated in this area suffered many battles, sieges and fires. For example the town of Vyborg was founded by Swedes, belonged for some time to Sweden, to Russia, to Finland and finally to Russia again. The Castle in Vyborg is the only European medieval fortress in Russia and is one of the main attractions in the city alongside with old market square and “Mon repos” park. The Korela Fortress in Priozersk has been a historical center of the lands between Ladoga and the Gulf of Finland and a northwestern outpost of the Russian state for many centuries. Later, in the 18th century it was turned into the political prison.From Sortavala we go to Kizhi Island, which gives us a different impression because of its wonderful wooden churches built without a single nail. The 22 domed Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior is the symbol of Kizhi, which is included into the UNESCO's World Heritage List.Petrozavodsk is as old as St-Petersburg. Peter the First founded the city in 1703 during the Northern War between Sweden and Russia by ordering to build Petrovsky cannon foundry. Nowadays it is a business, cultural, science and tourist center of the Republic of Karelia.Staraya (Old) Ladoga was first mentioned in the chronicles of the year 862 among ten of the most ancient towns of Russia. The town of Ladoga was a port that served as the place of communication of such different ethnic groups and cultures as the Slavs, Finns and Scandinavians. Here merchants’ caravans met to trade furs, jewelry and arms.

The tour starts and ends in St.Petersburg. Peter the Great grounded it as “a window to Europe”. Famous European architects created great ensembles of splendid palaces, cathedrals, parks and gardens.