Solovetsky Monastery: opening hours, schedule of services, address and photo

When you hear about Solovetsky Monastery, conflicting internal sensations immediately arise. And this is not surprising, because this extraordinary monastery was destined to be both the place where the greatest miracles were performed and the place where cruel crimes were committed. The ancient monastery walls retain the memory of all the events that happened on its lands, and touching them is like touching great spiritual feats. I want to tell you more about the sights and shrines of the many-sided Solovetsky Monastery in this text.

Where are Solovki located?

The Solovetsky Islands are located in the southwestern part of the White Sea.
The islands block the entrance to Onega Bay. However, they are located 200 kilometers west of Arkhangelsk and in general did not represent any strategic interest either for the defense of the northern trade route or for the defense of the port of Arkhangelsk.

It is all the more surprising that the Solovetsky Monastery appeared on the islands, built as a full-fledged military fortress.

The place was not suitable for protection from the Swedes and the British.

Even as a center of Moscow’s influence on the local weakly subordinate Karelian tribes - too.

Kem or modern Rabocheostrovsk would be better suited for this. After all, mainland Karelia.

Why and why the treasury allocated money for the grandiose construction is unknown.

Architecture and decoration of the building

The architecture of the monastery was strongly influenced by Novgorod and Moscow styles. In fact, this is one of the largest stone architecture structures in the north; it is a city inside powerful fortress walls. Its numerous buildings sparkle with their whiteness on a sunny day, and in the cloudiness of the northern sea they attract with their reliability, promising peace and warmth.

Appearance

The territory of the monastery has a pentagonal shape, surrounded by a stone wall along the entire perimeter. The wall is impressive in its size: its height reaches 11 meters and its thickness is up to 6 meters. The wall is made of huge boulders (5 meters), its length is 1084 meters. There are 7 gates and 8 towers in the wall.

The entrance to the monastery is through the main gate located in the western part of the wall. They are called the Holy Gate, directly above them is the Church of the Annunciation (in the architectural style of that time).

When you swim along Blagopoluchiya Bay to the island, it seems that the monastery seems to rise out of the water. Its domes, patterned roofs, and many crosses against the backdrop of a picturesque fortress wall create a fabulous impression.

The courtyard buildings have standard facades.

The first building of the complex was the famous Solovetsky refectory. In the 16th century, this was the largest refectory, its area is slightly less than 500 meters.

The refectory and the Assumption Church became the compositional core of the complex, around which the territory was subsequently built up. The Assumption complex has a powerful base made of boulders, two tiers (the first contains utility rooms, the second contains the main ones). The walls of the complex are massive, sloped and have no decoration.

Interior design

The Assumption Church is a small square building, which is divided by an altar barrier. The altar barrier has three arches of different sizes and divides the entire area of ​​the room approximately in half - the altar itself and the church.

The Assumption Church has a large number of niches and chambers in the walls and in the altar - this is a feature of this church. Niches and chambers are intended for storing church supplies.

The refectory was previously painted with oil paint. Its walls and vault were decorated with images of saints and scenes from the Holy Scriptures.

After restoration, the appearance of the refectory is close to the original.

Temple shrines

The shrines of the monastery are relics, icons and crosses.

Relics are the remains of holy people who can still perform miracles. The clergy explain this by saying that holy people not only have a holy soul, but also a holy body. The relics of saints are preserved and revered not just as a memory, they are considered sources of Divine grace, to which one can turn for help in prayer.

Every Orthodox church must have relics, because services cannot be held without them. On major church holidays, holy relics are displayed in churches so that believers can venerate them.

The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery houses:

• relics of Saints Zosima, Savvaty and German;
• an ark with a particle of the holy relics of St. Philip;
• the ark with the honorable head of the holy martyr Peter (Zverev);
• miraculous icons.

Icons receive their miraculous capabilities through the grace of God. An icon is classified as a miraculous icon when spiritual authorities are certified by miraculous events that occur through prayers before this particular icon.

How to get to the Solovetsky Islands?

Travel to Solovki follows standard options:

If the price of regular tours seems too high, you can go to the Solovetsky Islands on your own.

By train St. Petersburg-Murmansk or Moscow-Murmansk to Kem or Rabocheostrovsk stations.

There you can buy a ticket for regular ships.

The same ships also transport ordinary groups of tourists.

• Getting from Kem (Rabocheostrovsk) to Solovki - 2:00-2:30 hours
• The route of the ship from Belomorsk is 3:30-4:00 hours

Tickets for boats can be bought directly at the pier. But everything is based on the residual principle: tourists and locals - go ahead.

If there is a hitch on the way, there are normal hotels in Rabocheostrovsk and Kemi.

If you need it faster, then residents of St. Petersburg need to fly by plane to Arkhangelsk.

From there you can quickly get to Solovki by local airlines (flight about 50 minutes).

Or go to Petrozavodsk and from there you can also get to Solovki by plane.

There are no direct flights from St. Petersburg and Moscow. Although you can buy tickets for the flight St. Petersburg - Solovki, it still requires a transfer in Arkhangelsk.

It is almost impossible to get to Solovki directly by car.

But driving throughout Karelia, stopping by Petrozavodsk, Kondopoga and Medvezhyegorsk along the way, is very interesting.

From St. Petersburg everything is quite simple: the P-21 “Kola” highway (St. Petersburg-Murmansk) will lead almost to the White Sea coast.

Almost, because to get to Belomorsk, you have to turn past the village of Pushnoy (and another + 30 kilometers).

You need to turn off to Kem from Kola after the locks of the Putkinsky Reservoir.

Only 14 km of the Kem-Kalevala road will remain.

The condition of the roads is approximately the same. But from Kemi to the Solovetsky Islands it is much closer.

In any case, you will have to leave the car at the port and then get to Solovki on your own, by boat.

By car from Moscow there are two roads:

first to St. Petersburg with access to “Kola” or through Yaroslavl-Vologda along the northern shore of Lake Onega along the A-119 road.

In Mezhvezhyegorsk, A-119 merges with Kola. But there are almost no sights along the way.

There is only Vytegra, where it is interesting to see the ancient gateways from the time of Peter the Great (their remains). And the Submarine Museum.

, you can only get to Solovki

The ships do not operate during the off-season. When the ice freezes, people sometimes dare to take this route on snowmobiles.

And there is no point: life on the Solovetsky Islands comes to a standstill.

Outside residential buildings and the monastery, snow is not cleared. So it is impossible to see external sights.

Only the monastery, the Jung school and what remains of the legacy of the “GULAG archipelago”.

There is another very rare, but incredibly fantastic way:

Get to Solovki on your own, by boat.

Several such reports appear on the Internet every year.

These are big trips on cabin boats and even simple rubber boats! The impressions from such sea trips cannot be conveyed.

But you need to be very prepared.

Be able to lock, understand the navigation situation and unwritten rules on the river.

“Buy” rights in GIMS, buy a large motor yacht. Well, some people like it that way. But you will also have to take a suitcase of money with you.

And it’s not a fact that they will help.

Neither Ladoga nor the White Sea forgives mistakes.

And you could stand at the airlock wall for at least a day, if only the Abramovich was three times.

In Karelia, ordinary working people have their own concepts.

And not everything here can be bought for money.

But for experienced captains there is only one problem on the way - difficulties with refueling. .

Negotiation stone

A unique historical monument, which is a flat granite slab with an ancient Russian inscription from 1856 - Negotiation Stone. The slab was made by the stonemasons of the monastery and placed in the place where, on June 22, 1855, negotiations were held between English officers and the abbot of the Solovetsky Monastery, Archimandrite Alexander.

The stone reminds local residents and tourists of Solovki about the events of the Crimean War, when foreign ships belonging to Great Britain approached the monastery. Despite the fact that the British did not dare to storm the monastery, they nevertheless began to demand from the monks the cows on the farm. The abbot and the monks refused to supply the English team with meat, which was reported to the officers on the memorable date, June 22. The military did not dare to take the animals by force and went to sea with nothing.

How to get from Moscow to the Solovetsky Islands at any time of the year

Greetings, dear friends! Today we will talk about how to get to Solovki from Moscow.

The Solovetsky Islands are located near Arkhangelsk, in the White Sea. The archipelago stands at the entrance to Onega Bay.

You can get from Moscow to the Solovetsky Islands by various means of transport. Thanks to tourist interest, communications in this direction are quite well established.

The beginning of the foundation of the monastery, the first abbot Zosima

The fame of their exploits and holy deeds spread, and people who were attracted to the monastic life and salvation of the soul arrived on the island.

The Monk Zosima once had a vision. After the prayer, leaving the cell, he saw an extraordinary light illuminating the surroundings. In this light, a beautiful church stood in the air, as a sign of God’s blessing. Soon, the first wooden church of the Transfiguration of the Savior was built at the site of the apparition. The monastery was growing and needed an abbot.

1452

this year the Monk Zosima becomes the first abbot of the monastery

Upon arrival at the monastery, the new abbot performs the liturgy. During the service, all the brethren saw St. Zosima engulfed in an uncreated blinding light. This sign was a sign of the future glory of the Solovetsky Monastery.

In 1465 Zosima transferred the relics of St. Savvaty to the monastery.

The Monk Zosima gave more than forty years to his native monastery. On April 17, 1478, the founder of the Solovetsky Monastery reposed and was buried behind the altar of the Transfiguration Church. In 1479, the Monk Herman reposed.

1547

This year the Monks Zosima and Savvaty, Solovetsky wonderworkers, were canonized.

In 1460, all the Solovetsky Islands were given to the monastery for eternal possession.

In 1539-1551, by decrees of Emperor John IV, three villages with all the land and fishing grounds were given into the possession of the Solovetsky Monastery. The monastery was exempt from all taxes, and it was allowed to trade throughout Rus'.

By plane

Perhaps this is the most convenient way to get to the islands with a minimum of transfers. Solovki has its own small airport that receives small aircraft.

In winter, there is no way to get to the islands except by plane.

There are no direct flights yet; you will have to make a transfer in Arkhangelsk.

Planes depart from the following capital airports:

Flights are operated by various airlines. This is very convenient: you can choose the most suitable flight conditions for yourself.

Travel time will take about 2 hours.

A flight to Solovki departs from Arkhangelsk three times a week.

Departure time: 12.40. Travel time is 50 minutes.

Flights are operated by Nordavia airline.

By train

If you don’t like to fly, there is another great option to get to the Solovetsky Islands – the train.

True, you won’t be able to get to the islands themselves. You will need to get off at Kem station. From the port of Rabocheostrovsky, which belongs to Kemi, motor ships go to Solovki in the summer.

Trains from Moscow to Kem depart from the following stations:

To get to Kem, choose trains in the Murmansk direction.

Travel time is about 1 day.

See ticket prices and exact schedule here.

On a boat

In the summer, communication by water is established between Moscow and Solovki.

You can also get there by water from

getting there in any way convenient for you.

From Moscow

Motor ship "Rus the Great"

It goes directly to Solovki, stopping at various interesting places along the way.

From Arkhangelsk:

The motor ship "Belomorye" makes only a few trips during navigation. It calls at various Pomeranian towns and villages and moves rather slowly.

If you decide to travel on this ship, it is better to find out all the details at the Arkhangelsk port information office.

From Belomorsk (Fish Port):

• Departure time – 08.30
• Travel time – 3 hours
• Ticket price – 1200 rubles

From Kemi:

• motor ship "Vasily Kosyakov" Departure time - 08:00

motor ship "Metel-4"

Departure time 12:30

Tickets are issued by the administrator at the port of Rabocheostrovsk.

The approximate cost of travel is 1200 rubles. For children under 12 years old there is a 50% discount on tickets

Boarding on local ships ends 30 minutes before departure. In case of unacceptable weather conditions (storm of 4 points) all flights are cancelled.

By car

Those who like to drive can try to get to Solovki by personal vehicle.

There is a ferry from the port of Rabocheostrovsk to the islands, but you can leave your car there and cross to Bolshoi Solovetsky Island by water.

In the tourist one, located right in the river of Rabocheostrovsk, there is paid parking. There you can rest from the road, have lunch or even stay for a few days.

To get from Moscow to Solovki by car, you need to take the Yaroslavskoye Highway and on Vologda go in the Murmansk direction. Then don’t miss the right turn towards Kem. You can take a ferry to Kemi.

Distance – 1500 kilometers. Travel time excluding stops and traffic jams is about 20 hours.

Is it possible to leave by taxi?

A taxi will not go from Moscow to Solovki. But you can take a taxi at the Kemi railway station, arriving there from Moscow.

A taxi will take you to the port of Rabocheostrovsk. From there, in the summer, regular water communication with the islands is established.

The asking price is about 400 rubles. Travel time is approximately 20 minutes.

Taxi ranks at the Kemi train station are located right in front of the station exit.

On the way from Moscow to the Solovetsky Islands there are many gas stations and places to rest. Your journey will be comfortable. Also along the A-119 highway, which leads to Solovki, you can admire real Russian landscapes.

The Solovetsky Islands have long been of tourist interest. What is typical is that people with various needs go there. Some are interested in seeing the famous camps left over from the Soviet regime, while others want to pray in a world-famous monastery. Many come to see the stone labyrinths left by ancient man.

Solovki has an extensive botanical garden, where the flora of the region is fully represented.

The Solovki historical, architectural and natural reserve belongs to a strictly protected zone. Many unusual and mysterious things can be seen only here.

I hope you enjoy the excursion to one of the mysterious places of our country - the Solovetsky Islands.

That's all I have for today. See you again, dear friends!

Mentors

In addition to the revered venerable founders of the monastery and ascetic life, the Russian Church glorifies many worthy monks and ascetics who followed their example, spiritual students of the monastery of the far north:

• Founder of the Anzersk monastery, Venerable Eleazar;
• Reverend Elisha of Sumy;

• Founder of the Golgotha-Crucifixion Skete, Hieroschemamonk Job;
• Blessed Theodoret, enlightener of the Lapps;
• Hermits Andrei, Savva, Andrian, Nestor and Nicephorus.

The spiritual heritage and influence of the monastery was not limited only to the walls of the monastery, but spread far beyond its borders throughout the country.

Solovki - how to get there, hotels, excursions and information for tourists

The Solovetsky Islands are located in the Onega Bay, between Karelian Pomerania and the Summer Coast of the White Sea, 164 kilometers from the Arctic Circle. The Solovetsky archipelago consists of six large and about seventy small islands. The total area of ​​the archipelago exceeds 320 km2. The area of ​​the Big Solovetsky Island is 248 square meters. km. The tourist season on Solovki lasts from June to early October, although you can visit the islands in winter. To explore the main attractions of the Solovetsky archipelago, you need at least 3 days. In addition, a reserve of 1-2 days is needed in case of bad weather, due to which communication with the mainland may be interrupted. Since it can be cool in Solovki in June, you need to take warm clothes. Comfortable shoes and mosquito repellent are required.

How to get to Solovki

- via Arkhangelsk. Get to Arkhangelsk by plane or train, and then by another plane (Vaskovo and Talagi airports) to Solovki. You can also get from Arkhangelsk to Solovki by boat. But, basically, tickets for the ship are bought up by travel companies and are practically not available for free sale. One option is to buy a ticket on a ship without a seat and travel as a deck passenger. There may be difficulties with air tickets to Solovki and back.

• through Kem (Karelia). Take the train to Kem station. Then from the railway station by bus No. 1, minibus or taxi to Rabocheostrovsk, where the port is located. Then you can get there by boat in 2-4 hours.
• via Belomorsk. You can get to Belomorsk by train. This is closer than to Kemi. And then take a Comet or a boat to Solovki.

The island offers various excursions:

• sightseeing tour of the Solovetsky Kremlin (3 hours);
• history and architecture of the Solovetsky Monastery (2 hours);
• Solovetsky Fortress (2 hours);
• exile and imprisonment on Solovki. Monastery prison (1.5 hours);
• islands of spiritual achievement. Solovetsky ascetics of piety (2 hours);
• history of the Solovetsky special purpose camps 1923-1939. (2.5 hours);
• history of the Solovetsky school of young men 1942 - 1945. (1 hour);
• Mount Sekirnaya. Holy Ascension Monastery (3 hours).

Excursions to the lakes and canals of Solovki, to the Botanical Garden - Makaryevskaya Hermitage, to Cape Beluzhiy, Bolshoi Zayatsky Island, Bolshaya Muksalma Island, and to the monasteries of Anzer Island are also offered.

Through the thorns to the stars

The history of the Solovetsky Islands begins in the 2nd millennium BC. The famous Solovetsky labyrinths, mounds and seids come from those times and are still mysteries. Archaeologists have found traces of sites of primitive people on the coast. This indicates that already in ancient times there was a developed culture on the archipelago. It is difficult to imagine what forced people to settle in such harsh places.

In 1428, Herman, a resident of the city of Totma, appeared on the Karelian White Sea coast. He was looking for a place to retire. Together with the monk of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery Savvaty, they crossed to the archipelago and settled in the north of the Big Solovetsky Island. Not far from Sosnovaya Bay, the settlers erected a cross and built cells. This is how the first permanent residents appeared on the island.

The history of the development of the Solovetsky Islands goes back several thousand years.

Subsequently, the monk Zosima settled on the island. It so happened that he dreamed of a “great church.” This vision predetermined the choice of the place where the monastery was founded. Since then, 1436 has been considered the year of foundation of the Solovetsky Monastery. By the 16th century, in addition to monastic buildings, the archipelago had mills, salt pans, a farmyard and seaworthy ships. The spiritual patrimony of the monastery covered a vast territory northeast of Moscow.

In the 60s of the 17th century, an authoritative colony of opponents of Patriarch Nikon was formed on the islands. No amount of exhortation could break the stubbornness of the monks, and in the spring of 1668 Ignatius Volokhov arrived on the islands with a detachment of archers. An eight-year siege of the monastery began, later called the “Solovetsky Seat.” The Sagittarius were helped by the betrayal of the monk Theoktis, who showed a secret passage to the monastery. After a short battle, the fate of the rebel monastery was decided.

The fate of the monastery was no less tragic in the 20-30s of the 20th century, when SLON, the Solovetsky Special Purpose Camp, was created on its basis. In May 1923, the archipelago was officially transferred to the OGPU, but prisoners had been serving their sentences there since 1920. This place gave the name to Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s famous book “The Gulag Archipelago”. And only on October 25, 1990, at a meeting of the Holy Synod chaired by Patriarch Alexy II, a decision was made to revive the Solovetsky Monastery.

Hotels on Solovki

Hotels of different levels are at your service: from hostels to cottages. Tourists can also set up a tent. Below are the addresses and prices. The cost must be clarified, since it may vary and depends on the time of year.

• Hotel SOLO. Address: st. Kovaleva, no. 8, tel. (8-818-35-90) 246, (8-818-4) 58-43-84. The cost of living per person is from 900 rubles/day.
• — Tourist complex Solovki Company. The cottages are located on the shore of Lake Varyazhskoye, 1.5 km from the village. Address: Varyazhskaya alley, 1, tel. 8-921-240-88-80. Cost per place from 850 rub./day.
• Hotel Shelter. Address: st. Primorskaya, 12, tel. (8-818-35-90) 297. Cost – from 1200 rubles/day.
• Guest house Green Village – Solovki. Address: st. Sivko, 20, Fax 8-818-35-90-283, tel. +7-921-470-71-01. The cost of a standard double room is 5100 rubles/day. The price includes breakfast and dinner.
• The hostel "Petersburg Hotel" belongs to the Solovetsky Museum-Reserve. Serves Educational groups. If there are available seats, make a reservation by calling 8-818-35-90-327. Rooms for 1-8 people. The cost of a double room is 800 rubles/day.
• Tent city. To set up a tent you must obtain permission. To do this, you need to call the Hospitality Center located in the St. Petersburg hotel at 8-818-35-90-207, 8 921-482-02-92. The tent city is equipped with places for making a fire, toilets, and garbage bins. There is a food pavilion. You can rent a tent and sleeping bag.
• Hotel Pier. Address: Kem, Varyazhskaya alley, tel. 8-(81458)56-060. The cost of a double room is 2000 rubles/day;
• Private sector. Accommodation in Kem from 500 rubles/day.

Excursions on Solovki

When visiting churches, you must follow the rules of church etiquette. Morning services begin at 6.00 on weekdays, at 8.00 on Sundays and holidays, and evening services at 17.00.

You can book an excursion at the Solovetsky Hospitality Center. Before visiting the forest of the Solovetsky archipelago, you must undergo instruction at the Solovetsky forestry enterprise. A visit to the islands of Bolshoi Zayatsky, Anzer, and Bolshaya Muksalma is conducted by a guide from the excursion department of the Solovetsky Museum-Reserve or the pilgrimage service of the Solovetsky Monastery.

Shrines of the monastery

• The churches of the Solovetsky Monastery store several especially valuable church relics. The greatest shrine is considered to be the relics of the founders of the monastery - Venerable. Elders and Wonderworkers Savvatius, Herman and Zosima .
• Also kept in the monastery is the sacred cross of St. Savvatia . Many pilgrims also strive to touch the relics of other famous elders - St. Philip , Marcellus and Svmch . Peter , which are also carefully preserved by the monks.
• some icons located in the monastery and possessing miraculous powers are also of particular value

Natural and climatic features.

The northern nature of these places is truly unique. During one half of the year the island is covered with drifting ice, during the other half of the year you can admire the ebb and flow of the tides, white nights and sunsets. The forests are inhabited by hares, foxes, squirrels, and reindeer. The lakes are home to roach, perch, burbot, and pike. The White Sea beluga whale, which is found only in the Barents Sea, lives off the coast of the Solovetsky Islands. More than 190 different bird species nest on the islands. White Sea gulls are a sign of the approaching spring, as well as a famous symbol of the island. The first few birds arrive at the beginning of spring, fly around the monastery with a loud cry and fly back. And after a few days more and more of them arrive. And finally, in large numbers, in April they settle here for the whole summer, driving the crows into the forests.

The Solovetsky Islands are covered with coniferous forests. The climate is different from the climate of other areas of the White Sea. The island position, Atlantic cyclones, hilly terrain and forests have created a special microclimate on the Solovetsky Islands. Despite the proximity of the Arctic Circle, the average February temperature is only -10 degrees, and according to long-term data, the average annual air temperature fluctuates around +1.1 degrees.

The unusually warm weather for such northern latitudes is complicated only by the wind. From early spring to July, northeastern winds blowing from the White Sea dominate here. In other months, warm wind blows on the islands from the south, west and southwest. But the wind is felt only on the coast, since the middle of the island is reliably protected by forest.

Architectural sights of the monastery

Despite the dark pages of history, the monastery has preserved the indescribable beauty of its architecture to this day. Once you find yourself here, you never cease to be amazed at the skill of the craftsmen of the past.

• Particularly striking is the Transfiguration Cathedral , the main temple of the Solovetsky Monastery, the construction of which dates back to 1558-66. Its architecture is somewhat similar to both traditional medieval buildings and eastern temples; it combines severity and grace at the same time.
• You also can’t stop admiring the long fortress walls , which were built a little later than the cathedral. They are arranged in the form of an irregular pentagon and have 8 beautiful towers and gates. Admiring these stone guards, you get lost in time - it seems to freeze and take you back to the past.

There are many more valuable architectural structures in the monastery:

• Annunciation Church, created at the end of the 16th - beginning of the 17th century;
• Trinity Cathedral;

• Assumption Cathedral and refectory, built in 1552-57;
• Stone chambers of the 17th century.

On the map.

Bolshoi Solovetsky Island is the largest of the islands of the archipelago, its area is 225 square kilometers. In the east are Anzer (48.5 sq. km), Bolshaya and Malaya Muksalma (19.9 and 0.6 sq. km), in the west are the Bolshoy and Maly Zayatsky Islands, the area of ​​which is slightly more than 1 sq. km. km each. Maps do not always show all the islands of the archipelago, of which there are more than a hundred. The distance to the coast of Karelia is about 60 km, and to the capital of the region, Arkhangelsk, about 300 km.

We recommend reading interesting material about the sights of Petrozavodsk. This friendly city is the capital of Karelia, endowed with its own special atmosphere and interesting history. It can also become a starting point for a trip to many interesting places in Karelia, which you can learn about from this article.

boulder dam

Built between the islands of Bolshoi Solovetsky and Bolshaya Muksalma, connecting them. This amazing structure, more than a kilometer long, was built in order to ensure stable communication between the islands. Bolshaya Muksalma is the third largest island in the archipelago. Its surface is swampy, uneven, there are no lakes on the island, and there are also no heights. Meadows and fields made this island indispensable for pastures, for walking cows, horses and calves.

The overpass between the islands was built in 1827, and in 1865 the dam became what we can see now. This is masonry, the width at the base is about 8 meters, huge boulders are covered with sand, and one of the parts of the structure is in the form of an arched bridge. The dam has five bends - it passes through the shallowest parts of the strait. Thanks to this shape, the dam also has other functions - ice-cutting and breakwater.

There are other places on the Solovetsky Islands where you will be interested to look: these places are far from being limited to the monastery, as it seems at first glance. Come to see a lot of amazing things with your own eyes.

How to get there?

The shortest route by water to the Solovetsky Islands lies through the cities of Kem and Belomorsk from the Karelian coast.
All trains in the Murmansk direction stop at the stations of these cities. Next there is a transfer to a boat or motor ship to the Solovetsky Islands. If you travel by car along the federal highway St. Petersburg - Murmansk, you will have to leave the car in the village of Rabocheostrovsk, using a guarded parking lot. At a distance of 1 km from the Solovetsky Monastery on Bolshoi Solovetsky Island there is Solovki Airport, where planes from Arkhangelsk land.

Group excursions on the island are organized by the Solovetsky Museum-Reserve. And for individual excursions, you can rent private transport owned by local residents. The roads on the territory of the Solovetsky village are unpaved, and outside it are ordinary forest roads, the speed of movement on which is not very high.

There are several ways to get from Moscow to the Solovetsky Archipelago.

One of the routes is through the city of Arkhangelsk by plane from Sheremetyevo-1 to Arkhangelsk airports “Vaskovo” and “Talagi”. You can also choose to travel by rail by taking the train at Yaroslavsky Station. In Arkhangelsk you need to buy tickets for the ship at the Northern Shipping Company ticket office.

Another travel option passes through Kem (Republic of Karelia)

Having boarded the train at the Leningradsky station in the Moscow-Murmansk direction, you should get off early at the Kem station. Next, take a bus to the port of Rabocheostrovsk, from which a ship departs daily for the Solovetsky Islands.

A similar route passes through the city of Belomorsk, which can be reached by train from Moscow to Murmansk. You need to get off one station earlier, and then transfer to a comet or a ship to the islands.

Those who like to travel independently, by car, and have the time and money, can diversify the route and stop on the way to St. Petersburg in Veliky Novgorod and Vologda, Kirillov and Ferapontovo, Torzhok and Valdai.