Airline & Holiday Information

Kizhi Island is situated on Lake Onega in the Russian Republic of Karelia. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most popular, and spectacular, tourist destinations in Russia. The entire island, which is itself 7 km long and 0.5 km wide, serves as a museum for some of the oldest and finest wooden structures in Russia.

These wooden structures are spread across the island and include simple village homes, chapels, windmills, barns, boat houses and traditional saunas. The main architectural attraction, however, is the magnificent Transfiguration Church. The church is one of the tallest log structures in the world, ornately decorated with 22 domes. The nearby Intercession Church is smaller but no less impressive. Both structures date back to the 1700s.

A museum of Russian wooden architecture also exists in Kizhi, as does a reconstruction of a traditional peasant village. There is plenty to see and explore on the island so arriving early is a good idea.

For visitors, getting to Kizhi Island is all part of the experience. Most tourists will make the trip to the island from Petrozavodsk. Hydrofoils and ferries run passengers from Petrozavodsk to the site several times a day, while taking a helicopter is another option. In winter, if the lake freezes, travel by snowcat becomes a possibility.

Overnight trains run from St. Petersburg to Petrozavodsk, arriving in the morning. As no tourist accommodation exists on Kizhi Island, visitors should generally plan the excursion as a daytrip. Guesthouses can be found in nearby villages if looking to stay in the area for more than one day.