The wooden church built without a single nail: the 22-domed Church of the Transfiguration of Our Savior is the pinnacle of Russian wooden architecture.
Kizhi Pogost became one of the first three UNESCO monuments in Russia along with the Moscow Kremlin and the historical center of Saint Petersburg.
In 2018, the British newspaper ‘The Telegraph’ awarded the church on the island of Kizhi the 13th place in the worldwide ranking of the most beautiful churches.
A trip to Kizhi island will give you vivid impressions and emotions
The basis of the museum collection is the architectural ensemble of Kizhi Pogost included in the World Heritage List of UNESCO. Every year tens of thousands of people from all over the world come to Karelia to see Kizhi island!
The farmers of the Kizhi parish were special people. The Northern climate, the capricious Onego, and the absence of serfdom forged a character in which loyalty to tradition was combined with enterprise, severity with irony, and firmness with a willingness to help one's neighbor. Farmhouses designed for long winters are striking with their size, strength, clever detailing, variety and richness of decoration.
In the hospitable house of farmer Berezkina, guests can try traditional cuisine of the peoples of Karelia, and if desired, learn how to cook dishes according to old recipes. Local pies called ‘sultchini’, ‘pryazhentsi’ and ‘keitinpiiraat’ will appeal to guests from all continents. Some dishes can be enjoyed only on Kizhi island.
Enjoy your trip by Lake Onega, the second largest in Europe, by a comfortable hydrofoil boat! The mirage-like domes of the Transfiguration Church, one of the most beautiful churches on the earth, will welcome you in the end of your water journey.
Don't neglect to take part in amusing holidays, fun festivals and challenging sports events that are held during the whole summer season on the island of Kizhi!
Be inspired by the unspoiled nature and the fragrance of freedom! The air on Kizhi island calms down and satiates. Kizhi island is beautiful in any weather!
Get to know the monuments of wooden architecture and take part in theme tours to experience the unique atmosphere of the island.
Travel time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Trip from Petrozavodsk to Kizhi island and back by high-speed hydrofoils. You will enjoy a pleasant water journey through the picturesque skerries of the second largest lake in Europe!
Duration: 2 hours
Excursion program with a visit to the Kizhi architectural ensemble included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and a walk through the Zaonezhie village. You will see the oldest wooden church in Russia, farmsteads, household structures; get acquainted with Kizhi craftsmen who work on the exhibition.
Duration: 2 hours (from May to August), 1 hour (September and October)
Participation in interactive programs or festive events with the best craftsmen of Kizhi island will give you vivid impressions! In your free time, you can take a walk on your own and enjoy the views of Kizhi island. We recommend you to visit Kizhi Harbor of historical boats or recreation area by the house of farmer Yakovlev.
Get the most of your trip to Kizhi island and take the advantage of our additional services
Have a look at the island and the famous Kizhi skerries from a bird's eye view! Climb to the main belfry of Kizhi parish!
To reach the hidden corners of one of the most beautiful islands on the planet is faster and easier by bike!
Take a walk through the age-old settlements of Kizhi - Yamka and Vasilievo that are first mentioned in documents of the XVI century.
Get acquainted with Zaonezhie crafts and create a souvenir with your own hands – that will remind you of Kizhi Island for a long time to come.
Cook real Karelian or Vepsian pies called ‘kalitka’, ‘sultchini’, ‘pryazhentsi’, ‘keitinpiiraat’ and other dishes! A tea party with hand-made pies will leave a long and pleasant aftertaste!
Sing and dance with us! The museum folklore theater will introduce the traditional music of Karelia to you in exciting performance accompanied by unusual folk instruments
Feel like a resident of Zaonezhie, for whom the boat was the main means of transportation on the changeable Onega lake. Find out why the locals trusted the ‘kizhanka’ boat so much and how boat-makers "sewed" it with spruce root.
After a tour with Marina, you will love Kizhi island forever.
"The Best Guide of Russia" according to the Russian geographical society.
This bright, cheerful and inquisitive guide will tell you a lot of amazing stories and interesting details.
The chef of the Kizhi cuisine is Anna, and she can treat you to a wholesome herbal tea with national pastry, as well as teach you to roll out thin dough for local pies called ‘kalitkas’ ‘sultchini’, ‘pryazhentsi’ and ‘keitinpiiraat’.
You will sing and dance to the sounds of Zaonezhie melodies.
Natalia will invite you to the world of local music and surprise you with a story about the subtleties of Kizhi customs and rituals.
Needlework can become your favorite pastime after visiting the workshop with Tatiana, as long as every woman creates beauty and comfort.
Connoisseur of Blacksmithing. With Sergey, you will feel the metal melting in his hands due his love to this work, and, of course, to the island of Kizhi.
Get an unforgettable experience of the atmosphere on the island during the festive events
July, 11-12 — "Big Laundry" - ethnographic performance July, 8-12 — "You came to Kizhi? Make your own bath besom!!", a special themed program July, 13-17 — Open tournament of Kizhi mowers July, 20- — "Zaonezhie Harvest Time", a special themed program July, 24-26 — Blacksmith Festival July, 31 — “Kizhi Regatta", a festival of traditional shipbuilding
August, 1-2 — "Kizhi Regatta", a festival of traditional shipbuilding August, 1-5 — "Zaonezhie Harvest Time", a special themed program August, 7-9 — “Zaonezhie Embroidery”, days of women's fancywork August, 18-20 — "Kizhi Bells", a bell ringing festival August, 19 — Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Savior
September, 1 — Day of Knowledge on Kizhi island September, 5-6 — Day of Knowledge on Kizhi island September, 12-13 — Day of Knowledge on Kizhi island September, 19-20 — Day of Knowledge on Kizhi island
Visit a unique UNESCO site
World Famous Site
You are welcome all year round
Feel the atmosphere of old time
Interesting for both children and adults
To book a ticket or for more detailed information please contact us on:
From Petrozavodsk:
In summer – by high-speed hydrofoils every day. Travel time: 1 hour 15 minutes
In winter – by hovercraft from Petrozavodsk or from the Velikaya Guba settlement
In off-season – by helicopter
To Petrozavodsk:
By car:
From Moscow – 1025 km
From Saint-Petersburg – 429 km
By train:
Moscow - Petrozavodsk – from 12 hours
Saint-Petersburg - Petrozavodsk – from 5 hours
By plane:
Moscow - Petrozavodsk – 1,5 hours
