How to get to Solovki: by plane, train, bus or car. Current prices, useful tips, all the nuances and details of the route to Solovki from “Subtleties of Tourism”.
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The Solovetsky Islands are an archipelago in the White Sea, located at a distance of about 1,500 km from Moscow. To get to the place, you can take a plane flying through Arkhangelsk, or take a train or car to the ports, and then travel to the islands by water.
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. .
Tour Agencies
Perhaps the most profitable option for traveling to Solovki remains the Solovki Express travel agency. The cost for 3 days is 15 thousand rubles, the price includes accommodation, meals and round trip travel.
To summarize, it is worth noting a few basic rules for budget travel.
Firstly , tickets and reservations should be purchased in advance.
Secondly , for greater comfort, you can get applications that show promotions of various transport and travel companies.
Thirdly , you should pay attention to your own comfort, depending on the personal preferences of the traveler, otherwise the impression of the trip may deteriorate significantly.
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.
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.
Accommodation
The most profitable option would be to go to Solovki with a tent: there are many places on the island where you can comfortably set up camp, but you need to understand that this is an exclusively summer option.
A good option for ladles would be to agree in advance about accommodation on the territory of the Solovetsky Monastery for a donation or physical assistance.
There are several hotels on the island, accommodation in which will cost an average of 2 thousand rubles, and during the season the price can increase several times, so it is worth booking accommodation in advance.
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.
Interior decoration
Nothing from the interior decoration of the ancient monastery buildings has survived to this day. What survived the fires was completely destroyed during the years of the atheism. Most works of ancient art are irretrievably lost, and many architectural monuments have been destroyed or destroyed.
It was possible to remove and preserve a small part of the icons and unique handwritten books. This Solovetsky heritage is now distributed among various museums across the country.
Among the design features, one can note thick walls supported by powerful central pillars, and interior niches and chambers for storing utensils. Rounded corners of deep window niches with glazed openings. Rounded vaults in a calm consecration soften the internal boundaries of the premises and create plasticity of the entire structure.
The vaults and walls were painted with oil paints with edifying scenes from Scripture; their fragments were carefully removed by restorers and placed in the museum’s collections.
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
- 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.
Return and restoration
In 1990, by order of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, a solemn service was held in the recreated Spaso-Preobrazhensky stauropegial monastery.
Two years later, the relics of the founders, Saints Herman and Sabbatius, were miraculously found. Construction and reconstruction work is underway across a vast area.
In the same year, the gate church in honor of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary was restored, the illumination was carried out personally by Patriarch Alexei II. At the moment, the number of brethren is increasing and numbers more than 500 people. Despite the harsh regulations and difficult living conditions, the flow of pilgrims does not dry out.
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!
History of the monastery
In the 15th century, the Russian north began to attract the attention of monks, and it was at this time that the history of the monastery began. One of the disciples of Blessed Cyril became the initiator of the settlement of the island.
The monastery was built by the efforts of the architects Ignatius and Stolypa, their names are in the sources on the construction of the monastery.
Construction and foundation
One of the founders of the monastery were the monks Savvaty and Herman, and St. Philip, Metropolitan of All Rus'. Saint Philip served as rector of the monastery for 18 years and over these years he did a lot for its prosperity and strengthening. The monks carried out active educational work among the pagans of the Far North, taught the people literacy and crafts, and during times of unrest they themselves came to the defense of the monastery.
Historical fate
In 1668, the monks opposed church reform and began to defend their interests against the tsarist army. The monastery withstood an 8-year siege. There were many human losses - this was the most tragic period of the monastery’s activity.
The middle of the 16th century was the heyday of the monastery.
There were about 30 churches under the jurisdiction of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery. It was not only a spiritual, but also a cultural center. One of the most valuable libraries in the country was kept here; books were not just stored there, they were written there. Valuable icons and antiquities were collected in the sacristy of the temple.
In 1765, the island monastery was subjugated by the Holy Synod. The monks combined their monastic feat with military duty. The events of the 16th century prompted them to defend the northern borders of the country. The White Sea had to be protected from Swedish invasions. In this turmoil, clergy had to be politicians and statesmen. Diplomacy, the skill of the monastic archers and the courage of the island peasants forced the Swedes to listen to and respect the northern Russians.
During the Crimean War in the 8th century, the cannons of the English flotilla fired at the monastery walls and the monastery itself for 9 hours. 1,800 cannonballs were fired from the cannons of the English ships, but the bombing did not cause much destruction. Moreover, there were neither killed nor maimed among the monks, although at that time they had neither weapons of attack nor means of defense. This incident is still called the Solovetsky miracle.
The monastery was of economic importance in the life of Russia - it was the largest supplier of table salt, delivered ore, mica, fish and furs, and supplied pearls.
By the beginning of the twentieth century, the monastery's economy had grown and had a developed network. The monastery began to have:
- 40 production areas;
- 10 hermitages;
- 17 temples;
- 30 chapels.
The history of the monastery was interrupted in the twenties, when prison camps were created on the island. At that time, six hundred monks and novices lived within the walls of the monastery. Half of the inhabitants left the island, and the other remained as civilian workers.
The new authorities robbed and destroyed the monastery; in addition, there was a fire that could not be put out for 3 days. He also caused irreparable damage to the ancient buildings of the monastery.
By the end of the twenties, the special-purpose camp had grown throughout the entire territory of Solovki. They occupied all the hermitages and monastery hermitages, as well as the Kola Peninsula and, in principle, all of Karelia. Solovki turned out to be part of the camps of the GULAG system (main directorate of camps and places of detention).
For 16 years, nobles, intellectuals, scientists, writers, clergy and just ordinary people were tormented on Solovki.
Restoration and restoration of the monastery
In the 70s, by order of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR, a historical and architectural museum-reserve was organized. The collection of museum valuables, archives, and libraries began. Historical excavations are being carried out on the island with the participation of famous archaeologists of the country. As a result, artillery cannonballs and barrels were found and transferred to the monastery museum. In the 90s, Orthodoxy was restored in Russia. At the same time, an Orthodox community is registered on Solovetsky Island. The cell building, the church and the chapel were given to her - all in a dilapidated state. Church life and life are resumed, and the first services are held. Gradually, the buildings of the monastery are being restored, in memory of those who died in the camps on Sekirnaya Mountain, the monks raised a cross, and a Worship Cross was also installed on the island of Anzer near Mount Golgotha in honor of the Orthodox hierarchs.
Current situation
Today it is a monastery with a well-developed complex.
Its buildings are located on several islands:
- on Solovetsky Island there is the monastery itself, as well as monasteries - Savvatievsky and Voznesensky, Filippovskaya and Makarievskaya hermitages;
- on Bolshaya Muksalma - Sergius Skete;
- on the island of Anzere - Eleazar Hermitage, Trinity Skete, Golgotha-Crucifixion Skete;
- stone labyrinths and Andreevskaya hermitage are located on Bolshoi Zayatsky Island.
Crafts fairs, art song festivals, conferences, and archaeological expeditions are held here.
The monastery has four courtyards - communities living according to the rules of the main monastery, although geographically located in other places. There are Solovetsky communities in Moscow, in the village of Faustovka, Moscow Region, in Arkhangelsk, and Kemi.
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.
Architectural ensemble
Five significant masterpieces of ancient Russian architecture make up the ensemble of the monastery.
Today the complex includes:
- Assumption Cathedral;
- refectory;
- cellar ward;
- Transfiguration Cathedral;
- stone gallery.
On the ground floor of the Assumption Cathedral there are warehouses, cellars and a bakery. The second floor is the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary; on the third floor there is a small consecrated area.
The refectory chamber is a single-pillar room with beautiful proportions and highly artistic designs. Large details and clear lines give the chamber an ascetic feel.
The cellar chamber is connected to the Assumption Church by an opening. This is a rectangular room, the vault of which rests on a pillar with eight sides.
The Transfiguration Cathedral consists of several tiers - the altar part is on the eastern side of the building, on the western side there is a porch, and from the north its eastern corner is included in the volume of the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
The Church of the Annunciation is located above the main gate. It was rebuilt and restored more than once, but retained the iconostasis and wall paintings.
Stone chambers or a stone gallery connect the Transfiguration Cathedral and the Assumption Church. The gallery stands on a base of boulders and consists of alternating arches. Its length is 120 meters, the walls and ceiling are painted with paintings in an edifying spirit.
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.
Temples of the Abode of God
Church buildings, temple buildings, most of which were united by hidden passages and were located next to utility buildings and residential buildings. But at the same time, those buildings that have been preserved in their original form to this day are of particular importance.
Some churches of the Solovetsky Monastery:
- the Transfiguration two-pillar, five-domed temple, the construction of which began in 1558 and lasted for eight years;
- The white stone chambers were built in 1615.
- the three-domed Assumption Cathedral with cellar tents and a spacious fraternal refectory is the earliest building in time, the construction of which lasted about 5 years (since 1552);
- cathedral of the first third of the 19th century. St. Nicholas of Myra.
The best article for you, go to: Annunciation Cathedral, Voronezh
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.
Island tours
All tourists arriving for one day immediately go to the information center. There you can take a map of the island and buy excursions. One of the most sought after and popular review. It's up to you to decide whether to spend half a day walking with the crowd, but why not. After all, in fact, they talk quite well about the monastery there (we sat down for a while and listened). And in the monastery itself, only organized excursions are allowed into some rooms.
If you come for more than 1 day, or even 2, then it’s quite possible to see the main thing. You can get around on foot, but you won’t see much, only the Monastery, the city and the labyrinths.
You can take a car with a driver. I saw jeeps on site, but I can’t tell you the cost.
There is also the option of boat excursions to neighboring islands. I would really like to, it’s very beautiful there. You can take the loka yourself by oars, but on a boat you will see more.
You can also rent a bicycle. I used a two-wheeled vehicle and in 1 day I saw:
Solovetsky Monastery, Solovetsky Fortress, city, Sekirnaya Mountain and Labyrinths. And in principle, I would have made it to Beluga Cape, but I didn’t think about going there, I didn’t know, I was poorly prepared, and then I realized that I wouldn’t be able to catch the ship.
In general, you can come here on your bicycles. But if you are just there for one or two days, then the prices for renting bicycles on Solovki are as follows. There is also a rental station next to the pier. You can also rent rubber boots there!!
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.
Patronal holidays
List of patronal or church holidays of the monastery:
| 22.01 | Feast of the Church of St. Philip. |
| 26.01 | Feast of the Solovetsky miracle worker - Eleazar of Anzersky. |
| 19.03 | Feast of the Solovetsky wonderworker Job of Anzersky. |
| 7.04 | Feast of the Gate Church of the Annunciation. |
| 17.04 | Feast of Benjamin, Archimandrite of Solovetsky and Nicephorus, Hieromonk. |
| 30.04 | Feast of Zosima, abbot of Solovetsky. |
| 22.05 | Feast of the Church of St. Nicholas in the monastery. |
| 11.06 | Discovery of the relics of Job of Anzersky. |
| 13.06 | Transfer of the relics of St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow, from the bowels of the earth to the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord. |
| 18.06 | Finding the relics of St. Vassian and Jonah of Pertominsky. |
| 25.06 | Feast of Vassian and Jonah of Pertomin. |
| 27.06 | Rev.'s holiday Elisha of Sumsky. |
| 16.07 | Transfer of the relics of St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, miracle worker; Rev. John and Longinus of Yarenga. |
| 30.06 | St. Irinarch, abbot of Solovetsky. |
| 10.08 | Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, called “Hodegetria”. Patronal feast of the church in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. |
| 12.08 | Finding the relics of St. Herman. |
| 19.08 | Transfiguration of the Lord God and Our Savior Jesus Christ. Patronal feast of the Transfiguration Cathedral, the main church. |
| 21.08 | Transfer of the relics of St. Zosima and Savvaty Solovetsky. |
| 22.08 | Cathedral of Solovetsky Saints. |
| 28.08 | Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Patronal feast day of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the monastery. |
| 10.10 | Rev. Savvatia. |
| 29.10 | Rev. Longinus Yarenga. |
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.
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.
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.
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.
Architect, external decoration of the monastery
The architectural features of all the buildings of the monastery are marked by severity and restraint, monumentalism and solidity. The architect monk Tryphon installed watchtowers on the massive stone walls.
The fortress wall was built over more than ten years from huge boulders, some of which reached up to 5 meters in diameter and weighed more than 5 tons. Defensive architecture acquired a generally recognized masterpiece in the form of the Solovetsky monastery walls.
The complete absence of decorative elements is replaced by the rhythmic composition of the building structures of buildings and interiors. All Solovetsky buildings are marked by the originality and technical skill of the architects.
According to written documents, it has been established that the builders of the temples and stone chambers were masters from Veliky Novgorod Ignatius Salka and Feodor Stolypa.
The stone base pedestal and the slope of the outer walls are characteristic features of all monastery buildings. And the gable roof and onion domes, as well as the porch, galleries and stairs somewhat soften the severity of the structures. The use of combinations of wood and stone textures creates a contrast with the background of red brickwork or white walls.
The severity of the first stone churches was somewhat softened by the brightness of the red brick patterns of the buildings of the 17th century. The arched niches are bordered along the upper edge with a brick rod, decorative friezes and arcature belts appear.
Trinity Cathedral was erected by the Arkhangelsk architect Shakhlarev in the mid-19th century. The building of a simple cubic volume is placed on high basements and an arched opening, crowned with a massive onion dome.
