Pitkyaranta is a city in Ladoga Karelia, on the northeastern coast of
Lake Ladoga, 200 kilometers west of Petrozavodsk and 200 kilometers
northeast of St. Petersburg. The administrative center of the
Pitkyaranta region of the republic. In general, there is nothing to do
in the city itself, and it is only suitable for an overnight stay along
the way (and then only if the unpleasant smell from the plant does not
bother you), but its surroundings abound with remarkable natural
locations and are also suitable for active recreation.
The name
Pitkäranta is translated from Finnish as “long shore”, which quite
accurately describes the structure of the city, stretched along the
shore of Lake Ladoga for 8 km with a width of only 1.5 km. The
city-forming enterprise is the Pitkäranta pulp and paper mill, from
which, despite its location separated from the city, the winds carry
unpleasant odors along the entire coast around. In general, the city is
similar to its distant neighbor in the region - Segezha: there is
nothing to do here, and you want to stay as little as possible.
But the surrounding area of Pitkäranta traditionally attracts tourists
with its relatively unspoiled nature: kayaking and rafting are held
along the Uksunjoki and Tulemajoki rivers. The area is also popular
among lovers of hunting and fishing: the forests, rivers and lakes are
home to many game animals, birds and fish. Blueberries, lingonberries,
raspberries, and mushrooms grow extensively in the forests.
The central square is located in the southern part of the city and was built during the Soviet years, while until the 1960s the center was located noticeably to the north, in the area of the current railway station, where several buildings from Finnish times still remain. The distance between the old and current centers is about 2 kilometers, and most of the attractions, shops, restaurants and other public places are located between them. Here is a large part of multi-storey buildings, separated from the shore of Lake Ladoga by an industrial zone and a railway.
Until 1944, Pitkäranta was a very small town with a large railway
station and mostly wooden buildings, which were destroyed during the
war. Nowadays, the majority of at least somewhat interesting objects in
the city are memorials of the Great Patriotic War and the accompanying
mass graves, in one of which, on the street. Gorky 12, 2 heroes of the
Soviet Union are buried: I. P. Borisov and S. Ya Kireev. There are also
3 pre-war Finnish buildings in the functionalist style preserved in the
city.
1 Finnish school building, st. Lenina, 74. The school,
built in the first half of the 20th century, is one of the largest
monuments of functionalism in the Pitkyaranta region, comparable in size
to the best buildings of Priozersk and Sortavala. At the end of 2020,
the building is abandoned, but is in good condition.
2 City Square,
st. Gogol (between houses 12 and 13). The central square of Pitkäranta,
built in the 1980s in anticipation of further expansion of the city.
There is an administration building with a bust of Lenin, traditional
for such places, and a central memorial complex in honor of those killed
in World War II. From the south and west, two squares adjoin the square,
visually expanding the already rather large space, and in the east, on
the hill behind the memorial, a cultural center was built, immediately
behind which the forest begins.
3 Tank-monument T-26, st. Gorky, 7.
Model of the T-26 tank, which participated in the battles for
Pitkyaranta in 1941-1944. Tanks of this model were distinguished by
rather weak armor, so their production was discontinued at the beginning
of World War II, but on the Karelian Front, light tanks turned out to be
indispensable for combat in rough terrain. The original tank, recovered
from Ladoga in 1998, was sold abroad and is now exhibited in the tank
museum near Strasbourg. The model installed in Pitkäranta is made
according to his model.
4 Memorial complex, corner of Lenin and
Gorky streets. Memorial complex founded in 1969 in honor of the 25th
anniversary of the liberation of Pitkäranta. Then a ZIS-2 cannon was
installed at a fork in the road, and 5 years later a time capsule was
laid nearby for descendants from 2044. In the 1990s, on the other side,
a stele appeared for participants in the wars in Chechnya and
Afghanistan.
5 Church of the Ascension, Voznesensky lane. 1. The
wooden church was built in the late 1990s on the model of the St.
Nicholas Church in Joensuu, and in structure and appearance it is very
similar to the temple in Orusjärvi. It is quite suitable for inspection
if it is impossible to visit Orusjärvi, although this one is much more
sparsely decorated.
6 Tip of the Ristiniemi Peninsula, village.
Yularistioya (from the western outskirts of the village either along a
path through the forest 1 km to the southwest, or along the coast). A
picturesque cape with rock outcrops, replete with both quartz veins and
migmatite patterns, locally known as “stone snakes”. In addition, it
offers a gorgeous view of Ladoga.
1 Local History Museum named after V.F. Sebina , st. Lenina, 46. ☎
+7 (81433) 4-33-17; +7 (921) 011-53-37. Mon–Fri 9:00–16:00; Sat
12:00–16:00. 50-150₽. A rich collection of minerals, as well as
exhibitions of local culture and crafts. Various cultural events are
held regularly. Before the war, the building housed a pharmacy, then it
was occupied by the headquarters of the Finnish army; It was badly
damaged in 1944 and was rebuilt after the war.
2 Eco trail along
line U, st. Lenin (behind house 152, passage from the mass grave behind
house 158 and to the left, then along the railway tracks and through
them). A 3.35 km long walking trail that allows you to briefly explore
the fortifications of 1939-1944: a Soviet dugout, a Finnish bunker and
trench lines, a shooting range and a small waterfall.
3 House of
Culture , st. Gogol, 9A. The building itself, although not in the best
condition, is an interesting example of Soviet modernism. From time to
time, various events and folk festivals are held in the cultural center
and on the central square, which you can learn about from the VKontakte
group. The House of Culture also operates an academic choir, a pop
singing studio and several folklore groups - all of them usually
participate in local festivals.
4 Kelioyansuu Bay, st. Rudakova (600
m south from the intersection with Privokzalnaya Street). A sandy beach
at the mouth of the Kelioya stream and, in fact, the only normal access
to the water in Pitkäranta, with the exception of several piers and the
territory of the plant. From here you also have a view of the waters of
Lake Ladoga, not covered by islands.
5 Pitkyaranta central
forestry , Sadovaya st. 13. ☎ +7 (81433) 4-29-89; +7 (921) 461-16-81.
The forestry department, which is responsible, among other things, for
issuing hunting permits - permits to hunt a particular bird or animal.
By train
The cozy and inactive Lodeynoye Pole - Yanisjärvi line
runs through the city. It is interesting in that it still uses a
semaphore-rod motion control system. In both necks of the Pitkäranta
station, functioning semaphores have been preserved - one of the last in
Russia. From 2015 to 2021, there was no regular passenger service on the
line, but during the January holidays of 2021, Russian Railways launched
a train to Pitkyaranta from Sortavala via Lyaskelya. In the summer, the
Orlan commuter train was launched between Lodeynoye Pole, Olonets,
Pitkyaranta and Sortavala; for 2022, 2 pairs of trains continue to
operate and there are no plans to cancel it.
1 Pitkyaranta
railway station, Privokzalnaya st. 30. A large station by the standards
of this quiet line, you can even sometimes observe the formation of
trains here. The station has a ticket office and a waiting room, but it
only works before and immediately after the train passes through the
station.
By car
From Petrozavodsk along the highway to
Sortavala, 200 km; It’s another 70 km to Sortavala itself. Pitkäranta is
located a little away from the Sortavala highway A121; you need to turn
south and drive another 19 km. Further south along the shore of Lake
Ladoga, the road continues to Olonets (120 km) and immediately after it
enters the P21 (E105) “Kola” highway. From St. Petersburg you can drive
through Olonets (415 km) or through Sortavala (330 km), and the second
option is not only shorter, but also has a better road surface, although
the profile is complex with an abundance of turns, ascents and descents
in the section from Pitkäranta to Lahdenpokhya makes this road more
tiring.
There are no gas stations in the city, the only one
closed in 2019, but two are still operating a little to the north,
closer to the Sortavala highway. In the southern direction, there will
be no gas stations almost until Olonets; the nearest one is in
Ilinskoye, 100 km from Pitkäranta.
2 Rosneft gas station (road
86K8, 4.5 km south of Kitel, 1.8 km north of Koirinoy). Around the
clock. The gas station closest to Pitkäranta has the usual cafes and
shops for Rosneft.
3 Rosneft gas station (329 kilometer of the A121
road). Around the clock. Another gas station of the same network not far
from Pitkäranta. There is also a shop and cafe.
By bus
Every
day, 1 flight passes through Pitkyaranta between St. Petersburg and
Petrozavodsk via Priozersk, Lahdenpokhya, Sortavala and Lyaskelya. Also,
4 times a day, a bus runs through Lyaskelya from Pitkyaranta to
Sortavala, minibuses to Petrozavodsk via Olonets and to St. Petersburg
via Olonets and Lodeynoye Pole. The schedule changes frequently, the
current one is always posted in the bus station’s VKontakte group.
4 Avtoranta+ (Pitkyaranta Bus Station) , Privokzalnaya st. 30. ☎
+7 (81433) 4‑12-84. 8:15–17:00. The ticket offices and waiting room of
the bus station are located in the railway station building; buses are
parked on the site in front of it.
On the ship
Despite the
presence of shipping on Lake Ladoga, there is no regular passenger water
communication between Pitkäranta and other cities. From time to time
there are meteor flights from the Long Beach base to the island of
Valaam; their schedule should be checked on the base’s website.
There is no intra-city public transport in Pitkäranta. There are
several taxi services, but aggregator apps do not operate here.
Taxi “Bee” +7 (921) 010-16-16 The most popular taxi in the city, there
is a VKontakte group in which promotions are held and prices and news
are published.
Taxi “Leader” +7 (921) 223-13-25 Another taxi service,
there is also a VKontakte group.
Moreover, most of the
interesting places in the city are located on an area of 1800 by 500
meters and are easily accessible on foot. It is also possible to get
around the city by bicycle, but this method is not suitable for everyone
due to the hilly terrain.
There are a dozen supermarkets in Pitkäranta, where you can buy
groceries and even a small assortment of ready-made food. Most shops are
open until 22-23 hours.
1 Old market, st. Lenin. Sat–Sun
09:00–17:00. City flea market, open on weekends. In addition, almost all
the local clothing and shoe stores are located around.
2 “Victoria”
shopping center, Rabochaya st., 3A. Shopping center, mainly hardware
stores.
3 Shop “Dolgiy Bereg”, st. Gorky, 19a. around the clock. The
only 24-hour store in the city. The assortment clearly outweighs
alcohol.
Cheap
1 Cafe “Zam-zam”, st. Lenina, 31b. ☎ +7 (999) 294-94-33.
Mon–Sat 9:00–20:00. An ordinary dining room (on the second floor,
entrance from Pyaterochka). On the other side of the building is a
typical takeaway shawarma spot for north-west Russia from the same cafe.
In addition to the title dish, the menu includes simple hamburgers, hot
dogs, and cutlets with pasta. Reviews are good.
Average cost
2 “Dolce cafe” , st. Lenina, 40. ☎ +7 (921) 015-50-05. Mon–Fri
11:00–21:00; Sat–Sun 11:00–22:00. A cafe in the mid-upper price category
and probably the most “fashionable” establishment in the city. The menu
includes several types of hamburgers, soups, coffee and various teas; In
summer, non-alcoholic cocktails are served. But the main course is
desserts: the assortment includes a dozen types of ice cream, several
different cheesecakes and almost three dozen types of sweet drinks. The
cafe is very popular among both locals and city guests; in the evening
there may be no seats.
3 Cafe “Minutka” , st. Lenina, 35a. ☎ +7
(921) 520-70-06. 10:00–22:30. A cafe designed for local residents. The
menu is divided into four categories: rolls, fast food, shawarma and
pizza. There is delivery within the city (250 ₽), when ordering over 500
₽ delivery is free. Reviews are good.
4 Cafe “Baltika”, st. Gorky,
22A. ☎ +7 (921) 604‑31-09. 12:00–0:00. A typical roadside cafe of the
“drink beer and eat” format, prices are average. The menu is not
particularly varied: a few appetizers, a few main courses. The place is
popular with travelers, reviews are mostly good. In summer, there is a
tent cafe and two outdoor tables nearby. Breakfasts and business lunches
are available.
5 Cafe “Gornitsa” , st. Lenina, 178. ☎ +7 (911)
666‑88-61. 10:00–22:00. The cafe at the Long Beach recreation center
shares the building with a souvenir shop. Set breakfasts, lunches and
dinners, but you can also choose from the menu, and the waiting time is
indicated for each dish, usually 10-15 minutes. According to the
company's principles, there is no alcohol or tobacco. Visitors
especially note the large selection of pancakes (8 types). True, the
authors of some reviews pointed out that additional items appeared
during the calculation that were not ordered, so it is recommended to
check the accuracy of the invoice.
In the city
There is only one hotel in Pitkäranta. If it doesn’t
suit you, it’s easy to find offers for renting apartments on
advertisement sites at prices starting from RUB 1,000 per day (2020).
1 Hotel “White Bridges” , st. Lenina, 31A. ☎ +7 (921) 529-58-68.
from 1000₽. The hotel complex, the main room capacity for 74 beds, is
located in a separate building that underwent a major renovation in
2015, while half of the building is rented out to various organizations
as unnecessary. In addition to this, the complex has a camping and
tourist center, and offers organized excursions to various natural
locations.
Recreation centers
In addition to direct
accommodation, tourist centers can offer walks (including on ATVs or
boats), excursions to local attractions, and even fishing or rafting on
one of the rivers. If you are not ready to organize such events
yourself, this is a good compromise between outdoor recreation and the
availability of the benefits of civilization.
2 Recreation
center “Long Beach” , st. Lenina, 151. ☎ +7 (911) 403-40-34. A
recreation center for pilgrims traveling to Valaam, for whom their own
boat runs there from time to time. There is also a cafe.
3 Recreation center “Ladoga Fjord” (7 km north of Pitkäranta, dirt
road to the southwest). ☎ +7 (921) 529-58-68. Recreation center of the
White Bridges complex. 23 rooms in guest houses and cottages
accommodating from 4 to 14 people.
Pitkäranta itself is quite safe, but visiting most of the surrounding attractions involves being in nature or walking through abandoned industrial sites, where increased caution should be exercised. In historical quarries and mines, the edges of the slopes and mine shafts are not only not fenced in any way, but also not strengthened, and therefore can crumble. In the forest, be prepared to encounter large and not always harmless wild animals, and during the season, also ticks, snakes and blood-sucking insects. Caution should also be observed when visiting swamps: so-called raised bogs are widespread here, where a layer of humus and moss lies on the surface of the reservoir; often it is not able to withstand the weight of a person, despite its apparent strength.
Cellular network coverage in Pitkäranta and the surrounding area is
available only within populated areas; Internet connections are provided
primarily through a 3G signal; the 4G signal is received very spotty. If
there is no signal, it is recommended to climb to any nearby hill.
1 Communication office 186810, st. Lenina, 32. Mon–Fri 8:00–20:00;
Sat 9:00–18:00. Russian post office, telephone and telegraph station.
The garnet deposit in Kitelya has been known since the 13th century,
and in 1500 Pitkäranta was first mentioned in a census book.
Historically, mining was carried out here: in the Pitkäranta region
there are deposits of copper, tin, zinc, iron and even gold, which have
been mined since the beginning of the 18th century. Tin and copper
smelters operated in Yularistioja and Koirinoja from the middle of the
19th century; the first one was converted for iron smelting at the turn
of the 20th century. The deposits (one of which has survived to this day
in the form of ruins of Herberts-1) had their own processing plants and
were connected to the smelters by cable cars. Despite such a developed
industry, until the 1930s Pitkäranta remained more of a village,
inferior in economic and social importance to the towns of Kitelya 13
kilometers to the north and Salmi 35 kilometers to the south. Until
1917, Pitkäranta and its surroundings were part of the Grand Duchy of
Finland, which, in turn, was part of the Russian Empire. Then it passed
to independent Finland, and after the Finnish War of 1940 it was
transferred to the USSR.
In 1921, a pulp and paper mill was built
on the island of Pusunsaari near Pitkäranta, and in 1932 the railway
from Laskelje was extended here. From that moment, Pitkäranta began to
develop as a city, but was seriously damaged during the war: in July
1941, during a raid by the Finnish Air Force, two Soviet trains with
ammunition exploded at the station, which destroyed almost the entire
center of Pitkäranta, and in 1944, as a result of a now Soviet air raid
The pulp and paper mill was completely destroyed.
After the war,
when Pitkäranta returned to the USSR, the pulp and paper mill was
restored, in addition, a crushing and screening plant appeared in the
northern part of the city, to supply which with raw materials several
granite quarries were opened in the surrounding area. On the site of the
old center and to the south of it, panel and brick high-rise buildings
appeared, and gardening was established to the south and east of the
city. The position of a single-industry town, when more than half of the
working population of Pitkäranta and the surrounding area worked at the
pulp and paper mill, led to a sharp increase in unemployment in the city
in the 1990s with the onset of financial difficulties. This, in turn,
led to an outflow of population, the number of which continues to
decline, despite the development of tourism in these places.
From Pitkäranta you can go by water to explore the Ladoga skerries or visit Valaam by the same transport. Land routes are divided into three directions: northern, eastern and southern. All three directions are rich in various military memorials: in 1939-1944, some of the fiercest battles on the Soviet-Finnish front took place in these places, places north of Pitkäranta even received the name “Valley of Death”, after the war it was corrected to the more pathetic “Valley of Heroes” " Be that as it may, more than 1,000 remains of Soviet soldiers found in these places are buried on the territory of the central memorial alone. Also on the territory of the Pitkäranta region there are several monuments to the Finns who died in the wars of the 1940s.
To the north of Pitkäranta, rocky terrain predominates, forming
numerous waterfalls. Usually they are rapids no higher than a meter on
streams lost somewhere in the forest, but there are also several more
impressive rapids that have now become tourist sites.
1 Kitelskoe garnet deposit, Kitelya tract (turn north onto a dirt road
1300 m before reaching the turn to the village of Kitelya, then 1000 m
to the entrance to the forest). Outcrop of mica rocks containing
garnets. The deposit of almandines in these places has been known since
the 13th century; stones from here were used in many works of jewelry,
including those emblazoned on the Swedish crown. Mica schists, which
contain inclusions of garnets, are easily crushed with an ordinary
hammer, so now this area is dug up with ditches up and down, but it is
almost impossible to find anything more than a souvenir here - the
stones are mostly cracked and are not suitable for cutting. If you have
a free hour, you can pick out a handful of crystals 5-7 mm in diameter,
which will be the best reminder of visiting these places.
2 Germanovsky monastery of the Valaam Monastery, St. German Island,
Mursula tract (turn to the southwest from highway 86K8, 1400 m south of
the turn to Kitelya, then 9.8 km along a dirt road). The northernmost of
the monasteries of the Valaam Monastery. Only the red brick temple,
built in 1901-1904 and abandoned since 1944, has survived to this day,
although in the fall of 2020 it was covered with scaffolding to
reconstruct it. During the Soviet years, industrial buildings were built
around the church for the nearby quarry, which has recently been
operating again (granite blocks are being mined). Travel is free.
3 Yukankoski Falls (“White Bridges”) (turn north onto a dirt road at
km 320 of the A121 highway at the rest area, then after 1.7 km at a fork
to the right, then 7 km of a new graded road, and then another 3.2 km
terrible primer). The waterfall on the Kulismajoki River with a total
drop of 17 meters is very popular among tourists. At this point the
river splits into two streams, so there is a double waterfall. The
second stream is man-made, and the remains of a mill-type structure are
still visible at its top. Below, the streams converge. Not far from the
waterfalls there are ruins of a Finnish farm. Repeated attempts have
been made to reconstruct the road to the falls, but it still remains
bad, the last 3 km are especially bad. There are plans to close this
section, leaving only a paid transfer on the transport of the White
Bridges shopping center. The waterfall itself has minimal
infrastructure: a parking lot has been organized, an observation deck
has been built, and a staircase to it has been equipped.
4 Roskelankoski (Molochny) waterfall (turn north onto the dirt road at
320 km of the A121 highway at the rest area, then after 1.7 km at the
fork to the left, after 7 km (after driving along the entire Lake
Andronino) turn right onto the forest road and drive 1.2 km to the shore
of the lake, a 300 m long walking trail along the stream leads to the
waterfall). This waterfall is less popular, but also deserves attention.
It is located on an unnamed stream flowing from Lake Andronino and falls
from the Satisenmäki cliff before flowing into the Valkeanoja stream. In
the dry season (when the water level in the lake is low) it can dry out.
At the source of the stream, tourists have a parking lot with a fire pit
and benches.
5 Nizhnyaya Koirinoya waterfall (4.4 km north along
road 86K8 from the exit from Pitkäranta, 300 m after turning to “Ladoga
Fjord” to the left, after the bridge over Koirinoya to the left to the
observation deck). A colorful waterfall with a drop of 5 meters. In the
middle of the 19th century, there was a water-operated copper and tin
smelter here, in memory of which a memorial stone was erected at the
waterfall.
6 Verkhnyaya Koirinoya waterfall, Koirinoya (western part
of the village). The waterfall is on the site of a former mill; the dam,
made of granite blocks and concrete, is partially preserved. This
waterfall is not as high as the lower one, its drop is only about 2
meters, but the bed here is almost three times wider, so it looks no
less impressive.
7 Lake Uksujärvi (42 km north along road 86K13 to
Suojärvi). A picturesque lake far from civilization, yet located on a
dirt, but quite good year-round road. Sandy beaches are scattered along
the shores of Uksujärvi, the surrounding forests are rich in mushrooms
and berries, and the lake itself is home to several types of fish,
including perch and trout, making it an excellent place for outdoor
recreation. In addition, from here you can go on a multi-day rafting
trip along the rapids Uksunjoki River, at the end of which you will end
up in Uuksu, 15 km south of Pitkäranta.
8 Memorial “Cross of
Sorrow”, Route 86K13 (300 m south from the intersection with the A121
highway). Memorial in memory of the Winter War of 1939-1940, built in
2000 on the joint initiative of Russia and Finland. The central element
of the memorial is a cross with two female figures on either side,
symbolizing the unity of mourning Finnish and Russian mothers, made by
Russian sculptor of Finnish origin L.F. Lankinen.
Once on the A121,
you can head east to Petrozavodsk or west to Lyaskelya and Sortavala.
The eastern direction from Pitkäranta is approximately 250 km² of
forest, rivers and swamps. The total area of the forest, limited by the
triangle of highways 86K8, A121 Sortavala and P21 Kola, is more than
3500 km², it is cut by old and modern logging roads, but only a small
part of it is accessible from Pitkäranta. These places are extremely
popular among mushroom pickers, fishermen and hunters; there are also a
lot of berries, including harvesters on an industrial scale. You can go
hiking or cycling in the forest, or, arriving by car, camp on the shores
of one of the many lakes. The 10-15 kilometers closest to the edge of
the forest are well inhabited by vacationers (the parking lots are
equipped with fire pits, tables, benches and frames for awnings are made
from scrap materials), but delving further into the forest, you can find
completely wild lands, where on almost overgrown logging roads there are
40- 50 years ago, there are unafraid animals, and during a week of
vacation not a single car will pass by your parking lot.
9 Gerberts-1 deposit , Rodnikovaya st. (1.4 km north from Gorky Street
along a dirt road that continues the street). Magnetite ore deposit. It
worked from 1896 to 1903, then was abandoned due to the economic crisis.
The foundations of the enrichment plant buildings and two flooded mines,
accessible only to cave divers, have survived to this day.
10 Section of defensive line U (5 km north of the Herberts-1 mine along
a dirt road). Part of the defensive line was built in 1943-1944, the
entire line was not completed. Typical trenches for these places,
sometimes carved into the rock, several firing points. A Finnish
monument was erected near the road in the 1990s
11 Uksinskaya
ozovaya ridge (950 m from Gorky St. along Rodnikovaya St., then to the
right 24 km along a dirt road, or 8.1 km to the south along a dirt road
from 348 km of the A121 highway). A huge ridge of boulders, stretching
for hundreds of kilometers, was left by a glacier that completed its
advance here during the last ice age. This place is one of the most
picturesque on the entire ridge, and therefore is even included in the
register of natural monuments.
From Pitkäranta to the south, along the shore of Lake Ladoga, highway
86K8 leaves, after 120 km it leads to Olonets - the capital of Livvikov
Karelia and one of the oldest cities in North-West Russia. Along the way
there will be Salmi - once one of the centers of local trade and social
life, and now a quiet village, where only a dilapidated stone church, a
railway station and ferry piers remind of its former greatness. The
terrain south of Pitkäranta is flatter, intersected only by numerous
moraine ridges - traces of the glacier. The rivers here do not have
large waterfalls, but are replete with rapids and are popular with water
tourists.
12 Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All
Who Sorrow”, Orusyarvi, Central st. (southern part of the village). A
wooden church built in 1910, designed by the architect N. Nikolaev in a
neo-Russian style, atypical for Karelian wooden churches. The temple was
abandoned, but the remote location of the village saved it from
destruction, so almost all of the external decoration has survived to
this day. The church is richly decorated with carvings and leaves a
rather pleasant impression. The interiors have practically not been
preserved: the stoves and altar were dismantled by the Finns in 1944
during the evacuation, and the bells simply disappeared (according to
one of the assumptions, the main bell is kept in Kizhi). On the other
side of the road you can find a Finnish-built well, still used by local
residents, and further north in Orusjärvi several wooden houses from the
late 19th - early 20th centuries have survived.
13 St. Nicholas
Church, Salmi, Koverskoe highway, 1a (on the mountain above the railway
crossing). Built in the 1820s by local peasants according to the design
of the famous Finnish architect Carl Engel. It was once the center of
not only religious, but also social life of Salmi and the surrounding
area. During the Great Patriotic War, the church, standing on a hill,
was used as an observation post and therefore suffered greatly, after
which it was not restored and remains in ruins to this day. Now Salmi
can be characterized rather as a depressed village, so the revival of
the temple began only in 2020, although in the summer of 2022 the ruins
were only covered with a temporary roof. Around the church there are
remains of a cemetery with tombstones from the late 19th - early 20th
centuries, most of which are in both Finnish and Russian.
14 HPP-25
“Suuri-Yukakoski” (4 km from Salmi along the Kover highway).
Hydroelectric power station built on Tulemajoki in 1920. It works in
automatic mode, and therefore the passage is free everywhere except the
turbine room, although it contains the most interesting thing - ASEA
hydraulic units, on the nameplates of which there are swastikas, which
were the company’s logos until 1933. Along with the neighboring GES-24,
this is an interesting monument of Finnish industrial architecture.
Access to the dam is closed, but sometimes the employee on duty allows
visitors to enter.
15 HPP-24 “Pieni-Yukakoski” (2.4 km from Salmi
along the Kover highway, then to the right 1.5 km). Like its neighbor
upstream, this hydroelectric power station operates without maintenance
personnel (hydraulic units are checked once a day by employees coming
from HPP-25), and therefore is accessible for walking and photographing.
6 Cafe “Vaala”, Salmi, Sadovaya st., 21 (on the central square).
9:00–18:00. A simple cafe with a small menu is practically the only
opportunity to have a good meal on the road between Pitkäranta and
Olonets. The quality of the food here is canteen-quality, but the prices
differ from canteen ones to a greater extent, although not much. The
dishes here are prepared in the morning for the whole day, so by the
evening the salad can be wasted, and from the hot one there will only be
one soup and one type of side dish left.
7 “Coffee and pancakes”,
Uuksu, Pitkyarantskaya st., 3a (in the building of the “Uksa” grocery
store). 9:00–21:00. Small coffee shop to go. In addition to bean coffee
from the coffee machine, they offer pancakes with fillings, prepared in
advance and, if desired, heated in the microwave. The prices for
everything here are very affordable, and given the absence of similar
establishments for many kilometers around, it is very popular.