Kizhi is an island on Lake Onega in the Republic of Karelia , Russia with an ensemble of wooden churches, chapels and houses. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Russia and an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The churches are made of wood without a single nail

Lake Onega is the second largest lake in Europe, it covers 3,757 square miles and has 1,000 Islands.

Fifty rivers enter into Lake Onega and it is a valuable source for fishing. The oldest wooden Russian Church built in the 14th century is located here

PowerPoint byJack Cross

The Church of the Transfiguration was used during the summer, when the faithful journeyed from the outermost regions of the parish to attend services. A study of the materials sets its construction date after 1713-14.

Church of Transformation on Kazhi Island Lake Onega

The pogost of Kizhi is the site of two 18th century wooden structures constructed without nails

All the structures have Bell Towers

used for communication

Church of the intercession

The two 18th-century wooden churches, and an octagonal clock tower, also in wood and built in 1862 are unusual constructions, in which carpenters created a bold visionary architecture, perpetuate an ancient model of parish space and are in harmony with the surrounding landscape.

30,000 shingles made of Aspen wood were used to make the roof on this church

The church domes are space-frames covered with carved aspen shingles. The exposed edges of the shingles resemble rising and descending steps

Porch carved verge boards with pendant finial

Porch detail: carved

four-sided log columns.

The log work of the Bell Tower’s walls

uses a construction method in which no log protrudes past

the corner intersections, and

this made it easier to cover the walls of

both the square and the octagonal

structures with plank siding. The planking

is fastened to vertical sleepers, not

to the log walls themselves.

BELL TOWER

The Bell Tower had 14 bells with ropes attached a series of different rings was used for communication

Trees had to be cut down, thousands of logs had to be hauled from the mainland, knotched and assembled to build these wooden structures, this was quite a chore.

Cemetery behind the church is reminiscent of the wooden grave markers seen in the movie Dr. Zhicago

You can get to Kizhi by ship or any number of boats from St Petersburg

The structures are within walking distance from the boat landings

sThe Homestead of a Karelian farmer Yakovlev. Visitors can get a look at the inside and exterior and its historical background

A typical Russian farm house. A family of 15 would live here. Because of the severe winters the livestock was kept on the ground floor

This lady making Ribbons with ornate decorations in the traditional way. One end of her "weaving loom" is fixed on the fence of the farmhouse. This was the work for the long wintertime at home, partly for some extra income but certainly also for private use in traditional Costumes.

Sleds, Tools and Boats were kept inside during the winter

The large dining area

A Small 13th century church on Kizhi Island.. These Churches were often built overlooking the forest and hilltops. The roofs were often complex and the onion shaped domes symbolizing heaven in the Russian orthodox tradition.

Windmill of Volkoston

on Kizhi Island

These Windmills were used to grind

grain

Chapel of theArchangel Michael

Încă o capelă.

Ca şi la biserici, nici un cui !

Oşnevnev - 1876

Model of construction

Model of roof assembly

Model of the wedge shingle concept.

The round cone slips over the last

shingles

House Iakovlev – 1880-1890

Al Log Swing!

A old small peasant house

The End

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