Pearl of the Pearl of the NorthNorthThe Solovki IslandsThe Solovki Islands

Составитель Самыловская М.В. Составитель Самыловская М.В. Учитель английкого языка Учитель английкого языка «Лингвистической гимназии «Лингвистической гимназии

№27» г.Северодвинска№27» г.Северодвинска

The Solovki IslandsThe Solovki Islands Solovetski Archipelago is situated in theSolovetski Archipelago is situated in theeastern part of the eastern part of the White SeaWhite Sea and consists of and consists ofsix large islands and of many smaller ones. six large islands and of many smaller ones.

TheThearea of the archipelago is more than area of the archipelago is more than 300300square kms. The most famous island is The square kms. The most famous island is The

BigBigSolovetsky IslandSolovetsky Island, usually called Solovki, , usually called Solovki,

whichwhichgave the name to the whole archipelago.gave the name to the whole archipelago.About About 12001200 archeological and more than archeological and more than 100100historically-archeological monuments arehistorically-archeological monuments aresituated on the islands.situated on the islands.

The The Solovetsky MonasterySolovetsky Monastery Solovetsky MonasterySolovetsky Monastery is the is thebiggest military fortress ofbiggest military fortress ofthe North of Russia. Thethe North of Russia. Thearchitectural ensemble wasarchitectural ensemble wascreated in the created in the XVI-XIXXVI-XIXcenturies. The building of thecenturies. The building of thefortress began in fortress began in 15821582 and andcontinued for continued for 1414 years. The years. TheMonastery consists of huge Monastery consists of huge

stones,stones,the weight of which is the weight of which is 1111 tons. tons.

TheThelength of the fortress walls islength of the fortress walls is10841084 meters and their height is meters and their height isabout about 1111 meters. The fortress is meters. The fortress isformed in the shape of a pentagon formed in the shape of a pentagon each angle of which has its own each angle of which has its own tower with loopholes.tower with loopholes.

The The Solovetsky MonasterySolovetsky Monastery

Firstly the monastery was built of Firstly the monastery was built of wood and there were several great wood and there were several great fires during the fires during the 100100 years the years the fortress was wooden.fortress was wooden. The stone building began in the The stone building began in the

middle middle of the of the 16th16th century and the then century and the then

built built churches still are a part of the churches still are a part of the architectural ensemble. In the end architectural ensemble. In the end

of of the the 16th 16th century the monastery century the monastery

was was surrounded by a stone wall having surrounded by a stone wall having

5 5 towers.towers.

These walls saw many events: These walls saw many events: The The

Crimean WarCrimean War, the , the Northern Northern WarWar,,

the the great firegreat fire of 1923, the of 1923, the Solovetski Concentration Camp Solovetski Concentration Camp

of of Special PurposeSpecial Purpose (the so called (the so called SLONSLON). In the ). In the Soviet PeriodSoviet Period

more more than one million people were than one million people were imprisoned and killed in this imprisoned and killed in this

camp.camp.

The monastery was greatly The monastery was greatly destroyed and it was the destroyed and it was the monks who reconstructed it. monks who reconstructed it. Nowadays a lot of volunteers Nowadays a lot of volunteers come to the islands to help come to the islands to help to restore the historical to restore the historical fortress..fortress..

WordsWords Solovetski archipelago Solovetski archipelago – – Соловецкий Соловецкий

архипелагархипелаг Big Solovetski island Big Solovetski island - - Большой Соловецкий Большой Соловецкий

ОстровОстров Military fortress Military fortress - - военная крепостьвоенная крепость Pentagon Pentagon - - пятиугольникпятиугольник Loopholes - Loopholes - смотровые башнисмотровые башни Architectural ensemble - Architectural ensemble - архитектурныйархитектурный

ансамбльансамбль Surround - Surround - окружатьокружать The Crimean War - The Crimean War - КрымскаяКрымская войнавойна The Northern War - The Northern War - СевернаяСеверная войнавойна The Solovetski Concentration Camp of The Solovetski Concentration Camp of

Special Purpose – Special Purpose – Соловецкий лагерь Соловецкий лагерь особого назначенияособого назначения

SLON SLON - - СЛОНСЛОН Monk Monk - - монахмонах Reconstruct Reconstruct - - восстанавливать, восстанавливать,

реконструироватьреконструировать Volunteer Volunteer - - волонтерволонтер

TheThe famous sightsfamous sights The most famous sights of theThe most famous sights of theSolovki IslandsSolovki Islands are the are the labyrinths, the canal system, labyrinths, the canal system, the dam, and Sekirnaya Hill. the dam, and Sekirnaya Hill.

TheThe territory of the territory of the Big SolovetskyBig Solovetsky Island Island includes more than includes more than 500500 lakes having fresh water, so it lakes having fresh water, so it

is is often called the mirror island. often called the mirror island. These lakes are joined by These lakes are joined by

means means of a canal system. The were of a canal system. The were used for agricultural and used for agricultural and industrial purposes of the industrial purposes of the monks. Nowadays they are monks. Nowadays they are routes forroutes fortourists.tourists.

The LabyrinthsThe Labyrinths The island is covered withThe island is covered with numerous ancient mysterious numerous ancient mysterious buildings. These are buildings. These are labyrinthslabyrinths. . The northern labyrinths are The northern labyrinths are specially organized spirals of specially organized spirals of stones. The peculiarity is that stones. The peculiarity is that the labyrinths have entrance the labyrinths have entrance and exit in one and the same and exit in one and the same place, you will always go out ofplace, you will always go out of the labyrinth exactly where the labyrinth exactly where

youyou entered it. The legend says if aentered it. The legend says if a person makes a wish and goes person makes a wish and goes through the labyrinth it will through the labyrinth it will always come true.always come true.

The Solovki IslandsThe Solovki Islands The stone dam. It was not allowed to have The stone dam. It was not allowed to have cattle near the cattle near the MonasteryMonastery, so the animals , so the animals were kept on the island of were kept on the island of Big MucsalmaBig Mucsalma, , this name means "situated behind the this name means "situated behind the strait". Originally the monks reached strait". Originally the monks reached Big Big MucsalmaMucsalma on boats but in the middle of the on boats but in the middle of the XIXXIX century a wooden dam was built. It took century a wooden dam was built. It took 77 years for the monks to create it. The dam years for the monks to create it. The dam is very twisting because it goes through theis very twisting because it goes through the finest areas of the strait. The length of the finest areas of the strait. The length of the dam is about dam is about 11 km. km.

The Sekirnaya HillThe Sekirnaya Hill Sekirnaya HillSekirnaya Hill is famous by its 3-floor is famous by its 3-floortemple built in the temple built in the XIXXIX century. The century. Thetemple has a tower-lighthouse which istemple has a tower-lighthouse which isthe only church of this kind all overthe only church of this kind all overRussiaRussia. One of the departments of the. One of the departments of theSoviet concentration campSoviet concentration camp was wassituated here. A lot of people died situated here. A lot of people died

therethereand almost nobody managed to and almost nobody managed to

survivesurvivein the so called in the so called SekirkaSekirka after an year after an year

ofofimprisonment. The crudest executionsimprisonment. The crudest executionswere the following:were the following: Shooting;Shooting; Gnats. Naked people were brought Gnats. Naked people were brought

in a forest where died because of in a forest where died because of the unbearable bites of gnats and the unbearable bites of gnats and other insects;other insects;

One more execution was a famous One more execution was a famous stair-case of stair-case of Sekirnaya HillSekirnaya Hill that has that has 250250 steps. People were thrown steps. People were thrown down it, so it's foot became a down it, so it's foot became a common grave of the common grave of the concentration camp prisoners.concentration camp prisoners.

WordsWords Labyrinth Labyrinth - - лабиринтлабиринт Canal system Canal system - - канальная системаканальная система Sekirnaya Hill Sekirnaya Hill - - Секирная гораСекирная гора Route Route - - маршрутмаршрут Mysterious Mysterious - - загадочный, таинственныйзагадочный, таинственный Spirals of stones Spirals of stones - - каменные спираликаменные спирали Dam Dam - - дамбадамба Big Mucsalma Big Mucsalma - - остров Большая Муксалмаостров Большая Муксалма Strait Strait - - заливзалив Twisting Twisting - - извилистыйизвилистый Fine Fine - - мелкиймелкий Temple - Temple - храмхрам Tower-lighthouse - Tower-lighthouse - башнябашня--маякмаяк Department - Department - отделениеотделение The Soviet concentration camp – The Soviet concentration camp – СоветскийСоветский концентрационный лагерьконцентрационный лагерь Imprisonment Imprisonment - - заключениезаключение Execution Execution - - пыткапытка Gnat - Gnat - комаркомар Grave - Grave - могиламогила

The life Of the MonasteryThe life Of the Monastery The ensemble of the The ensemble of the Solovetsky MonasterySolovetsky Monastery consists of consists of 33 churches and churches and 22

cathedrals. The first church to create in cathedrals. The first church to create in 15771577 was was Uspenskaya ChurchUspenskaya Church. . Transfiguration Transfiguration CathedralCathedral, built of stone is famous for its inner interior. A , built of stone is famous for its inner interior. A huge 5-storeyed iconostasis was built in huge 5-storeyed iconostasis was built in 16971697 by by Peter the Grate'sPeter the Grate's order. order.

In the In the XVI-XVIIXVI-XVII centuries the centuries the MonasteryMonastery was the center of spiritual, military- was the center of spiritual, military-political, and economical life of the political, and economical life of the Russian NorthRussian North. Factories producing bricks, . Factories producing bricks, leather, candles were situated on the territory of the leather, candles were situated on the territory of the MonasteryMonastery. The monks . The monks got salt, were occupied in saw-mills and jewelry cutting factory. There is also got salt, were occupied in saw-mills and jewelry cutting factory. There is also a big library on its territory where more than a big library on its territory where more than 100,000100,000 books are kept. books are kept.

In In 19901990 the the Solovetsky MonasterySolovetsky Monastery was reopened after was reopened after 7070 years of its inactivity. years of its inactivity. Nowadays about Nowadays about 5050 monks live in the monks live in the MonasteryMonastery, approximately, approximately 12,000 12,000 pilgrims all over the world and thousands of tourists come to the Solovki pilgrims all over the world and thousands of tourists come to the Solovki islands every year, the native population being onlyislands every year, the native population being only 900 900 people. people.