"Solovetskie Islands" Russia Travelogue by Anya_D

This travelogue is devoted to the Russian North.

Russia is a nothern country with severe winters, full of snow, wild forests and short summers. At least, most of Russia is. And despite of it the most beautiful sites and wonders of my country are situated in the North.

This page is about Solovetskie Ostrova (Solovetskie Islads), or Solovki, as we call them in a colloquial manner. Solovki lie in the White Sea, somewhere on the way between the cities of Archangelsk, Murmansk and Kem. The Islands have long history, both glorious and sorrowful. Scientists have discovered that the first visitors of the islands were fishers, seaside inhabitants, whom we call "pomory" in Russian, which means "people leaving aroung the White Sea".

The first inhabitants left traces of neolithic culture (about 2000 b.c.). You can see labirinths and stone hills on the islands, the purpose of them is yet unclear.

The modern hystory of Solovki began in 1429, when two monks, German and Savvaty, reached the Islands in a small boat, and founded a settlement in the north-west side of Bolshoi (Big) Solovetsky Island, in the Pine-tree Bay (Sosnovaya Guba).

German and Savvaty looked for a remote place where they could live far from secular surroundings, pray and work. And they found it. At that time the islands were covered by thick forests (which are still preserved), lakes, and were surrounded by the very cold White Sea. The monks built a wooden house and a chapel, they fished and gathered berries, grew vegetables, extracted salt and exchanged fish and salt for bread and clothes.

People learnt about the monks in the remote islands and those who wanted to be monks joined them. Gradually a big monastery appeared, and by the end of the 16th century there was beautiful cloister on the island.

Solovetsky monastery was a very important strategic point for Russia. It played a role of a nothern fortress. Many pilgrims visited the Islands.

The monastery was famous for its technical inventions and progressive introductions. Thus, in the 17th century, they built the walls of the monastery, out of emormous boulders, and invented special type of bricks, the recipe of which is lost nowadays. There are about 600 lakes in Big Solovetsky Island: the monks digged narrow channels between them where a boat can pass, and connected over 17 lakes into one system. Other lakes were connected by narrower streams so that the water did not stagnate. Such channels resulted in fresher water, more fish, and more birds. The first sewage and water supply systems in Russia were invented in Solovki. The first Russian electric power station functioned in Solovki. Monks had a botanical garden where they grew watermellons (the Polar Circle is only 200 kilometers away!).

After the revolution (1917) the monastery was closed by the communists. The monks were either killed or ousted, but some of them stayed in the islands as free lance workers: they wanted to die in the monastery. The monastery was turned into a concentration camp, a part of GULAG system. It functioned during 1922-39 and took away lifes of about 100,000 innocent people, 90% of whom were officers, scientists, priests, monks, writers, artists, businessmen, in other words, the best people of Russia. Solovetsky camp is a symbol of GULAG, of the senseless and cruel death.

Now there is a museum there. The churches burnt down in late twenties. They are under restoration at the moment.

Solovki is definetely a place to visit. You will see the stunning beauty of the sunsets over the cold sea, hundreds of shining clear warm lakes with tasty sweet water, low forests, boulders all around, up and down, in the lakes and in the sea, and in the monastery walls. You will see the modest northern
nature but at the same time full of silent dignity. You will see tundra (treeless plain), hares, seagulls and seals.

Make sure you get warm clothes: when you are next to the sea, it is always windy and cold. When you are in the forest or at lakes, it can be very hot. You must know this difference and be prepared to take off and put on a coat or warm sweater several times per day.

What you definitely must bring is your camera. Your photos and films will be of smashing success with your friends. Believe me!
Take all photo equipment that you will need with you. Do not hope that you will find it on the islands. You can generally buy batteries and film there, but it may not fit you camera -- this is really not the center of civilization.

The tours are mostly arranged for the groups. There are usually many Russian groups, mostly pilgrims, very energetic old women, I was surprized at how exited they were about their trip.

If you do not speak Russian (most of you don't, I believe), it is not a problem. There is a highly qualified guide, who, by the way, graduated from the same university that i did, will take you around and tell you all interesting stories in English, German or French. If you are with a foreign group, you will have no problem. If by yourself, you should discuss it either with your travel agent, or on the islands with the Museum Administration.

There is a cafe in the village, and the food is not bad at all. In summer they serve fresh fish from the sea, mostly cod fish and herring. It is very good and tasty. Herring from Solovki is historically famous. People even buy it to take home, and it is worth doing so.

The food is not very sophisticated, but good. They make home-made cakes with forest berries (real ones, not specifically grown on a farm!).

Anyway, you will not starve.

Accomodation there may be a problem - you should book in advance. There are three hotels that I know about, one is a big old one, not well equipped. The other is somewhere on the road to Rebalda, it is rather expensive though (from $50 per night and more) and is used for officials coming to Solovki, however, they say it is very comfortable. The new one, near the sea, is even more expensive, but they say it is very nice.

As for me, I stay in the "bank" cottage, a private house with all the conditions, which I book through my friends.

Make sure you visit the mass in the church. The monastery was re-opened ten years ago. The service is beautiful. If you do not understand a word, you will listen to monastic singing --it is a very special singing style.
If you are lucky to fit into some orthodox feast, you will see the religion procession with bans and crosses around the walls of the monastery and along the Holy Lake (under the walls of the monastery, see picture in the beginning), and they will bless water in the lake and then sprinkle everyone. They do it so merrily, chearfully, and so nobly -- you will be inspired.

In order to see everything, you should come for at least 4-5 days. Better for a week.
Go to Anzer - a remote nothern island of Solovesky archipelago. Go to Muksalma Island, you will see a dam of about one and a half kilometers long that connects two islands, built 150 years ago out of boulders, across the White sea, with archs so that fish can swim through it.
Go to Zaichiki - 'Hare Islands'. Zaichiki are unbelievably beautiful. The biggest neolithic petrogliphs are found on Zaichiki.
Go to Sekirka - a hill with a beacon, the great observation site, and a place of tormentous death of GULAG prisoners.
Go to the Negotiations Stone: a place of negotiation that took place in 1854 between the archimandrite of the cloister and the commander of the English squadron.

There is nothing special to warn you about, actually. There are no snakes on the islands: you can step anywhere.

The Museum is tending to raise the prices to an unbelievable (under Russian standards) level. For example, the boat (a small one with oars, for 4-5 people) was 150 Rubles per hour (5 dollars). To us Russians it is outrageous! The boat is needed to sail in the lakes. Such journey must be not less than 3-4 hours (which would mean 20 bucks), otherwise you won't be able to fully relax. However, this price is comparative to what you will pay anywhere in the world. And it is really value for money!!

Getting to Solovki: How to get there? Easily. You can travel by a ship from Finland or Sweden, and I know for sure that a big cruiser Kristina Regina sails from Norway (the disadvantage is that is stops for 1 day only). If you travel from Russia - you can reach the islands from Moscow by charter plane (booking through a travel agency), from Archangelsk by regulare flight, or by boat from Kem (3 hours), and you get to Kem by train either from Moscow or St.Pete(around 24 hours).

Getting Around: On the islands you get around by foot --mostly. Can rent a bycicle. By boat to other islands. By boat through the lakes and channels. Maybe by bus (or by boat through the lakes at least one way) to Sekirnaya Hill - a beautiful hill with a church on its top, which functions as a beacon.

Cultural Tips: Make sure that you (if you are a woman) have a skirt and a headscarf: you will need it in the monastery. All inhabitants (about 900 people live in the Big Solovetsky now), including monks, are very friendly. The governor of the monastery, father Josef, is a highly educated and amicable person. You can meet a slighly drunk fisher (all heavily drunk will be sleeping at home), do not be afraid of them. You will see children selling postcards and souvenirs: it is up to you if you want to buy from them. You can buy souvenirs in the island shop, in the monastery shop or at the museum. The boys sell cheeper. You choose. Make sure you help to prevent pollution of the area. Solovki is a unique natural, architectural and cultural monument. It is included into the UNESCO World Heritage List.