Korela Fortress, Museum of Old Times in Kuznechnoe, Ladoga skerries and abandoned Finnish churches

Look at the Korela fortress. The ancient Russian fortification was built by the Novgorodians back in 1310 on Zamkov island. In XVI-XVII centuries the Swedes rebuilt the fortress according to the bastion system, lined the ramparts with granite, built stone towers, an arsenal and a powder cellar.
In the end of XIX century Kexholm (the former name of Priozersk) together with the ancient fortress became a part of independent Grand Duchy of Finland - it was Finnish up to September 24, 1944. The fortress is small and compact. Of particular interest to visitors is invariably the torture chamber and observation decks.
Attention! Last Thursday of each month - sanitary day. Details here.

Let's take a walk around the city and remember its history. As part of Finland, Priozersk (which the Finns renamed Kyakisalmi) experienced an economic boom. Here actively developed a railway connection with the cities of both countries, built sawmills. At the end of 1930 majestic Lutheran church appeared in the heart of the town - it still stands here.
And also remained here, designed by Finnish architects in 1916, the building of the railway station. It is a 2-minute drive from the old church.

From Priozersk we go to the village of Kuznechnoye. Once it was a Finnish village and was called Kaarlahti, which means "curved bay". Here we will visit the farm-museum "Milka".
This is a young local history project, which aims to preserve the history and culture of the village. The museum is located in the House of Railway workers in 1916. Some of the exhibits were inherited by the founder of the museum from her grandparents, some came with the old house. Some items are donated to the museum by locals, and others are found during excavations. Replicas of ancient amulets and other nice souvenirs can be bought here as a keepsake.

There are not many restaurants in Kuznetschny. We'll go to the supermarket to buy a couple of pies and juice, which is enough to walk for another couple of hours.

Alexandre Dumas-father admired the beauty of this place. The local landscapes seemed to the French writer more beautiful than the Swiss expanses. You can rent a boat or a kayak to explore the Ladoga skerries at the "Drive Park Ladoga" base in the neighboring village of Beryozovo.
On the way to Beryozovo we will find traces of the ancient Karelian fortress Linnanmäki (in Finnish it means "fortress hill"). In 1937 a wooden ski, presumably made by the Finns in the XII century, was found there. Now it is stored in the National Museum of Finland.

On the way back we will stop to admire the church in Vuoksenranta. The Lutheran church was built in the 1930s according to the design of the Finnish architect Väinö Keinänen. The church is made of brick in constructivist style, the bells were cast in Tampere.
During the Soviet era the church was used as a cowshed and a warehouse. The facade and roof have survived, but the windows, doors and interior elements have not survived. Unfortunately, the church is still in a dilapidated state.
You can admire the church from the neighboring bank. If you are traveling in winter and plan to cross the river, be careful, make sure the ice is firm.

For dinner we'll stop by the Levada restaurant. It's a restaurant of European and Russian cuisine, which is very reputable among St. Petersburgers. You won't find Kalalaatikko and graavilokhi here, but elk cutlets, tuna steak and tom-yam are always available.