St. Petersburg - Shlisselburg - Old Ladoga

The Koltush Parish of St. Righteous John of Kronstadt is an heir to the ancient Peter and Paul Parish. The decision to build a wooden church here was made in 1733. Two years later the church was consecrated in the name of the Apostles Peter and Paul. In the early XIX century it was allowed to build a new stone church. Stone Peter and Paul Church in Koltushi was built in the style of late classicism.

Skeet is located on the "Road of Death", on which soldiers went to the crossing during the Great Patriotic War and founded in memory of the fallen. The main church of the Skete is the temple of Saints Zosima and Savvatiy Solovetsky. Near it stands the church of St. Eugene, built in the best traditions of northern wooden architecture.

You thought Red Square was only in Moscow? No, there is one in Shlisselburg too. It is the heart of the city. Architectural ensemble of the square: Annunciation Cathedral of the first half of the XVIII century, which is now under reconstruction, Kazan Chapel of the XIX century and St. Nicholas Church of the XIX century. In the other part of the square, on the opposite side of the Old Artistic Canal, there is a small square.
An interesting fact, the Red Square in Shlisselburg can be seen in the film "The Fourth Planet" by D. H. Astrakhan.

Lunch is offered in a cozy cafe, where Russian and Caucasian cuisine is presented. Pleasant interior, also a kind of wooden architecture, but more modern, smells of wood and grilled delicacies.

Kobona, an ancient fishing village on the shore of Lake Ladoga. The first wooden five-domed St. Nicholas Church appeared in Kobon in the middle of the XVIII century, but in the beginning of the XIX century it was badly damaged by fire. However, in 1821 it was restored, but already in stone.
In the church are interesting naprestolnyy srebroplashennyy cross, the bringing of counts Musinykh Pushkin, and the remnants of tin sacred vessels found in the 30's, a peasant in a well, in the field. At the place of the find there is a wooden chapel built by priest Alexeyev.

The monastery is located in a very picturesque place on the bank of the Volkhov River near the Old Ladoga Rurik Fortress. The monastery was built around the then existing St. Nicholas Cathedral (structure of XII century). The first documentary evidence of the monastery dates back to the end of the XV century.
The main structure of the architectural ensemble is the Church of St. John Chrysostom, built on the principle of an ancient basilica. The temple was designed by the architect Alexei Maximovich Gornostaev in 1860-1873. Paintings have been preserved on the vaults, walls and arches of the temple: scenes from the life of St. John Chrysostom, gospel stories in the style of academic realism, ornaments of the Byzantine style.

The first mention of the cathedral dates back to 1276, then it was wooden, in the XVII century the cathedral acquired the appearance that we can now observe. With one exception, it was restored at the end of the 20th century.
The current church is built with a deep artistic understanding of the unity of architecture and nature. From afar it seems that the snow-white temple is floating in the air between the strip of green flames and the blue sky.

Apart from architecture, there are many other curious places around Old Ladoga. Here on the bank of the Volkhov River there is a group of mounds, the largest of which is called Oleg's Grave. The legend about Prince Oleg and his horse, from which he died, is connected with this place.

An exciting day, it's time to have some refreshment and go to the hotel. For dinner - one of the best places in Old Ladoga.

Isn't it time to stop on vacation? You can warm up, fill up and buy goods on the way at Gazpromneft's filling stations.

I suggest not to stay in Old Ladoga and go to the village, where we will spend all tomorrow. And we'll spend the night in a great hotel near the Pasha River. Good night!