Ladoga lake is the largest freshwater lake on the European continent. For Russia, this lake is of great industrial, ecological and historical importance. Another variant of the name is Ladoga.

If you look at the map, you can see that the shores of Lake Ladoga belong to two Russian regions: the Republic of Karelia and the Leningrad Region. That is, it is located in the European part of the country.
On the north side Ladogi the shores are high, rocky, their relief is quite indented, which explains the presence of a large number of peninsulas, bays, and small islets here. From the south of Ladoga, the lake is surrounded by low, gentle, more even shores. The largest bays are also located here: Volkhovskaya, Svirskaya, Shlisselburgskaya lips. The eastern coast is also not very rugged, there are sandy beaches. In the west, the coastline is almost flat. Mixed forests, bushes grow here, near the water on land there are many large stones, which also cover the bottom under water for a rather distant distance.
Bring their waters into Ladoga lake 35 rivers, but only one flows out. The largest river that brings water is the Svir. What river flows from Lake Ladoga? This is the famous Neva, on which stands the second most important city of the Russian Federation - St. Petersburg. Some rivers bring water to Ladoga from other lakes, such as Onega or Ilmen.
There are a large number of islands on the lake - at least five hundred. The largest islands Ladogi together they constitute the Valaam archipelago. The largest single island is Riekkalansari. Also a large island is Konevets, where the famous monastery was built, as well as on Valaam.

Dimensions, length and depth of Ladoga

The depth of Lake Ladoga is uneven throughout its entire territory - it increases from south to north. The maximum indicator of the depth of Lake Ladoga is 233 m. The average figure is much lower - 50 m. In the north of Lake Ladoga, its depth varies from 70 to 230 m, and in the south - from 20 to 70.
The area of ​​Ladoga is 17.87 thousand square meters. km. The volume of water in Lake Ladoga is 838 cubic meters. km. The length from north to south of the lake is 219 km, at its widest point Ladoga stretches for 125 km.

Climatic features of the area

Lake Ladoga has a mostly temperate climate. In the geographical area where Lake Ladoga is located, not so much sunlight penetrates during the year. Therefore, the evaporation of water from Ladoga is rather slow. Most of the days of the year are cloudy and overcast here.
Between late May and mid-July, Lake Ladoga you can observe the famous phenomenon of "white nights", when at night the sun practically does not set over the horizon.
Throughout the year, westerly and southwestern winds blow on Ladoga. In winter, Lake Ladoga freezes until the end of spring, but is completely covered with ice only in the coldest winters. Such a long glaciation affects the water temperature throughout the rest of the year. The average water temperature here is low: at depth it stays at 4 ° C, and on the surface Lake Ladoga depending on the season and area it can be in the range from 2 ° C to 24 ° C. The water is not as clear as on Lake Baikal, but this may be due to the fact that many species of algae, small plankton live in it, and constant storms disturb its surface, whipping up the foam.

The history of Lake Ladoga

Lake Ladoga was formed as a result of the melting of glaciers and over the course of several thousand years, its outlines were formed and changed.
Until the 13th century, the lake was called Nevo, which, apparently, was directly related to the name of the Neva River. Then it was called Lake Ladoga, taking the name from the city of Ladoga located here. Many objects in this area have names originating from the Karelian language. But the most probable explanation for the name "Ladoga" is considered to be the Finnish versions - from the ancient words denoting water or the concept of "lower", which are consonant with Ladoga. The name Nevo also has Finnish roots and can mean "swamp". It is possible that in those days the lake gave rise to the name itself, in this area there are many traces of swamps.
Along Lake Ladoga, starting from the 9th century from Scandinavia, the water part of the route "From the Varangians to the Greeks" passed through the territory of Europe to the country of Byzantium. In the VIII century, the city of Ladoga was erected here, soon other cities and fortresses began to appear here. At the end of the 14th century, the famous Valaam Monastery was founded on the islands of the same name; to this day, its buildings are a pearl of wooden architecture.
For many years there was a war with the Swedish state for part of the land lying on the shore of the lake. Peter I managed to achieve the fact that Ladoga became Russian. In 1721, according to an agreement with the Swedes, concluded after the war, the coast of Lake Ladoga was entirely transferred to Russia.
To make navigation on Ladoga more accessible, a canal was built here.
During the difficult war years from 1939 to 1944. the Ladoga flotilla was based in Lake Ladoga, which fought in its waters. In 1941-1944. more than half of the coast of Lake Ladoga was occupied by enemy troops. From September 1941 to March 1943, the Road of Life ran across the ice of Ladoga - the only way along which provisions and necessary things could be delivered to besieged Leningrad. The removal of people was also organized along it; in total, about 1.3 million people took advantage of the evacuation.
Thus, Ladoga is a lake that is of particular importance for Russian history.

Ecology of Lake Ladoga

Basically, the waters of Ladoga are very clean, but there are problem areas. This is largely due to the development of industrial zones next to Lake Ladoga, as well as with the aftermath of the Second World War. During the war, tests of radioactive weapons took place in this area and on some islands. In particular, the reaction of animals to the consequences of its use was studied. In addition, many sunken warships and planes with ammunition create an unfavorable radiation background.
The number of contaminated sites is growing. On the shores of Ladoga, there are about 600 industrial enterprises that pollute the air, dump industrial waste into the Ladoga River and others, which then bring them into the lake. By the way, the correct answer to the question - Ladoga is a river or a lake is that it is both. There is a river and also a city with that name. At the same time, historians claim that first the river received its name, then the city, and only after that Lake Nevo was renamed.
The pollution of Lake Ladoga is currently considered to be at a moderate level. In some places, there is an excess of radiation standards - where earlier tests of supplies were carried out, as well as those closest to nuclear and other industrial enterprises.

Nature and fauna of Lake Ladoga

The nature of Lake Ladoga is very beautiful, this place is very famous among tourists, travelers as a place for recreation and hiking. Majestic cliffs, mountains, pine forests - all this creates a unique image of this place. Rare plants and animals are found in various nature reserves of Ladoga. Despite the difficult climate, even some southern plant species grow here, and in the north - typical representatives of the tundra (saxifrage). Forests on Lake Ladoga are not only coniferous, but also broad-leaved - with maples, elms.
Fauna Lake Ladoga includes representatives of the taiga: foxes, wolves, hares, bears, etc. There is also an original animal that is found only here - the Ladoga seal. The animal, which is more characteristic of the seas, feels great in the fresh water of Ladoga.
There are about 50 species of fish in Lake Ladoga. The most popular among fishermen and industrialists are smelt and pike perch.

Rest on Lake Ladoga

Around Lake Ladoga, you can find places for recreation for every taste and for any purpose: wellness, hiking, entertainment. Fishing lovers can often be found here. Everything that is needed for such classes is located at recreation centers, including instructors working at almost each of them, who will teach the subtleties of one or another type of pastime.
They like diving here because of the large number of finds that can be found at the bottom and just beautiful underwater views. You can also opt for a relaxing beach holiday when weather conditions permit.
Excursions to the natural and historical sights of Ladoga are also organized, for example, buildings left after the war, old fortresses or mountain peaks.

Attractions on Lake Ladoga

It is worth talking about the sights of Lake Ladoga separately. Here is, for example, the interesting Nizhnesvirsky reserve with beautiful views of almost untouched nature. It is home to a huge number of bird species and many animals.
Valaam Island on Ladoga with the monastery of the same name is of historical, cultural and architectural value. Not to mention the fact that pilgrims come here from all over Russia and beyond.
The memorial complex dedicated to the Road of Life tells the story of the heroic deed of people who, in the most dangerous conditions, traveled on the ice of Lake Ladoga, risking falling under the ice or being fired upon by the enemy. Nevertheless, they went to it in order to save the lives of the inhabitants of the city, who survived the terrible blockade.
Also of historical and cultural interest on Lake Ladoga are the cities of Shlisselburg, founded by Peter I, with the Oreshek fortress, and Novaya Ladoga.

Lake Ladoga in works of art

Ladoga is a lake that is reflected in folk legends and examples of folk art of various peoples who lived here. These are mainly Karelian and Russian epics.
The famous Karelian folk composition "Kalevala", which was once passed from mouth to mouth, describes the events that took place in the north of Lake Ladoga.
Constantine Roerich in his youth made an expedition along the rivers flowing into Lake Ladoga and to the lake itself. Since 1916, he lived in this area for two years, created here several canvases, sketches, poems and fairy tales.
Due to its amazing nature, Lake Ladoga inspired, first of all, painters who were fascinated by the local colors and landscapes. Many painted the Valaam Monastery, as its structures looked especially impressive and mysterious against the backdrop of majestic nature. The lake with the sonorous name Ladoga also inspired fairy tales. Such masters of painting as F.A.Vasiliev, A.I. Kuindzhi, N.K. Roerich, I.I.Shishkin worked here.

Industry on the lake

The lake is used for the passage of ships, the routes of which are sections of the Volga-Baltic route and the White Sea-Baltic channel. The weather on the lake is very changeable and often ships are threatened by storms, high waves, therefore, navigation is periodically suspended. Once there was even a widespread expression that if a sailor did not sail on Ladoga, then he is not a real sailor yet. Such a phenomenon as complete calm is quite rare on this lake.
Various industrial cargoes and construction materials are transported along Lake Ladoga. Also, passenger ships and cruise liners go here, for the most part these are tourist routes.
On an industrial scale, about 10 species of fish are caught here, such as smelt, pike perch, whitefish. Not far from the lake there are industrial enterprises: a paper and pulp mill, aluminum, oil and chemical industries, etc.

Secrets and secrets that the bottom of Lake Ladoga keeps

At the bottom of the lake there are many interesting researchers and lovers of various secrets and secrets of things. Of course, it is considered the greatest luck to find something very ancient, dating back to the Vikings. But the most often found are artifacts that have remained from the Second World War. They are better preserved and easier to find. For example, the so-called “Death Cove” is one of the attractions of that time that attracted extreme tourists and divers, the bottom of which is almost covered with shell casings, since in 1941 a fierce battle took place here.
Amateur divers find sunken ships, wartime aircraft. Unlike sea water, fresh water does not destroy and spoil sunken things so much, which is why the findings of Lake Ladoga are so attractive.

“We live in the most beautiful country in the world, and all other countries envy us!” - I am ready to subscribe to every word. And the point is not even that “we shod a flea and pierced the caterpillar,” but that so many natural and man-made miracles are concentrated in Mother Russia that you constantly feel a sense of pride in your Motherland, and this makes your soul feel so good !

We have everything the most: the deepest lake in the world (Baikal), the most extensive forests (Siberian taiga), the coldest settlement on Earth (Oymyakon), the largest Orthodox church is located in Moscow (Cathedral of Christ the Savior) ... We have many what is, the list is endless.

Now I want to tell you about one more "most", about the largest lake in Europe - Ladoga. In length - more than two hundred kilometers, in width - 125 kilometers! When you stand on its shore, it seems that this is not a lake, this is the SEA! Ladoga, of course, is a national treasure not only for its impressive size, but also thanks to its clean water, unique flora and fauna, rich history ... Well, I will try to embrace the immensity and tell in a brief form all the most interesting and useful that I know about this miracle nature.

How to get there

Lake Ladoga occupies a vast territory and is located in two constituent entities of the Russian Federation at once - the Leningrad region (western, southern shores) and the Republic of Karelia (northern, eastern shores).

The choice of the preferred mode of transport directly depends on which shore of Lake Ladoga you are trying to get to. In principle, it is possible to reach it by plane, train, bus, ferry, and, of course, by private car.

By plane

To St. Petersburg

The nearest airport to Lake Ladoga is Pulkovo Airport, located in St. Petersburg. The distance from it to the south-western coast of Ladoga in the most optimal way (by car) is 55 kilometers. Pulkovo is the largest air transport hub in the North-West region, receiving daily flights from many settlements in Russia and from abroad. Finding the best route from your city, I think, will not be difficult. The official website of the St. Petersburg airport and other Internet resources will help you. For example, you can monitor ticket prices.

You can rent a car right in the arrivals hall (Avis, Europcar, Sixt). The price for renting an economy class car (eg Hyundai Solaris) for one day is about 2000 rubles; the longer the lease term, the more acceptable the final cost. Compare prices from different distributors.

If you have plans to continue your journey by public transport, then now is the time to decide how you intend to get to your final destination on Lake Ladoga - by rail or by bus. In the first case, you need to get, no, not to Ladozhsky, but to Finlyandsky railway station (among the people "Finban"), in the second - to the bus station of the Obvodny Canal or to the Northern bus station.

How to get from the airport

So how is it possible for a tourist to leave the airport? There are two acceptable options:

• by taxi. Just do not try to hire a driver from among those who offer their services at the exit from the terminal! They usually charge prices three times higher than citywide. Just call the taxi service (for example, "Lucky", "Taxovichkoff", "068"). The car delivery time is no more than 15 minutes; the cost of a transfer to Finban ~ 850 rubles, to the bus station on the Obvodny Canal ~ 600 rubles, to the Northern bus station ~ 1100 rubles;
• bus + metro... Buses (No. 39, No. 39A) and minibuses (No. 39K) run regularly from the airport building to the Moskovskaya metro station. The travel time is 15 - 30 minutes, depending on the traffic situation, the fare is 40 rubles. In order to get to the railway station you need to get to the metro station "Ploshchad Lenina" (change to the station "Tekhnologicheskiy institut"), the bus station is within a 5-minute walk from the metro station "Obvodny Canal" (change to the station. Sennaya Ploschad), Northern Bus Station - near the Devyatkino metro station (transfer to Tekhnologicheskiy Institut station). I am placing a map of the St. Petersburg metro for your convenience. On it there is a mark of the beginning of the route - st. m. Moskovskaya (red star), marks of the final stops: Finlyandsky railway station - yellow rectangle, bus station - light green, Northern bus station - purple.

To Petrozavodsk

Alternative airports "in the vicinity" of Lake Ladoga:

• airport "Besovets" in g.... The distance to the eastern shore of Ladoga (Pitkyaranta) is approximately 190 km. Keep in mind that it has air links only with Moscow. Flights are operated by RusLine five days a week. Travel time is about 2 hours, for a round-trip ticket you will have to pay approximately 8000 rubles. Read about how to get from the airport to the city center. It is better to take a bus from the local bus station to the coast of Lake Ladoga (the cities of Lakhdenpokhya, Sortavala, Pitkyaranta, Syasstroy). For example - to Sortavala the travel time will be about 4 hours, the ticket price is 550 - 600 rubles; to Syasstroi it takes longer - about 5 hours, the ticket price starts from 650 rubles.

By train

From Saint-Petersburg

From Finland Station(metro station "Ploshchad Lenina") commuter trains run regularly to Priozersk (northern direction) and Shlisselburg (southeast, eastern directions). There are more flights in summer and fewer in winter. You can view the current schedule on the Russian Railways website. For clarity, I post a print-screen of the map. It shows the nearest railway stations to the coast of Lake Ladoga with colored markers.

• Crimson marked Priozersk (fare ~ 350 rubles), standing on the Vuoksa river. The lake shore is located no more than 5 kilometers from the city center. From the Priozersk bus station (Vyborgskaya st., 31) you can go to smaller settlements on Ladoga.
• Orange marker- railway station Ladoga Lake (fare ~ 130 rubles). From the station to the beach, walk no more than one kilometer.
• Purple marker- railway station Petrokrepost (~ 120 rubles), located in the village of them. Morozov. The Ladoga coast is 500 meters away.

From Ladozhsky railway station(metro station "Ladozhskaya") twice a week (Wednesday, Friday) runs train # 350A, following the route - Kostomuksha. He makes stops in Priozersk and Sortavala. The train arrives in Priozersk 2 hours after its departure from St. Petersburg, in Sortavala - in 5.5 hours. Please note that the cost of tickets to Priozersk will be higher than for a suburban train - about 450 rubles one way; to Sortavala the ticket will not cost much more than to Priozersk, about 550 rubles.

From Moscow, from other cities

I advise you not to invent a bicycle, but to get from Moscow (by train, plane, bus) to St. Petersburg, and from here start to your final destination. You will not find convenient direct trains or electric trains going straight to Lake Ladoga from Moscow or any other large Russian cities.

By bus

From Saint-Petersburg

Bus station on the Obvodny Canal(metro station "Obvodny Canal") offers for tourists daily flights to Novaya Ladoga (No. 847), Syasstroy (No. 862) and Pitkyaranta (No. 963). All these settlements are located in close proximity to the shores of Lake Ladoga. A bus ticket to Novaya Ladoga will cost about 300 rubles, travel time - 3.5 hours; to Syasstroi - from 350 rubles, travel time - 2.5 hours; to Pitkyaranta - about 900 rubles, to get to the time - at least 7.5 hours. The bus to Pitkyaranta also makes stops in other settlements that have access to Lake Ladoga. You can easily buy a ticket to the villages of Vidlitsa or Salmi. Kill two birds with one stone - save a little and get into a sparsely populated area (important for those who are going to have a rest as a "savage").

North Bus Station(metro station "Devyatkino"). Tickets to Syasstroi (350 rubles) and Priozersk (250 rubles) are sold here. Tickets can be bought either at the ticket office of the bus stations or on the Internet.

From Petrozavodsk

Petrozavodsk bus station(Chapaeva St., 3) offers a large number of inter-republican routes to Sortavala, Lahdenpohja, Pitkyaranta. A more interesting direction is north (to Sortavala). The cost of a ticket from Sortavala to Petrozavodsk (4 hours on the way) is ~ 600 rubles. It is possible to get off this flight earlier, in such picturesque places as Rautalahti or Karjavalahti (the village is not indicated on the map, but there is a bus stop!) the way is 3.5 hours). The current schedule can be seen on the website of the Petrozavodsk bus station.

From Moscow, from other cities

As in the case of railway transport, I strongly advise you to first get to St. Petersburg or Petrozavodsk in any convenient way, and from there take a bus following the routes I suggested above.

By car

The most, most, the most convenient way to get from St. Petersburg and Moscow to Lake Ladoga! By car it is possible to get to almost any place on the coastline, without thinking about tickets, their cost and availability, time for transfer ... You can take a bunch of things with you; This is especially true for "tent-campers" and outdoor enthusiasts.

From Saint-Petersburg There are two main highways encircling Ladoga - one goes along its western and northern coasts (A-121 "Sortavala"), the other - along the southern one and then turns to Petrozavodsk (R-21 "Kola"). These routes meet each other in the area of ​​the Karelian village of Pryazha, located not far from Petrozavodsk. You can get to the east coast (road 86K-8) from the P-21 highway after the town of Olonets, and from the A-121 road, turning from it to the south in the area of ​​the Leppäsilta village. Which way you prefer depends on the final point of your journey. Theoretically, to get to the southern and eastern coasts, it is better to use the Kola highway, to the northern and western ones - the Sortavala highway. Or maybe you just want to ride around Ladoga? Then the “problem of choice” disappears by itself.

From Moscow, of course, to go longer, at least 700 kilometers longer. If you want to get to the western or northern shores of Ladoga - feel free to follow to St. Petersburg along the familiar M-10 highway, and along the St. Petersburg ring road take the Sortavala highway. If you were planning to find yourself on the southern or eastern shores, then from the M-10 highway after the settlement of Chudovo you need to turn right onto and Volkhov. In the end, this road will take you to the Kola highway and further to Lake Ladoga. Another alternative route from Moscow to the eastern coast of Lake Ladoga is the A-114 road passing through Kalyazin, Pikalevo,. But, I warn you, the quality of the road surface and the roadside infrastructure of the A-114 road is inferior to the same indicators of the federal highway M-10. In the “worst” case, you will have to spend about 13 hours on the road, for example, if you follow from Moscow to Sortavala or Pitkyaranta ( ~ 1000 km). However, I do not advise you to stay overnight on the road. This distance can be easily overcome in one day, and even with small children, it has been checked by myself.

It will not be superfluous to immediately make a road estimate (for a traveler-motorist from Moscow):

• payment for gasoline (based on 2,000 km in both directions) - about 8,000 rubles;
• travel on the M11 toll road - from 1000 to 1500 rubles, depending on the time of day (round trip);
• snacks at roadside cafes - at least 300 rubles per person;
• hotel room - at least 1,500 rubles for double occupancy (if you do decide to stay on the way for the night).

The total is about 15,000 rubles. Of course, you can optimize costs by removing all items from the list, except for the purchase of fuel - then our estimate will be cut exactly by half!

By ferry

From Saint-Petersburg

Since the beginning of May, numerous travel companies have been offering a huge number of water cruises on Lake Ladoga. You can easily choose the route you like, for example, "St. Petersburg - Valaam - St. Petersburg" (for 3 days, price from 8000 rubles), "St. Petersburg - Valaam - Konevets - St. Petersburg" (for 4 days, prices from 11 thousand rubles), extended "SPb - Valaam - Sortavala - Pellotsari - Konevets - SPb" (for 5 days, prices from 19 thousand rubles). And so on and so forth. There are countless cruises, they are all different in terms of price, content, and duration.

Motor ships start from the River Station of St. Petersburg (Obukhovskoy Oborony Avenue, 195) and arrive there. Unfortunately, there is currently no public budget river transport to the islands. If you want to sail to any island in Lake Ladoga from the Northern capital, you will have to buy a river cruise ticket, but this, as you probably noticed, is not a cheap pleasure.

From Moscow

It is also easy to swim to the islands of Lake Ladoga, as well as from St. Petersburg - you just need to buy a ticket for the ship. All river vessels to Ladoga sail from the Northern river station (metro station "Rechnoy Vokzal"). Interesting cruises, in my opinion, "Moscow - - - Peplotsari - Sortavala - Valaam - St. Petersburg" (duration - 9 days, cost - 42,000 rubles) or "Moscow - - Peplotsari - Sortavala - Moscow" (for 12 days , cost from 64,000 rubles) ... In general, the offer of cruises is truly impressive, apparently, and the demand for them is quite high, despite their fabulous cost.

Prompt:

Lake Ladoga - time is now

Difference in hours:

Moscow 0

Kazan 0

Samara 1

Ekaterinburg 2

Novosibirsk 4

Vladivostok 7

When is the season. When is the best time to go

You probably already guessed that the very season on Lake Ladoga is, of course, summer. The climate here is not very pleasant - humid, cloudy, windy - and even in summer there will probably not be a single sunny day during your holiday on the coast. But this is the saddest option. Statistics asserts that on average, Ladoga has about 60 sunny days a year, of course, the lion's share of them falls on the summer, when the southern anticyclone enters the lake area, and in winter - during the dominance of the Arctic anticyclone. Spring and autumn are usually very rainy and windy, especially in the fall when the storm season begins.

The northern and eastern shores of Ladoga (Lahdenpohsky, Pitkyaranta, Olonetsky regions and the city of Sortavala of the Republic of Karelia) are equated to the regions of the Far North. I can't say that the climate here is already very harsh in comparison, for example, with St. Petersburg, but the average annual temperature is clearly lower by a couple of degrees.

Ladoga lake in summer

As I said, summer is the best choice for visiting Lake Ladoga. At least positive air temperature will be guaranteed here. It is in the summer that the residents of St. Petersburg and other large cities of our Motherland are chosen on the shores of Lake Ladoga in order to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, breathe fresh air, and improve their health. In June it is still quite cool, for a trip it is better to choose July-August, when the average monthly air temperature will still exceed 20 degrees Celsius. True, it is not a fact that you will be able to swim, because the water in Ladoga only in rare years warms up to more than 21 degrees, and even then, such a temperature is relevant only for the southern shallow areas, on the northern coast, where the depths are much deeper, only "Walruses".

Lake Ladoga in autumn

Navigation on Lake Ladoga is closed in October, and this is no coincidence. It is at the beginning of October that the strongest storms rage on Ladoga. The weather is disgusting - cold, damp, cloudy, plus fog and gusty wind. If we go to Lake Ladoga in autumn, then only in September, preferably at the beginning of the month. There are lovely quiet days of early autumn here, when in calm weather, inveterate amateurs can enjoy good fishing, when tourists can still swim to the islands and Konevets, and when "middle managers" can spend the last weekend in nature, barbecuing and contemplating the local beauty ...

Ladoga lake in spring

March and April are not at all the best time to plan a trip to the shores of Lake Ladoga. But this is purely my personal opinion. I am repelled by the fact that in March and even in April there can be negative temperatures, and if "no", then there is a high probability of precipitation, fog and gusty winds. The first tourists usually appear in these parts at the beginning of May, besides there is a good reason for this - the long May weekend. In May, navigation is just opening - welcome to, Konevets, Peplotsari and other islands. But do not flatter yourself too much - the average monthly temperature in May for the region is 10 degrees Celsius, so you can safely leave your sunscreen at home!

Lake Ladoga in winter

In winter, numerous lovers of hunting behind the Okushka come out on the ice of Ladoga :). Winter fishing on Ladoga is very, very popular. Unfortunately, due to the unstable temperature (either wild cold or thaw), sad cases often happen on the ice of Lake Ladoga. People, be attentive and extremely careful, no "okushok" is worth a human life! In addition to fishing, in winter people are engaged in various "activities", for example, skiing, ice skating, snowkiting ... The average temperature worldwide is -8.8 degrees Celsius.

What are the prices for rest

Accommodation prices range from 1,500 rubles per night to infinity (say, 20,000 rubles in a club spa hotel). This is for a double room. If you come with a large company and rent a house, then, most likely, it will come out quite budget - the same 1000 - 1500 rubles per person, but the living conditions will be much more comfortable. The house, as a rule, has its own kitchen (so you can cook yourself and not spend money on a restaurant), barbecue or barbecue on the street. Double rooms hardly have a cooking corner, maximum - fridge and kettle.

You can save money by carefully monitoring coupon sites. Discounts on accommodation in some hotels sometimes reach 50%! If you are planning a long vacation on the shores of Lake Ladoga, then you can think about renting a country house - a summer residence. Quite good options will cost from 30,000 rubles per month of residence, bargaining is appropriate.

In hotel restaurants, prices can vary without yielding to any laws of logic. Maybe cheap and tasty, or maybe vice versa. But on average, you count on the following prices: breakfast 150/300 rubles, lunch 250/500 rubles, dinner 250/600 rubles.

Another expense item is the rental of sports equipment. The cost of renting a boat on oars is approx. 1500 rubles / day, boats with a motor - approx. 2500 rubles / day, bicycle - from 200 rubles / day, ATV - from 2000 rubles / hour, snowmobile - from 1500 rubles / hour; negotiated price for hunting, fishing, excursions to the islands.

Major attractions. What to see

The main attraction of Ladoga is undoubtedly its stunning nature! No matter how many times you come to Ladoga, it doesn't matter, you can never indifferently look at its harsh northern landscapes. This incredible symbiosis - pines, rocks, mosses, a coastal wave, a distant horizon ... They act magically - they calm the mind, help to tune in a philosophical mood, throw away everything empty and even make an important decision. Yes, yes, it is! That is why, my number one in the TOP-5 list.

Top 5

Beaches. Which is better

All the beaches of Lake Ladoga, of course, are countless! There is a huge, enormous number of them. I'll start my brief overview, perhaps, with those that are located near St. Petersburg:

• beach in the village "Kokkarevo" (on the map №1). A very popular and crowded vacation spot. On a fine day, owners of nearby summer cottages and residents of the eastern districts of St. Petersburg flock here (and residents of the western districts go to rest on the Gulf of Finland). The beach is sandy, without any infrastructure, but surprisingly clean enough, apparently, the proximity of the Capital of Culture plays an important role. This beach is a gathering place for kitesurfers and windsurfers;

• beach in the village "Lake Ladoga" (on the map №2). There are an awful lot of people here on a summer day off, but it is always possible to lay down your own towel. The beach is sandy, clean with the necessary infrastructure (changing rooms, toilets, cafes). There is a volleyball net and sports equipment rental. The Museum of the Siege of Leningrad is located 20 meters from the beach; the area is dominated by the Osinovetsky lighthouse (one of the highest on Ladoga). The only negative is that the water temperature is not always happy, but this does not stop desperate Petersburgers at all. Arrived - swim!
• There is an excellent beach not far from the village "Vladimirovka" (on the map number 3). It is located just opposite the island of Konevets and hosts summer yoga festivals. The beach is a long sandy strip with a gentle slope into the water. Quite large boulders and pebbles come across at the bottom. But you will surely notice them, because the water is very clear and transparent! The beach is NOT equipped with changing rooms, there is no cafe here, but there are pine trees, sand and sun (sometimes);
• There is a wonderful long sandy beach near the village of Motornoe (on the map # 4). Almost the twin brother of the beach at number 3. Sand and pine trees are the main advantages of this place. The water is probably cold. Lovers of camping often stay here, it is a fairly safe place. For information - the beach is located at a distance of 150 km from St. Petersburg;
• Further after Priozersk begins the area of ​​skerries, which rarely pampers tourists with warm sand. Among the rocky northern shores of Ladoga, no-no, there are sandy bays, but you have to look for them yourself. I will give the highest rating to the beaches of Koyonsaari Island (on the map # 5), they are magnificent. A minimum of people and no service, but a maximum of nature and silence;

• On the eastern coast after Pitkyaranta, in the area of ​​the settlement of Karku, an almost continuous sandy strip begins, a kind of eastern "monoplag". I would especially note the area of ​​the village of Vidlitsa (on the map №6), it is beautiful and pleasant to relax here, and, if anything, it’s not so far to go to the grocery store. Of course, don't count on any service here - just privacy, only hardcore!

After the town of Olonets, swampy areas begin, occupying almost the entire southern coast of Ladoga up to Shlisselburg. To make it easier for you to navigate, I place the map. I want to emphasize that this is my personal set of acceptable places for a beach vacation, I think you understand that you can swim, if you wish, on any stretch of the Ladoga coast.

Churches and temples. Which are worth visiting

Museums. Which are worth visiting

To the above museum objects (Valaam, Konevets, Oreshek fortress, Korela fortress) I will add a few more interesting cultural attractions for the inquisitive mind:

• Museum "Road of Life" (village "Ladoga Lake"). A large and entertaining museum complex, consisting of a street exhibition and several thematic pavilions. Here you can see with your own eyes and even touch the original military equipment of those years, examine in detail the personal belongings of the Red Army soldiers, see unique photographs, listen to a "taking it alive" excursion. The museum is a must-see! Opening hours: Wednesday-Sunday from 11-00 to 18-00. The cost of the visit is 200 rubles. for adults, excursion service - 150 rubles, audio guide - 300 rubles.

• Museum of the history of the city of Shlisselburg (Shlisselburg, Factory Island, 2A). The museum is located in a relatively small room, so the exhibitions are constantly changing. The museum seemed to me interesting because here you can book an excursion not only in the stationary building of the museum, but also throughout Shlisselburg for a small fee (200 rubles for a group of 5 people). The museum's senior research fellow will guide you to key locations and explain all about the city's founding and history. Working hours: Monday-Friday from 09-00 to 18-00, Saturday from 10-00 to 17-00, Sunday is a day off. The cost of an adult ticket is 30 (!) Rubles.

• Regional Museum of the Northern Ladoga Region (Sortavala, Ladoga Flotilla Embankment, 5). Sortavala is a city with a Finnish rather than a Russian face. You can feel the Scandinavian spirit of this Karelian city in the halls of the museum of the northern Ladoga area. Look at the main local history expositions, go to the halls of temporary exhibitions, visit excursions around the city and the nearest islands. For detailed information refer to the website.

Parks

In the southeastern part of Lake Ladoga, there are two especially important natural sites - the Nizhne-Svirsky state nature reserve and the Olonets state nature reserve (part of the first). They were created in the 1980s to preserve and protect the flora and fauna of the region. First of all, this concerns waterfowl and migratory birds, which have a stop in these places for rest and feeding.

The Nizhne-Svirsky and Olonetsky reserves will be interesting for ornithologists and fans of virgin nature to visit. But getting to the territory of the reserves is not so easy! You must first send an application to the director, indicating the purpose of the visit, the length of stay, the number of people in the group. When the management makes a positive decision on admission, payment is made (nowhere is it specified how much, apparently, this is a big secret), and the group is entered into the visit schedule.

What to see in 1 day

To go to Ladoga for one day from afar is somehow ridiculous. We will start from the fact that you are a Petersburger or a guest of the Northern capital, who, tired of the bustle of the city, decided to get out into nature for a “weekend”. Let's say you have a private car and the weather outside is +25 degrees Celsius. So be it! Then my suggestion:

1. At 10-00 we leave the house / hotel / hostel in the direction of Shlisselburg. In principle, from any district of the city to the mouth of the Neva (where Shlisselburg is located) it takes no more than an hour (without traffic jams).
2. Our path lies in the Oreshek fortress. Enter on the navigator the address of the pier from which the ships sail to the Orekhovy Island - the village of them. Morozov, st. Skvortsova, 76.
3. Let's assume that at 11-00 you are already there! We take a boat to the island. We walk-wander-admire-take pictures. You can even make a small halt at the fortress wall. Admire the views of Ladoga, Neva and Shlisselburg. Drink coffee from a thermos, eat a sandwich (which you, of course, brought with you from home).
4. At one o'clock in the afternoon or so, I propose to move towards the beach in the village of Lake Ladoga.
5. On the way we will stop by to see the “Broken Ring” monument, which is located in the village of Kokkarevo.
6. Around two - we are on the beach. Hooray! The main landmark of the beach is the huge Osinovetsky lighthouse, if you are near it, then you are on the most popular beach of Ladoga.
7. We have a rest - we swim and sunbathe, we sunbathe and bathe.
8. For those who are hungry, there are a couple of cafes on the beach. Of course, the prices here bite a little, but hunger is not aunt!
9. Those who are not delighted with senseless lying on the beach, or do not like to play, for example, beach volleyball (by the way, there are nets here), you can go to the “Road of Life” museum nearby to cultivate.
10. I think that by six or seven o'clock in the evening you will have time to feel all the charm of beach life on Lake Ladoga - it's time to go home.
11. On the way back, buy dried or smoked fish. Yum yum, delicious. And such delicacies are sold almost everywhere - in stalls on the highway and in rural shops.
12. At eight o'clock in the evening, you - contented and happy - are already at home.

Nearby islands

Lake Ladoga pleases the tourist with islands - there are about 660 of them (!), And about 500 of them are concentrated in the northern part of Ladoga, the so-called "skerry area". The two most famous islands are Konevets (I wrote about them above). The largest islands of Ladoga are Riekkalansaari (near Sortavala), Mantsinsaari (south of Pitkyaranta), Kilpola (near the village of Kuznechnoye). But some micro islands do not have a name at all, travelers themselves give them names! An interesting island is Pellotsaari, which has the shape of a heart, the “heart of Ladoga”. There is a walking ecological trail “One day in the life of a taiga island” on it.

Each, even the smallest island, is a unique and unrepeatable world. If you go by boat on the skerries, you can find the perfect island for your taste!

Neighboring regions

Ruskeala Mountain Park (34 km from the town of Sortavala) - former marble quarries, now - a unique natural site. The main attractions of the park are the "Main" quarry, together with the Italian quarry and Ruskeala failure. Read more about the place, or on the official website.

Food. What to try

One of the main treasures of Ladoga is FISH! In the waters of the lake, there are more than 50 species of fish, including salmon, trout, lamprey, whitefish, pike perch, smelt ... Since the waters of the lake are considered quite clean, you can safely eat the Ladoga catch without fear of being poisoned by heavy metals or toxic chemicals. Almost in every settlement on Lake Ladoga there are shops or stalls selling fresh - smoked - dried fish. I advise you not to neglect the alluring aromas, but rather buy, for example, smoked bream, and take home the most fresh tender trout!

They say that on the Murmansk highway, 75 km from St. Petersburg in the village of Yushkovo, there is a wonderful fish market, which amazes the city dweller with the range and price. There is nothing here - fresh and smoked, and salted, and dried, and dried fish and, of course, caviar. The initial cost can be overpriced, so bargain. Approximate prices for fish (per 1 piece): trout, whitefish, salmon, hot smoked bream - approx. 300 rubles; the same names, but cold smoking are more expensive - prices from 350 rubles per unit; dried bream and pike - approx. 200 rubles; dried vendace - from 200 rubles 0.5 kg.

All more or less decent places are located either in cities (Priozersk, Shlisselburg, etc.), or at hotels. In both the first and second cases, you can choose a restaurant to your taste and budget. It is clear that in large settlements there are European, Japanese and Russian taverns, and you can have a snack with a shaverm or a hamburger, but the seeker will find it! This is me saying that instead of McDonald's or the cafe "At Sveta", you can find establishments where freshly caught Ladoga fish, national Karelian dishes (kalaruoka, gates) are prepared. I think that without tasting local "delicacies" the trip will be incomplete!

Very decent places where you can try something from Karelian cuisine:

• restaurants "Dacha Winter" (in the city),
• Piipun Piha (in),
• "Ladoga Estate" (in the village of Niemelyankhovi).

The cost of a dinner with drinks per person starts from 1000 rubles.

Holidays

In my opinion, the two most significant events on Lake Ladoga are of a sporting nature:

Security. What to watch out for

In Russia, of course, one should beware of roads and fools. The road around Lake Ladoga is mostly passable, but there are separate sections of the primer on which you can kill the car's suspension or get chipped body paint (as it was with us!). You should drive in such areas slowly, carefully, gently; however, the more agile guys are trying to overtake you and throw a wave of roadside dust. At the approaches to the edge of the lake, you also need to be careful - it is quite possible to get stuck in liquid soil, or to skid in the sand, or God knows what else! It is worth constantly carrying a winch and a couple of strong men. As for the fools ... My friends and I love to relax in nature in tents, but this is not always safe, unfortunately. Bad people can take you by surprise - steal, or even worse ... Therefore, if you go to nature "wild", then only in large companies, and if together, it is better to stay at recreation centers, or in tent campsites. Another attack for a tourist - the weather. If you are sailing in a boat in "open" water, beware of sudden changes in the weather. Such a phenomenon is not uncommon on Ladoga. Severe storms and dangerous waves often occur on the lake, which can overturn any floating craft, even with an experienced captain.

Things to do

In summer, of course, sunbathe and swim, weather permitting. Go boating (you can rent a boat at almost any hotel on Lake Ladoga), pack up and go on a hike from point A to point B (first, develop a travel route in detail!), Pick mushroom-berries that grow in abundance here in summer and autumn, you can fish in all seasons. This is a standard set of Ladoga entertainment, but if you want something hotter, try something a little more extreme (see below).

Extreme sports

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

It does not occur to me that you would advise you to bring an amazing and unique one from Lake Ladoga. Most likely, it depends on the place in which you will rest.

For example, ritual items - icons, crosses, candles, Christian literature - are mainly brought from the islands of Valaam and Konevets. Prices in the church shop are democratic, starting at 50 rubles per unit of goods (candles are cheaper). From the northern region of Ladoga, tourists take products made of shungite (a black rock, mined exclusively in Karelia). The cost of small figurines starts from 300 rubles. In many cities of Ladoga, they offer products made from natural materials - leather (bags from 2000 rubles), birch bark (a box from 500 rubles), wood (jewelry from 300 rubles), textiles (rugs from 1500 rubles) ... Of course, do not forget about natural gifts - mushrooms, berries (which you can pick yourself), fresh and thermally processed fish, but, of course, the best thing that you can bring from Lake Ladoga is a persistent northern tan and a charge of positive mood!

Ladoga lake - rest with children

I am a supporter of traveling with children everywhere. Therefore, of course, I advocate that it is necessary to take children with you on a trip to Lake Ladoga, but more! They are fun, knowledge of the world around them, communication with nature, healing, hardening (solid pluses). You - a solid strained to follow them; but raising children is not easy at all! I advise you to get yourself and children vaccinated against ticks before going to "any country". In recent years, cases of tick-borne encephalitis infection in the Leningrad region have become more frequent. Be careful!

Conditional areas. Descriptions and features

The nature of Lake Ladoga is beautiful, amazing and, by the way, quite diverse.

• North coast Ladoga from Priozersk to Pitkyaranta is a rocky skerry area with fjords and numerous small islands. It is very beautiful and romantic here. Natural landscapes immediately resemble Finland, Norway and Sweden taken together. It is impossible not to fall in love with this harsh northern beauty; and those who have visited Severnaya Ladoga at least once will definitely want to come back here again. And again. And again. There are plenty of housing offers here. Basically, these are guest houses and cottages. Where there is demand, there is supply. Recently, especially "thanks to" the economic crisis, more and more Russians choose to rest at home. Severnaya Ladoga is an ideal option in this regard - the service and views are like abroad, but you still pay for the rest with our "wooden" ones. The flow of tourists to this area is now steadily high, so you need to try to find decent housing in terms of living conditions, but affordable housing. Some make it easier - they come here in the summer with tents. If you have your own boat, you can sail to any micro island, set up your camp and feel like a real oligarch at least for the weekend!

• South coast, in contrast to the Northern, low, marshy, slightly indented. Of the interesting places I can name - the Oreshek fortress at the mouth of the Neva River, the cities of Novaya and Staraya Ladoga. Actually, all hotels and inns are concentrated around these sights. The reason for the poorly developed infrastructure, in my opinion, is the fact that the entire southern coast of Ladoga is surrounded by the Staroladozhsky and Novoladozhsky canals. They have a high daily cargo capacity and, probably, partly hinder the development of the tourism business due to the fact that they separate the lake shore from the "mainland". However, there are also a couple of decent guest houses here. They say that on the southern coast it is better to "bite", that here is "paradise for a fisherman." The water temperature is also higher here, so you can even swim in the summer!

• West bank also weakly indented and densely overgrown with shrubs and forest, approaching directly to the water's edge. It's hard to find a decent secluded parking spot here. Very popular, as they are located not far from St. Petersburg, the beaches in the village "Kokkarevo" and the village "Ladoga Lake". There are a couple of decent looking spa hotels and guest houses nearby. But further to the north - "golyak" up to Priozersk.

• East coast probably the least popular with tourists, no, not because it is "worse" there, but because it is farther away. Few of the residents of St. Petersburg want to spend five hours on the road one way to grill a barbecue, and the next day to go home again for five hours, so as not to be late for work on Monday. But everything changes dramatically if you are not planning a weekend getaway, but a full-fledged vacation. Then - welcome to the east coast with its wide sandy beaches, clear water and a complete lack of people. After the Nizhne-Svirsky and Olonetsky reserves, that part of the eastern coast begins, which the traveler needs to get to. You can choose to stay in a guest house, or a hotel, or rent a house from a private owner (this is important not only for the east coast).
, .

Anything to add?

Twelve centuries of raven robes,

Features and cuts of Noah's knees.

Normans, Fryagians, Russes, Finns,

Khazar bazaar on the sloven market

A. Chernov

In Europe, Lake Ladoga is SECOND in size after the Caspian Sea, occupies the 4th place in depth (215 m), since ancient times it is known as very rich in FISH. There are 53 species of fish, including valuable commercial ones: slingshot, salmon, trout, char, whitefish, vendace, smelt, bream, damp, blue bream, silver bream, rudd, asp, catfish, pike perch, roach, perch, pike, burbot. The lake is inhabited by the only representative of pinnipeds, the Ladoga ringed seal, its population is estimated at 4000-5000 heads (2000); in the lakeside areas, 256 species of birds are regularly found; in ancient times, the fauna and flora (forests) of the lake were more numerous and varied.

A) Existing etymology
Wiktionary
Root: Ladog-; ending: -a.
Meaning
The common name of Lake Ladoga; an ancient Russian city located on the banks of the Volkhov not far from its confluence with Lake Ladoga, now the village of Staraya Ladoga, Leningrad Region.
Etymology according to Max Fasmer
“Comes from Old Russian. Ladoga in both meanings, often in Novgor. gram. XIV century; Ladozhians (Suzd. annals.); Old Scand. Aldeigjuborg. This name was previously explained as the origin. designation of the lake and was made from Fin. ааldоkаs, ааllоkаs "agitated" - from ааlо "wave". Mikkola gives a different etymology, who explains the name of the lake from the name of the city, and the latter from the tributary of the same name of the lower Volkhov, ultimately from Fin. Аlоdejoki - from аlоde, аloe "low area". Apparently, from the point of view of phonetics, preference should be given to the old. etymology. It is not clear how the name of an insignificant river could be transferred to the BIG LAKE. "

In other etymological and explanatory dictionaries, the interpretation of the name is absent, in foreign dictionaries there is no such name.

Wikipedia
Ladoga, today Sta; raya La; doga (until 1703 Ladoga) - a village in the Volkhov district of the Leningrad region on the banks of the Volkhov river; the city was known as part of the road from the "Varangians to the Greeks", the first treasure of Arab dirhams, found in Ladoga, dates back to 786. For the first time the city was mentioned in the chronicle under the year 862 among the ten most ancient cities of Russia, until 864 the Varangian king Rurik ruled here, who later transferred the prince's residence to the future Novgorod. Archaeologists have found the oldest settlements of the Scandinavians (about 753), in 760 it was destroyed by the Ilmen Slovenes, their settlement existed until 830 and was captured by the Varangians; “The absence of CONTINUITY between the first inhabitants of Ladoga and the subsequent population with different cultural traditions was noted” (Wikipedia).

origin of name
The Old Scandinavian name is Aldeigja, Aldeigjuborg (Old Norse. Aldeigja, Aldeigjuborg).
The name Ladoga is a river, a lake and a city, while it is not determined which of the names is primary; the name of the city was derived from the name of Lake Ladoga (from the Finnish aaldokas, aallokas "waving" - from aalto "wave"), or from the name of the Ladoga river (now Ladozhka, from the Finnish Alode-joki, where alode, aloe - "low terrain" and jok (k) i - "river").
T. N. Jackson believes that: "by now it can be considered almost proven that first the name of the river arose, then the city and only then the lake"; she considers the primary hydronym Ladoga, from Old Finn. Alode-jogi (joki) "lower river". From the name of the river, the name of the city is derived from Old Norse. Aldeigja, and it was already borrowed by the Slavic population and transformed with the help of the metathesis ald; lad in Old Russian. Ladoga. T.N. Jackson suggests a Scandinavian intermediary between the Finnish and Old Russian words: the Scandinavians first appeared on Ladoga in the early 750s, that is, a couple of decades earlier than the Slavs.
E.A. Khelimsky, on the contrary, offers a Germanic etymology, in his opinion, the name of the lake is primary - from Old Scandal. Aldauga "an old spring like the open sea". This hydronym is associated with the name of the Neva (which flows from Lake Ladoga) in Germanic languages ​​- "new". Through the intermediate form Aldaugja, this word gave OE. Aldeigja "Ladoga (city)".

Summarize:
- Max Vasmer expresses bewilderment: "It is not clear how the name of an insignificant stream could be transferred to the BIG LAKE";
- Aldeigja, Aldeigjuborg - Old Norse names;
- the lake has long been famous for its FISH RESERVES;
- in the Russian language there are no such words-concepts.
Conclusions:
- the name LADOGA should contain information about the BIGGEST lake (quality category, space, size);
- the name must contain information about large fish stocks.

B) Interpretation of names using Hebrew
1) LA + DOGA = LA accessory + ARC, DAG to fish, fish; a fish; "The lake is rich in fish", commercial fishing for salmon, trout, sturgeon and other fish species is carried out at the present time (TSB).
2) LADOGA = A + YEARS (vice versa) = GADAL to be big, GADOL is big; this root forms the concepts: greatness, glory, importance, nobility.
3) Old Norse Aldeigja; AL top, upper lake + ARC fish; or read the word back and forth and select the root: ALDEIGJA = AJ + GIEDLA = GADAL to be big.

Related concepts

Lake Nevo, river Neva
Lake Ladoga (according to the chronicles of Nevo, up to the 13th century) - NIVE open; those. open reservoir; or NAVA to flow out; hence the name of the Neva River - it flows from Ladoga.

The Volkhov River often has a reverse flow, connects two large lakes (Ladoga, Ilmen) - depending on the water level in the lakes it flows in one direction or the other, this fact is noted in the annals: "The Volkhov flows upstream again for 5 days" - record of 1176 (Zhekulin V.S. Historical Geography. M., 1982); "Ide Volkhov reversed the day 5" (PVL, under 1063);
VO + LH + OV = BO (VO root) to come, arrive + LEH to leave + AB main, main (river path).

The Tale of Bygone Years - "Ezera Ilmeria" (Ilmen)
- There is a legend where the Volkhov River appears in the form of Ilmen - a widower; Hebrew - to leave ILMEN a widower, a widow;
- LAKE = AZAR to girdle, the main feature of the lake is a closed reservoir, the banks encircle the lake, in contrast to the river (river) - stripes, RAC stripe;
- lakes Ilmen and Ladoga are connected by the Volkhov river (rapids), where the flow is often the opposite, depending on the water level in the lakes, the name is a direct indication of the mode of navigation and water balance - the inflow is equal to the source: ILMER (Ilmen) = IL (IEL) balanced + M from, from + EPA to connect; IEL balanced, in equilibrium + MEUAN to reinforce. According to V. Dal, Ilmen is a lake into which a river flows into and out of; let's read the name on the contrary - LITTLE = NAMAL port, harbor; those. Novgorod, located 4 km from Lake Ilmen.

Thus, pulling the “tip”, the word-concept LADOGA, we pulled out from the region's toponymy a rich “catch” of the LEXICO of Hebrew, and this can only mean one thing - during the colonization (VIII century) there was a significant JEWISH POPULATION, JEWS WERE ORGANIZERS and ORGANIZERS of trade routes "from the Varangians to the Greeks" and "from the Varangians to the Khazars". All previous Slavic-Finnish, Scandinavian and other etymologies from - EVIL.

Lake Ladoga is the largest freshwater lake in Europe, located in the Leningrad Region and Karelia. The length from north to south is 219 km, the maximum width is 138 km, the depth is from 70 to 260 m in the northern part and from 20 to 70 m in the southern part of the lake. In the northern part of the lake, depths of more than 100 m prevail. The greatest depth is 260 m. Through the Svir River, Ladoga Lake connects with Onega, and across the Volkhov River - with Lake Ilmen. The Neva River is the only one that flows out of Lake Ladoga. 32 rivers flow into it. The higher and steeper the shores of the lake, the greater the depths near them. The northern coast is considered the deepest, where great depths are located directly at the skerries. On the shores of Lake Ladoga are the Karelian cities of Sortavala, Pitkyaranta and Lakhdenpohja.

In the Old Russian chronicles, the present Ladoga Lake is referred to as “Lake Great Nevo” - from the Finnish word nevo, which means “sea”. In the ancient Scandinavian sagas, the lake was called Aldoga - from the Finnish aalto, which means "wave". The name Ladoga Lake has come into use since the beginning of the 18th century.

The water supply in Ladoga is 908 cubic kilometers. This value changes periodically. In the old days, the low water level in Ladoga was often explained by the influence of supernatural forces. According to legend, the water level on Ladoga has been growing for 7 years and falling for 7 years.

The temper of Ladoga is rather harsh, and the waves that arise at the depths and on the surface, for all their seeming harmlessness, are very dangerous. So shipping along Ladoga is a very difficult business. A comparatively calm area of ​​Ladoga is the southern lips, where a 2.5-meter wave occurs only with very strong winds. The quietest month on Ladoga is July. At this time, the lake is mostly calm.

Lake Ladoga is inhabited by trout, salmon, char, whitefish, vendace, pike perch, pike, perch, burbot, bream, roach, smelt, blue bream, silver bream. There are river lampreys, brook lampreys, sterlet, Baltic sturgeon. There are 53 species and varieties of fish in Ladoga. Ladoga salmon weighs 10 kg. Inhabits mainly in the northern, deeper part of Ladoga, spawns in the rivers Svir, Burnaya, Vidlitsa. There is also a palia in the northern part. Whitefish, smelt, perch, roach, pike perch, vendace, bream, pike, salmon, trout, ruff are of commercial importance. The most commercial fish on Ladoga is pike perch. It lives mainly in the southern, shallower part of the lake. Reaches 8 kg of weight.

Ladoga is home to the only representative of marine mammals that lives in a freshwater lake - Ladoga seal... It is listed in the Red Book of Russia. The average lifespan of the Ladoga seal is 30–35 years. In February-March, the seals give birth to 4-kg cubs - one for each female. They dig the "maternity hospital" in the snow hummocks on the ice. When Ladoga is free of ice, animals go out to rest on land and bask in the sun on the coast of the islands of the Valaam archipelago (islands Goliy, Svyatoy, Cherny, Bolshoy Bayonnoy, Pine, Vostochny Pine, Lembos, Extreme, Krestovy, Lisy). I must say that these islands belong to a specially protected area - the natural park "Valaam Archipelago". So you need to get permission to visit them.

Since the 9th century, a waterway “from the Varangians to the Greeks” passed through Lake Ladoga.

During the Great Patriotic War in 1941-1944, most of the coast of Lake Ladoga was occupied by German-Finnish troops. From September 1941 to March 1943, the Road of Life ran along the southwestern part of the lake, linking besieged Leningrad with the "mainland". On the Road of Life, the necessary products and things were delivered to the city and people were evacuated.

Since 2002, the participants in the "Secrets of Sunken Ships" project have been compiling a register of sunken ships and aircraft in Lake Ladoga and the Gulf of Finland. Many sunken objects are fairly well preserved at the bottom of the lake thanks to the cold fresh water.

There are a lot of islands on Ladoga - 500, large and small. And almost all of them are located in the north of the lake. The biggest - Valaam Islands or Valaam archipelago, with coastal slopes steeply descending into the water. The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery is located there. At one time, it was his monks who were sent by the Russian Orthodox Church to spread the Christian faith among the peoples of Alaska. Other large islands are Konevets, Vossinansaari, Heinasensaari, Mantinsaari, Lunkulansaari. The nature of the islands is incredibly beautiful. Small islands are separated from each other by the famous Ladoga skerries - small straits.

On Konevets island situated Konevsky Nativity-Theotokos monastery... The name of the island comes from a boulder weighing more than 750 tons located here - the so-called Horse-stone, which until the end of the XIV century was a place of pagan sacrifices. The monastery was founded in 1393 by the Monk Arseny. There is a church in the name of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the first half of the 19th century. The relics of the Monk Arseny Konevsky rest in it.

There is a city on the Karelian coast of Ladoga Priozersk... There was a Karelian settlement at this place back in the XII century. In 1310, the Novgorodians built the Korelu fortress at the mouth of the Vuoksa river. In 1580 the Swedes took it and renamed it Kexholm. However, in 1710 the fortress passed into the possession of Russia. In the city there is the Korela fortress with the Round Tower built in 1364, a low defensive wall and earthen ramparts, old and new arsenals, fortress gates. There is also the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Church of All Saints, the Lutheran church of 1930.

Town New Ladoga founded in 1704 by Emperor Peter I and is located on the left bank of the Volkhov River, at its confluence with Lake Ladoga. The city has the Nikolo-Medvedsky monastery, the building of the Gostiny Dvor of 1841, the barracks of the former Suzdal regiment (18th century), a monument to A.V. Suvorov, the Staroladozhsky canal (first half of the 18th century).

Famous Shlisselburg, known since Peter's times as Oreshek, is located on the left bank at the source of the Neva River near Lake Ladoga. The city was founded by the Novgorod prince Yuri Danilovich in 1323, who laid a wooden fortress on Oreshek Island. In 1613, the fortress captured by the Swedes was renamed Noteburg. In 1702, it was conquered from the Swedes by Peter I, who gave the city its current name. Among the sights of the city are the Oreshek fortress, the monument to Peter I by the architect M.M. Antokolsky, the Staroladozhsky canal, the Annunciation Cathedral, the Nikolskaya Church.

Near the Osinovets lighthouse there is a museum "The Road of Life", dedicated to the path along which, during the siege of Leningrad, food was brought into the city, and from there people were taken out.

The complex of memorial structures in "Green Belt of Glory of Leningrad" on the borders of the Leningrad battle of 1941-1944 on the Route of Life route that connected Leningrad with the country. The complex includes 7 monuments, 46 memorial pillars along the highway and 56 pillars along the railway. Among them: the memorial complex "Flower of Life" at 3 km of the Road of Life, a locomotive monument at the Ladoga Lake railway station, the memorial complex "Broken Ring" at 40 km of the Road of Life highway, etc.

Important

Rocky terrain and deep water require increased attention and caution, as well as swimming skills. When traveling around Ladoga, it is better to wear life jackets. Here, as in all of Karelia (except for large water), blood-sucking are found. Therefore, open clothing can cause a lot of trouble. Be sure to check yourself after the excursion for ticks. Anti-mosquito and anti-mite agents can help. Vipers are found here, so you need to carefully look under your feet. Windproof clothing will come in handy. Shoes must be waterproof.

In addition, any independent tourist group arriving in Karelia for active recreation must register and receive safety instructions at the Karelian Republican Water Rescue Service, which is located in Petrozavodsk on Onega Flotilla Street, building 43-A. The phone number of this service is (814-2) 73-35-16.

Registration can also be carried out in the administrations of the districts of Karelia, as well as in the search and rescue teams of the rescue service, which are located in Kondopoga - (814-51) 5-10-85, Medvezhyegorsk - (814-34) 2-13-01, Kem - (814-58) 5-68-90 and Sortavala - (814-30) 2-29-13. During the movement along the chosen route, the leader of the group must contact the rescuers by phone at least once a day and report their location. The United Rescue Service can be contacted by phone 01 or cell 112-1.

On the island of Heinäsenmaa, after the end of World War II, experiments were carried out with military radioactive substances, the storage of which served as a captured destroyer. Until 1996, similar experiments were carried out on the island of Konevets. As a result, some of the islands were exposed to radioactive contamination, the permissible concentration of heavy metals in the water was exceeded. The situation is also not improved by large industrial enterprises located on the banks of Ladoga and often lacking treatment facilities.

Local features

Excursions around Ladoga or Ladoga can be ordered in any more or less large city on the lake. Good rest, fishing and hunting is offered by the recreation center "13th cordon", named after the popular film "Peculiarities of the national hunting". There are water, walking and cycling routes.

The climate here is mild, rather humid, closer to the sea. The winters are cool, but without severe frosts. Summer is not hot at all. The average temperature in January is -12 °, in July + 15 °. Ice binds Ladoga usually from late October to early May, while the central part of the lake is covered with ice only in severe winters. Due to the long and strong winter cooling, the water in the lake remains very cold in summer, warming up only in the upper layer and near the coast. The quietest month on Ladoga is July. At this time, the lake is mostly calm. You can come to Ladoga at any time of the year - depending on the purpose of your trip.

Events and Holidays

For more than 10 years, the Ladoga trophy-raid off-road race has been held around Lake Ladoga every year. This international sports and tourism event starts and finishes in St. Petersburg. The length of the raid is about 1200 kilometers

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Due to the beautiful unique natural views and rich history, the attractions of Lake Ladoga attract a large number of tourists every year. Lake Ladoga is the largest in Europe. It was along it that the Road of Life passed, which saved Leningraders during the blockade.

• The lake is located in two regions at once - in the republic and the Leningrad region.
• Lake Ladoga is the second largest lake in Russia after Lake Baikal and the largest in Europe.
• The maximum depth of the lake is 220 meters.
• 35 rivers flow into Lake Ladoga, the largest of them are Svir, Vuoksa, Volkhov. Only one river flows out - the Neva.
• There are 660 islands on the lake, the most famous of them is Valaam, where the monastery is located.
• Ladoga is a very restless lake, strong storms are frequent here, therefore, for navigation, first the Staroladozhsky and later Novaya Ladoga canals were built, stretching from Shlisselburg to Novaya Ladoga.
• From September 12, 1941 to March 1943, the Road of Life ran along Lake Ladoga - the only transport highway connecting besieged Leningrad with the country.

Lake Ladoga on the map

Lake Ladoga is restless and stormy, huge and deep. On its banks there are cities: Shlisselburg, Priozersk, Novaya Ladoga (Leningrad Region), Sortavala, Lakhdenpohja (Karelia). The sights of Lake Ladoga are beautiful nature, ancient fortress cities and monasteries, national natural parks, as well as the Road of Life memorial and the Green Belt of Glory.

It was once called the Venice of the North because of the canals built here for shipping, as an alternative to the capricious and stormy Lake Ladoga. Now the Staroladozhsky canal, created according to the plan of Peter I, is abandoned, dried up and overgrown, the sluices are dilapidated. The Novaya Ladoga Canal, built under Alexander II to replace the shallow Star Ladoga Canal, continues to be used.

Shlisselburg is surrounded by Lake Ladoga and the Neva River flowing from it. During the Great Patriotic War, it was captured by the Germans (September 8, 1941) - the front passed along the Neva River, Soviet troops were located on the opposite bank. The time of the occupation of Shlisselburg is the blockade of Leningrad, which was broken with the liberation of the city - Operation Iskra. Not far from Shlisselburg there is a museum-reserve "Breaking the Siege of Leningrad", dedicated to this event. There is a diorama and panorama that immerse you in the atmosphere of January 1943.

About 300 meters from the shore of Shlisselburg is the Orekhovy Island, on which the heroic one is located. Built back in 1323 by Novgorodians, it has an important strategic location - at the source of the Neva, at the entrance to Ladoga. It was captured by the Swedes, but 90 years later it was returned by the army of Peter I, who named it Shlisselburg (the city-key from German).

The Shlisselburg Fortress was turned into a terrible prison for political prisoners. The fortress on the island, located not far from St. Petersburg, was a convenient dungeon for the enemies of the emperor or empress. Here the overthrown infant sovereign John Antonovich languished for 8 years, until he was stabbed to death by the jailers while trying to free him. People's will, participants in the attempt on the life of Alexander II and Alexander III and other high officials, served their sentences here.

Memorial "Oath" in the ruins of St. John's Cathedral

Oreshek again earned the military glory of the fortress-hero during the Great Patriotic War. The garrison of the fortress heroically defended the Road of Life and the right bank of the Neva for almost 500 days. The Germans subjected the ancient fortress to constant artillery and mortar shelling, but they could not capture it. Nutlet was almost completely destroyed; after the war, only a small part of its buildings were restored. Now there is a branch of the Museum of the History of St. Petersburg.

A small Karelian town on the banks of Ladoga is located not far from the tourist town of Sortavala. Here you can go to the War Museum "Owl Mountain", located in the rock and admire the Finnish churches.

It is located on the shores of Lake Ladoga and is divided by Lake Läppäjärvi into two parts, connected by the Karelian bridge. Sortavala is called a small architectural encyclopedia; about 200 buildings of various styles have been preserved here, built from the end of the 20th century to 1939 by Finnish architects. The pride of the city is the museum of Kronid Gogolev, with its unique works - paintings carved from wood.

Near Sortavala there is a former marble quarry, and now the Ruskeala Mountain Park is one of the most popular places in the Republic of Karelia. There are also Ruskeala waterfalls - low, but very picturesque. From the Sortavala pier there are motor ships to the island of Valaam.

In the northern part of the lake there is the Valaam archipelago, which includes 50 islands. The largest of them is. The sights of Lake Ladoga on Valaam Island attract many travelers every year. These are the Valaam Monastery, Gethsemane, Nikolsky, Vladimirsky, Ilyinsky and other sketes. And also the stunning northern nature of the island, praised by many famous artists.

The city of Novaya Ladoga is located at the mouth of the Volkhov River. In 1702, Peter the Great ordered to enclose the land of the Nikolsko-Medvedsky monastery with a moat, and at the place where the Volkhov flows into Lake Ladoga to create the Novoladozhskaya shipyard. Two years later, Novaya Ladoga was founded on this site.

The city is rich in attractions, including cultural heritage sites. This is the ensemble of the Church of St. John the Evangelist, the Memorial to the Heroes of Ladoga, Gostiny Dvor and so on.

Priozersk is a city between Lake Ladoga and Lake Vuoksa. Located 145 kilometers from St. Petersburg. There are many cultural values ​​in this area that attract tourists from all over the world. For example, the Old Fortress, which has been repeatedly assaulted and attacked. People interested in faith will find it interesting to visit the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary or the Lutheran Church. Also in the city there are monuments to Mowgli and Peter the Great.

Korela Fortress is a stone fortress located in the city of Priozersk; it played a significant role for the Karelian Isthmus. In the Middle Ages Korela was the most northwestern city of Russia. In the late XIII - early XIV centuries, this fortress was built with the aim of defending the state from the Swedes. It was originally wooden, but after a fire in 1310, stone buildings appeared.

For a century (1611-1710) the fortress belonged to Sweden and bore the name of Kexholm. It was possible to return it during the Northern War. Now it is in a partially destroyed state.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Road of Life was the only transport route to Leningrad. Food, medicines, weapons were transported to the city along it, people who were exhausted from hunger were evacuated from the city.

In winter, when Lake Ladoga froze over, the road became icy, and the cargo was transported to Leningrad on the famous lorries. Despite the severe frosts, the drivers did not close the car door or even removed it in order to have time to jump out if the car went under the ice. This can be clearly seen from the surviving photographs.

Monuments installed on the Road of Life are included in the Green Belt of Glory.

Green Belt of Glory

Broken ring

The Green Belt of Glory is a memorial complex erected in 1965-1968 in memory of the people who defended Leningrad during its blockade in 1941-1944.It was initiated by Mikhail Dudin, a Soviet poet, and was designed by a group of architects led by G.N. Buldakov. The belt is located exactly where the enemy was stopped in those dark days.

The complex was built using the folk method: with the help of residents and Leningrad organizations. 200 kilometers - this is the length of this attraction, which consists of two blockade rings - Small and Big.

Konevsky Nativity-Theotokos monastery is an Orthodox monastery located on the island of Konevets and founded by Arseny Konevsky (reverend) with the aim of converting Karelians to Christianity. It is often called the twin of the Valaam monastery located on the island of Valaam. Every year tourists interested in culture and religion, and simply believers flock here.

The lake is surrounded by many cities of historical importance, but the attractions of Lake Ladoga are not limited only to culturally important cities. So, on the territory of Ladoga, there is now the Nizhne-Svirsky state nature reserve for waterfowl, as a place for their nesting. Refers to wetlands. 256 species of various birds have been recorded on the territory.

In addition to them, a variety of plants, reptiles and even large mammals live here: brown bears, moose. It is also home to birds listed in the Red Book: osprey, black stork, howling and other birds.