Kizhi Island

Russia’s Peasant Heritage                                    

By Bobbie Green

St Petersburg and Moscow are not the only great places in Russia to visit. Situated in the north-west region of Lake Onega is Kizhi Island, home to an outdoor museum of fascinating edifices of northern wooden architecture. Typical non-city life is displayed here past and present. About 50 people live here year round through the unmerciful winter, when the temperature drops to 35 & 40 degrees below zero.

What a visitors delight come summer, the beautiful island welcomes visitors to explore Russian life. The tranquil island itself has a calming effect making one almost reluctant to leave it. Officially it is called the State Historical, Architectural and Ethnographic Preserve of Kizhi. Original structures were brought here from the northern Onega region to illustrate the common styles of architecture. The island is small and narrow, measuring approximately 6 kilometers by 1 kilometer and visitors can leisurely walk around the paths visiting all the buildings. One of the main attractions located there is the Transfiguration Cathedral built in 1714. Thirty thousand shingles, made of aspen wood, on twenty-two separate cupolas (domes) on five tents compose the ascending nest. The aspen wood reflects a myriad of hues changing the color of the cupolas depending on the light. A spectacular sight and hard to believe it was done with wood. Of course as usual with most Russian Cathedrals it is too big to use in winter (heat) so of course the smaller winter church is next door, it too filled with Icons and frescos. Close by sits a fireboat to protect the cathedral even through the winter months.

In 1951 the Oshevnev’s house was moved to the island, this was the beginning of the open-air museum of history and architecture.

One can visit the large wooden house, a typical family home for approximately 15 people. The house living area is upstairs on the second level. It has a large room for the family to use as a kitchen with table and work area for the women. The large wood burning heater/oven served two room and beds were made on and around it, with the eldest getting the warmest places. The families’ most prized possessions, best china, etc, were kept in the second room or guest bedroom. The third room is an enormous room used all winter to house their boats and sleds, tools and other large items they needed. It was used all winter as a work room for all. They grew all their food during the summer months and stored it for the winter. There is a huge barn type door to the outside with a ramp used to haul up the large equipment and livestock to walk on. The live stock was kept indoors on the ground level of the house. These homes each housed one huge close knit family together inside for approximately five month of each year. There was always a bath house located away from the main house. There the people could bath take a sauna, even in the winter.

Each village had a wooden bell tower used for communication, a windmill for grinding the grain. Kizhi has full time bell ringers who researched and now perform traditional methods of chiming. The bell tower of Kizhi Pogost has 14 bells and the Archangel Michael chapel has 8. The chiming is performed every day for guest during the summer months. Visitors will find craftsman there exhibiting the different artistic work accomplished during the long winter months by the Russian peasants like the detailed paintings, woodcarving and weaving.

Visiting this island shows the life of the people not living in the cities during the era of the Czars until now, the detailed buildings display the skilled craftsmanship of the Russian people and maybe how they honed it through the long winters.

The River Cruise Tours bring their guest here to learn about the Russian Life, the Hydrofoil Ferry boats from Petrozavodsk on the mainland also bring locals and tourist to the island. Kizhi Pogost was declared to be a state reserve in 1945. It is now on the Heritage List of UNESCO. While in Russia it is definitely a worthwhile side trip. If you are not on a guided tour audio guides are available in English.