1941 year. Finnish pilot L. Saxell goes on a mission - he must bomb the island of Kizhi, which, according to the command, is used by the Soviet troops as a base for fire control. But the young man saw from a height the wonderful wooden temples - and could not bring himself to drop the bombs. One can argue whether beauty is capable of saving the world, but in this case the architectural ensemble of the Kizhi churchyard was definitely saved by its own beauty.
The architectural ensemble Kizhi Pogost, located on the island of Kizhi (Lake Onega), is remarkable not only for its beauty. The historical and architectural reserve that exists on the island is unmatched in terms of the number of historical examples of wooden architecture.
The peculiarity of the wooden structures assembled on the island is that they can be disassembled, transported and reassembled, which was done, because not all exhibits were originally built on the island.
Transfiguration Church
Perhaps the most remarkable object on the island of Kizhi can be considered the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, built in 1714. History has not preserved the name of its creator, but folk legend says that it was a carpenter named Nestor. It is said that he built a church with the only tool - an ax, without a single nail, and then threw the ax into Lake Onega, saying: "There was no, no, and never will be!"
It is difficult to disagree with Nestor's words: the Transfiguration Church is truly one of a kind. From a distance, the silhouette of the temple seems to be pyramidal, but close up it becomes clear that the "pyramid" is formed by many domes arranged in a certain order.
22 domes are arranged in 5 tiers. They differ from each other in size, so the composition seems unusually bizarre, "alive" - as if in constant motion. The domes, covered with aspen ploughshare, seem to change color under different lighting conditions: in sunny weather they sparkle with gold, on a cloudy day they seem silvery, and in the rays of the setting sun they are cast crimson.
Other attractions
50 years after the Transfiguration Church, the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin was built. The uniqueness of this church is that instead of the tent, which its construction suggests, it is crowned with 9 domes. Thanks to this, it is in great harmony with the Church of the Transfiguration.
The ensemble is complemented by a tent-roofed bell tower, built in 1862. It is remarkable for the combination of the traditions of Russian wooden architecture with some features of urban stone architecture: the arched form of windows, the design of paneled doors in the form of high portals. We can say that the bell tower clearly shows the development of Russian architecture.
On the territory of the museum-reserve there are other wooden buildings: chapels, peasant houses, baths, barns and other outbuildings. In every house, you can truly immerse yourself in the life of Russian peasants, seeing old tools, household utensils, icons.
It is impossible to tell in detail about each house, about each chapel. You need to come to Kizhi Island to see all its wonders and feel the special atmosphere of “living history”.
