home Bream Karst caves in Karelia. Mountain park and marble canyon Ruskeala in Karelia: photos, how to get there, map, where to stay in the Sortavala hotel

Karst caves in Karelia. Mountain park and marble canyon Ruskeala in Karelia: photos, how to get there, map, where to stay in the Sortavala hotel

Last year alone, forests were restored on more than 900 thousand hectares in Russia. In total, almost 80 million trees were planted as part of large-scale environmental campaigns. Vladimir Putin spoke about the importance of nature conservation in his address to the Federal Assembly.

The President set the task of achieving high environmental performance throughout the country. The quality of people's lives depends on them. The preservation of unique natural systems and the creation of new reserves will also help the development of ecotourism.

A good example of how abandoned objects find a second life is in Karelia. There, they are putting in order a marble deposit, from which they began to extract stone for the main construction projects of the country back in the 18th century. Now life is in full swing in the mines again - tourists are taken through them.

Where a century ago loaded trolleys rumbled, the silence is now broken only by the timid steps of tourists and the murmur of spring waters. A journey into the depths of the marble mountain through an adit, the walls of which breathe history.

The same Karelian marble that Russian emperors valued so much. It was used to cover the famous St. Isaac's Cathedral, and it was used to lay out the floors of Kazan Cathedral. The path of Ruskeala marble leads to palaces and metro stations in St. Petersburg. But in the twentieth century, the careers of the times of Catherine II were abandoned. And only in the 2000s speleologists came here to revive history.

“More recently, we would not have been able to go further, there was a huge blockage here, with a volume of more than a hundred cubic meters, and we had to start dismantling it manually,” said Anton Yushko, chairman of the eco-efficient tourism commission of the Leningrad branch of the Russian Geographical Society.

Hundreds of meters of dark underground lead to the Great Columned Hall. The further path is only along special floating paths. Once upon a time marble was removed from here through adits, now it is a gigantic half-flooded cave.

The route under the marble vaults of the dungeon is like a journey into a fairy tale. Here the reflection of the water surface shimmers with the northern lights, through which the outlines of marble columns are visible. Waterfalls of groundwater fall from above, and where part of the cave ceiling once collapsed, snow now lies like a fluffy carpet.

“You get such emotions, you are distracted from everything, you focus on the sound of the water, the lighting. Even the fact that we are wearing helmets and life jackets is already unusual,” Oleg Vakulov, a tourist from Finland, shared his impressions.

And also the cave of the mountain king or the kingdom of the snow queen, which is just what tourists imagine. Entire legends are made up about the place where the normal development of the field was carried out.

“The story is about Kolchak’s gold, which supposedly lies at the bottom here. There was even such a story. We haven’t found the treasure yet, but what we see is also a kind of treasure - a message from the past, and our task is to preserve it all,” emphasized Anton Yushko, chairman of the eco-efficient tourism commission of the Leningrad branch of the Russian Geographical Society.

Scientists plan to set up an underground laboratory in marble adits. Hydrologists and geologists will study the caves. But no one still knows how many there are in total. The secrets of the Ruskeala deposit are hidden under water.

The depth of the underground lake is about 13 meters, and, as researchers assure, there are three more lower levels below us. The tunnel system goes deep into the earth at least 40 meters, but it is impossible to get to them: all entrances are either flooded or littered with fragments of stone.

Every year divers try to look into the depths. But no one has yet been able to get to the very bottom of the deposit. But from above, abandoned marble quarries are already living a new life; concerts are regularly held here. Italian opera or piano: in the canyon, instead of the roar of drilling equipment, music now sounds in these mysterious places.

A mountain park, a marble quarry and canyon, a recreation center, a system of underground caves and adits - all this and much more is located in the village of Ruskeala, Sortavala district of the Republic of Karelia.

Ruskeala is one of the most spectacular and beautiful sights of Karelia. Here you can visit mysterious grottoes, admire the colorful tints of marble walls, and enjoy views of nature from observation platforms.

The main attraction of the park is the marble canyon. It was flooded long ago and the water in it is of a magnificent emerald color, which, in combination with snow-white rocks, gives rise to an incredibly picturesque image that attracts the eye. A walk through the marble canyon gives an unforgettable and pleasant feeling of calm, harmony and aesthetic pleasure. I want to stop time to admire and marvel at this miracle of nature.

History of the Ruskeala marble quarry.

Even before the start of the Northern War, Ruskel marble was mined by the Swedes for personal needs. In 1766, a certain Samuel Alopeus drew the attention of the Russian authorities to local marble. And now, since 1768, in Ruskeala, by decree of Catherine II, active mining of marble stone began for the construction of palaces and cathedrals in St. Petersburg. Ruskeala marble was used in the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral, for cladding the Marble Palace and the Hermitage, and for laying floors in the Kazan Cathedral. Ruskeala marble was also used in the construction of palaces in Pushkin, Pavlovsk and Strelna.

In 1854, active marble mining ceased. Ruskeala marble began to be burned into lime and broken into crushed stone; beautiful marble that was not used for decorative purposes was simply destroyed.

Since 1898, the marble deposit was leased by the Finns, but they also used marble in the form of crushed stone.

During the war with Finland, the marble quarries were flooded. According to some sources, this was done by the Finns themselves; according to others, the rock was damaged by prolonged blasting operations and, after Soviet air raids, could not withstand it and gave way to the water of the Tohmajoki River, which flows nearby.

In Soviet times, marble mining resumed, but by the 1970s the rocks were so damaged that large-scale work had to be stopped. However, marble was still used; it was used to line the Ladozhskaya and Primorskaya stations of the St. Petersburg metro, and was also turned into lime and crushed stone at a plant located nearby.

Since 2002, the fate of the flooded marble quarry has changed dramatically - it has turned into a tourist attraction in Karelia.

Today, Ruskeala marble can also be seen in the cladding of some buildings in Helsinki and Sortavala.

Ruskeala Mountain ParkToday.

Even before entering the mountain park, visitors can enjoy a variety of services and entertainment. The park has a large guarded parking lot, many souvenir shops in the form of traditional Russian huts, and even a small amusement park. There is also a cafe with a charcoal kitchen, where every hungry tourist will be happy to have a tasty meal.

Having bought a ticket and passing through a beautiful carved arch, you will find well-groomed paths around the canyon lined with Ruskeala marble, many benches from which you can enjoy a stunning view of the canyon itself. Following further along the marble paths, you find yourself in an old marble adit, which goes deeper into the rocks for more than 200 meters. There is a cool atmosphere all year round, and there is ice in the depths.

Continuing further, you will notice a path going off to the right. It leads to the Ruskeala failure. This is a wonderful place, located underground, where ice lies all year round, regardless of the temperature outside. The entrance there was formed during the Finnish War, when the rock, which could not withstand the bombing, collapsed. However, it will not be possible to go down there without special equipment and experience, but by special agreement with the administration, the descent can be organized. At the moment, plans for the development of the Ruskeala Mountain Park include an item for the improvement of the Ruskeala failure. It is planned not only to organize a convenient entrance for everyone, but also an underground skating rink, and even a cinema in one of the caves.

In summer you can go boating along the marble canyon. However, on weekends, when there are the greatest number of visitors to the canyon, in order to rent a boat for an hour, you need to sign up in a queue. But it's worth it. The purest, green water can be seen 15-18 meters deep.

For thrill-seekers, the park offers several breathtaking attractions:

Cliff Jump. You are given the opportunity to jump with a safety net from the cliff of a marble canyon. The free fall height is 8 meters from a height of 24 meters. A storm of positive emotions and impressions is guaranteed.
Passage through the canyon on a rope bridge. At a height of more than 24 meters, there are three ropes: you have to walk along one, and hold on to the other two. In real mountaineering, only two ropes are used, but here you don’t need to have special skills or experience to get through. Everyone can test their strength and get a sea of unforgettable emotions.
Trolls. A cable is stretched across the entire canyon from one of the highest points of the marble quarry to one of the lowest. Splashes of water, wind and breathtaking speed, as well as the opportunity to feel like a special forces soldier overcoming a gorge in the mountains - this is what attracts tourists to this attraction.

Diving enthusiasts also have the opportunity to dive into the waters of the marble canyon and enjoy views hidden from the eyes of ordinary people.

When night falls on the mountain park, the entire marble quarry is illuminated by many multi-colored spotlights, which creates a magnificent, bewitching and admiring view.

Opening hours of the Ruskeala Mountain Park, services and prices.

Marble Park is open in summer from 9 am to midnight, in autumn and spring from 10 am to 9 pm, in winter from 10 am to 7 pm on weekdays, and on Friday and Saturday until 10 pm.

Prices:

Admission is 150 rubles full, 100 rubles for students, 50 for schoolchildren, and free entry for children under 7 years old.
Boat trip (1 boat/1 hour) – 250 rubles.
Excursion (short route, group from 4 to 25 people) – 250 rubles for adults, 80 rubles for school and 150 rubles for students. Children under 7 years old are free.
Excursion (long route, group from 4 to 25 people) – 350 rubles for adults, 80 rubles for school and 150 rubles for students. Children under 7 years old are free.
Translator services are provided for foreign citizens - 100 rubles per person.
Cliff jump – 350 rubles.
Walking along the rope bridge costs 350 rubles.
Trolley ride – 600 rubles

* prices are based on data from June 2013.

Every year the popularity of this place is growing more and more. Excursions and tours from all over Karelia, Leningrad region and Finland are organized here. Karelia, the marble canyon, picturesque mountains and forests, architectural monuments - these places seem to have been created so that everyone can appreciate the splendor of northern nature. The bizarre shapes, mysterious caves and dungeons will take your breath away. And the impressions received remain in the memory for a long time and are difficult to describe in words, because it is not enough to talk about this, it is worth seeing.

How to get to the marble quarry:

The Ruskeala quarry is located 25 km from the Karelian city of Sortavala. From the Sortavala – Pryazha highway, after passing the village of Helyulya, you need to turn left following the sign for Vyartsel. After driving and visiting the wonderful waterfalls on the Tohmajoki River, after 400 meters turn left into the second turn.

Read a detailed plan of how and what you can use to get to the marble quarry with photographs and a mark on the map.

Caves in the Leningrad region A4 Karelia there are, but most of them are man-made. Previously, tons of sand were mined there and glass was processed in factories. That's it now quarries abandoned and in decline. But this does not stop desperate seekers of travel and extreme recreation from coming and exploring the mysterious dungeons.

Unexplored passages, narrow tunnels, flocks bats, dampness, layers of earth rocks and dim candlelight - there is a certain romance in this. If you are not afraid of confined spaces and want to feel like a pioneer speleologist, then we have collected for you the most complete list of caves Leningrad region (Len. region).

Getting to the caves of the Leningrad region, real natural caves of Karelia or nearby areas is not difficult; many quarries are located within a couple of hours drive from St. Petersburg. And if you don’t know how to get to the caves, the map on our website will help you. Detailed map of caves, addresses, photos, descriptions and history of places. These and other beautiful places in the Leningrad region are here.

Sablinskie caves

Sablinskie caves in Tosnensky district Leningrad region, perhaps the most popular in the St. Petersburg region. They are in great demand due to their proximity to St. Petersburg and these are almost the only caves to which excursions are officially held.

On paid excursions to Sablinsky caves They will show you the largest in the Leningrad region"Left Bank Cave", which preserves traces of the Ice Age. You will see real bats, sleeping butterflies, a large underground lake and even the remains of fossils, shells and other marine life, because millions of years ago there was a seabed here!

But the caves in Sablino are not only excursions for tourists. There are many more wild, interesting and absolutely free quarries. Of course, visiting the Sablinsky caves of the Tosnensky district without an experienced guide is quite a dangerous activity, but this does not stop almost anyone. The caves in Sablino are not deep (only 30-50 meters) and anyone can find a way out.

Find out more about information about the Sablinsky caves and waterfalls, the official website, prices for visiting, history, look at photos or find out how to get to the Sablinsky caves, we will show you the way on the map, you can see all this.

Leningrad region, village Ulyanovka, railway station "Sablino"

Visit from 250 rub.

Marble Canyon

Marble Cavesin Karelia located in mountain park "Ruskeala". These are some of the most beautiful and largest caves in Karelia. In summer you can only get to them by water by boat, and in winter you can walk.

Marble Canyon in Ruskeala It is famous, in addition to its huge waterfalls and rocks, for its underwater caves, sinkholes, mines and abandoned adits. After all, marble has been mined here on a large scale since the end of the 17th century. (it was from Ruasquel marble that they builtSt. Isaac's Cathedral and many metro stations). Now work in the adits has stopped, but everything is well maintained and safe. You can get inside and explore the caves of the Ruskeala marble canyon either on an excursion with an instructor or on your own.

You don’t know how to get to the Marble Canyon, all the coordinates are indicated on the map). From St. Petersburg the journey will take 4-5 hours.

Karelia, pos. Ruskeala, 25 km. from Sortavala

Visit from 0 to 200 rub.

Oredezhsky caves (Borshchevsky)

Borshchevsky caves(they are also called Oredezh caves, because they are located near the Oredezh River) is a network of artificial caves formed as a result of the extraction of quartz sand for the Tarkovich glass factory.

Previously, the lengths of the passages of the Borshchevsky caves reached 15 km., but are now almost completely filled up. There are only 2 entrances left, the depth of the caves reaches no more than 500 meters. The width of the underground corridors can be up to 4 meters, due to the fact that sand mining was carried out by peasants who did not follow the rules of mining and drove into the adits directly on carts with horses.

Get to the Oredezhsky caves (direction map indicated ) is not difficult, just drive to the final station Oredezh and walk 5 km. on foot.

Leningrad region, pos. Oredezh

Tanechkina cave

One of the main attractions Staraya Ladoga- these are caves on the banks of the Volkhov River. There are several of them here (Staroladoga Cave, Malyshka), but longest cave Leningrad region, and it is also located in Staraya Ladoga - Tanechkina cave. The length of its underground corridors reaches 7.5 km, but despite this, it is not very popular, unlike the Sablinsky caves. Many passages are blocked, and in the northern part there is a real underground lake!

Lives in Tanechkina Cave largest colonybats in the north-west of Russia, here they are more than 400 individuals!

Leningrad region, Staraya Ladoga, bank of the Volkhov River, 1 km. from Oleg's Kurgan

Caves in Rozhdestveno

Natural karst caves in Rozhdestveno on the banks of the Gryazna River in the Leningrad Region can be seen on the territory museum-estate of V.V. Nabokov. They are only 20 meters long, but a beautiful cliff of red sand, a forest river and a small waterfall are worth coming to Rozhdestveno. In one of the caves it beats spring water source, stock up on a bottle to take clean water home.

Getting to the caves in Rozhdestveno is very easy. Just go through the parking lot next to the estate and walk along the ancient alley to the end and turn left.

Leningrad region, Gatchina district, village. Rozhdestveno

Dolozhskaya cave

Dolozhskaya cave in Slantsy- the second largest in the Leningrad region. According to legend, in the 18th century a hermit lived here, who died here. And in 1908, a monastery was established there at the Porechen women's community. In 1900, a church was erected on the site, which was completely destroyed during wartime.

Now a spring with a holy spring flows from inside, and at the end of the cave there is a miraculous icon of the 16th century.

Leningrad region, Slates

This underground cave has become, which has an absolutely unromantic name "Failure", or Hall of the Mountain King(which, you see, is much better :)). You can only get there in a completely extreme way - on the trolls with your back backwards. Therefore, most of the representatives of the female team came down screaming and squeaking - well, I, perhaps, surpassed everyone in this :)

Anyone can go down there, although only in winter and during the off-season, until the ice, which hides 30 meters of water column, has melted. You could also go ice skating down there, which some in our group took advantage of.

The impression from the cave is breathtaking. Although, perhaps, the descent took my breath away, and then my breathing was poorly restored. But I definitely recommend overcoming your fear and going down there, because illuminated at the same time by natural light and candles, the cave is mesmerizing.

From above it looks like a huge hole in the ground.

Here is such a huge hole, into which there is only one way - along cables.

After the descent.

When you know that there are 30 meters of water below you, the feeling of walking under the arches of this cave takes on a special flavor.

There are many ice sculptures here.

And just ice cubes.

In the far corners of the cave, constantly dripping water “gave birth” to ice stalagmites.

You can look at the ice texture and patterns created by nature for a very long time.

This photo doesn't let us forget that the bulk of the people on the trip are photographers. Therefore, our skaters who skated “for the camera” were very unlucky - they were forced to skate in a separately selected place again, and again, and again...

And Tanya takes pictures of photographers when they take pictures of her.

Illuminated stalagmites.

Ruskeala in the Republic of Karelia is the name of a large tourist complex.

Its name comes from the nearby village of the same name.

Another landmark can be the Tokhmayoka River, on the banks of which it is located. Contrary to popular misconceptions, Ruskeala is not a granite quarry or a nature reserve. Wikipedia says that this is a mountain park.

In contact with

Marble Canyon Ruskeala (Karelia, Russia) - description

The main attraction of this place is the Marble Canyon, which is now about 500 meters long and 100 meters wide, and reaches a depth of 50 meters. All its walls are dissected complexes of white marble. Once upon a time, its entire territory was penetrated by a whole network of mines, drifts and adits, the total length of which is several kilometers.

Now the main quarry and most of it are flooded, and the once industrial site has become an amazing place created by the joint efforts of man and nature.

Abandoned quarries were discovered by S. Alopeus, a local pastor and local historian. Active development began in 1765, during the reign of Catherine II. Since such work was rarely carried out in Russia, initially the “stone work” was carried out under the leadership of the Italians. Stone mining began quickly, since at that moment several large buildings were being erected in the country at once.

At that time, more than 500 people were working in the quarries. At that time, marble rock was found here mainly in 4 colors: gray with a green tint, white with blue and gray tints, gray with an ash tone and white with gray veins.

St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg

Marble from the Ruskeala quarries was used as a finishing material for such famous buildings as:

Saint Isaac's Cathedral;
Mikhailovsky Castle;
in the Kazan Cathedral the floors were laid with it;
in the Hermitage and the Marble Palace he made window sills;
in the twentieth century, Karelian marble was also used to decorate the Ladozhskaya and Primorskaya metro stations in St. Petersburg.

In 1846, a processing plant was built and a process for producing lime was organized. At this time, the number of workers at the quarries increased to 800 people. During wartime, from 1939 to 1947, no mining was carried out. Resumed production did not stop until the 1990s, but on a much smaller scale.

But after the end of mining and the flooding of the main quarry with groundwater, it was not forgotten. In 1998, the Marble Canyon was designated as a cultural heritage site and taken under state protection. Since 1999, it has been part of the international tourist route called the Blue Road.

It is worth noting: in 2005, with the active participation of local entrepreneurs, work was carried out to create an entire tourist complex, and in just 10 years of work it became very famous.

Marble quarry and waterfalls

The flooded quarry is an unusual and beautiful place. Marble cliffs rising above the water, surrounded by dense forest, look very picturesque. You can explore them on your own, without resorting to the services of guides.

It is worth noting that the water here is of an unusual shade. Perhaps this is due to the marble bottom. The water can be seen to a depth of 15 meters.

The area around is equipped for a comfortable stay in the park, and various options for spending time are also organized. For example, boat tours are very popular. During boat rides, you can personally observe pieces of marble peeking out of the water and look into numerous grottoes.

Hiking is no less popular, allowing you to enjoy views not only of the canyon, but also of the surrounding area.

For convenience, several observation platforms have been installed along the perimeter of the quarry, which allow you to take the most advantageous positions for photos. Here you can find brief information about the attraction and famous people who visited it.

For especially daring fans of cable cars, bungee jumping and rope jumping, cables are stretched over the water surface of Marmara Lake. Another feature of the quarry is the unusual colored lighting, which you can look at in the evening. It is used both in the canyon itself and in some grottoes and caves.

The lights on the marble cliffs look very impressive.

In winter, you can ride a dog sled pulled by huskies. They will take adults and children on the ice of the Marble Canyon itself.

A must-visit is the Ruskeala or Tokhmin waterfalls. They are not very tall or spectacular, but, nevertheless, very picturesque. The height of the largest one located here is no more than 4 meters.

The area is especially famous for several films that were filmed here and in the surrounding area. One of them is “And the Dawns Here Are Quiet,” in which the heroine dived from one of these waterfalls. What remains of the film is a small museum.

Local adits, which are nothing more than through holes in the rock, are also popular with tourists. They can be either vertical or horizontal. However, almost all of them were flooded long ago by the Finns in 1939, except for one, which was later equipped for tourists to visit.

Once upon a time, a special marble was mined here, which was used to obtain lime. Trolleys were used to transport material from here. Due to the special microclimate (it is always damp here), water drips from the ceiling, and snow can be found even in summer.

Another place where adits have been preserved is the Ruskeala Gap. On the ground it is marked with a sign “Underground Lake”, and all because the hole is now flooded. The collapse itself occurred in the 60s - then blasting was actively used to extract rock, which led to the formation of cracks in the mountain range. So one day, the roof of the cave simply collapsed.

It is a round hole in the ground and has a fence. To get down, a special system of ropes was built. At the bottom there are special bridges for passage deep into the caves.

Note: In winter, visitors go straight down onto the ice and skate.

The so-called Italian Canyon is also interesting to visit. Not long ago, the Italians decided to mine marble here, but it didn’t work out. It turned out that the high-quality material lies very deep, but that located on the surface is very fragile and is not at all suitable as a finish. The extraction of deep-seated marble costs a lot of effort and money, which is not entirely justified.

However, in the Italian quarry one can observe a fundamentally different approach to mining using special saws. From the development that began, huge sections of rock remain, which allow you to admire the cross-section of marble in natural conditions.

A place that not many tourists go to is an abandoned marble and lime factory. Despite its lesser fame in the park, it is of great interest. Built by the Finns in 1896, it was intended for the production of lime. To do this, calcite marble was fired in special kilns, of which there were originally three. Later, production expanded: 3 more kilns were built and they began to produce facing stones, as well as marble chips. It closed completely in the 1990s.

Now you can wander around here and take a good look at everything. All the buildings, furnaces and even the iron tracks that were used to transport the rock to the processing site are well preserved.

Official website of the recreation center

All necessary information (opening hours, cost of services and much more) about the Ruskeala marble canyon (Karelia, Russia) can be found on the official website of the complex - http://ruskeala.info/ru. Due to the proximity of Finland and other European countries, foreign tourists also come here, so the site can be viewed in three languages. Here you can find all the relevant information about accommodation options, costs and additional services. Before visiting the park, you can find out about possible tours and excursions, and also book accommodation if necessary.

Address

Marble Canyon Ruskeala is located at the address: Republic of Karelia, Sortavala, next to the village of the same name Ruskeala.

How to get there

You can get to the Ruskeala Mountain Park in several ways, leaving from St. Petersburg or.

From St. Petersburg There are 2 options, and the whole journey is about 300 kilometers:

In a personal car, from St. Petersburg you should travel along the federal highway A129, along Priozerskoye Highway. Having reached the city of Sortavala, we continue moving towards Petrozavodsk. Soon you will need to turn onto the A-130 highway, to the village of Vyartsilya, and from there to Ruskeala.
By train "St. Petersburg - Kostomuksha", which departs from the Ladozhsky station, to the city of Sortavala. It is worth checking the schedule in advance, since the train does not run on this route every day. There is a regular bus from Sortavala to the village of Ruskeala.

From Petrozavodsk:

By private car we move along the P21 highway, through Kolatselga. The distance is about 250 km. Seeing the turn to the village of Vyartsilya, we turn. From there we move to Ruskeala village.
By train Petrozavodsk - Sortavala we reach the final city, and from there by regular bus to our destination.

Take note: It is most convenient to travel to the park by private car, since the attraction is located next to a village where public transport is not very developed.

Another convenient option is to order a group excursion, and then the trip will be organized from St. Petersburg to the desired point and back.

Where to stay

Not far from the Ruskeala Mountain Park there are not many places to stop and relax in comfortable conditions. One of the most popular, in close proximity to the Karelian attraction, is the “King of the Mountain” guest house, formerly called the “Blue Lagoon” tourist center.