Konevets is an island located off the western coast of Lake Ladoga. It is visited annually by hundreds of pilgrims and tourists from all over Russia.
General information
Konevets Island has an area of just over 8 square meters. km. Its maximum length is about 2 km wide and 5 km long. At the same time, the western tip is elongated by a narrow sandy spit about 1 km long, and several islands of granite boulders are located off the southeastern coast. On average, Konevets rises above the surface of Lake Ladoga to a height of 3 meters.
Konevets is an island with a temperate climate, where in summer the air temperature can reach plus thirty degrees Celsius, and in winter it can drop to minus forty degrees. As for the island flora and fauna, frogs, lizards, small rodents, foxes, hares and squirrels are found there. Rarely, but still there are muskrats. Sometimes, near the coast of the island or on the coastal rocks, you can see seals - the only mammals living in the waters of Lake Ladoga. In addition, there is a large colony of seagulls and many migratory birds. Eighty percent of the territory of Konevets is covered with pine and spruce forests. Also onDeciduous trees grow on the island: alders, birches, mountain ash, aspens, lindens, oaks, maples, poplars, chestnuts and acacias. During the last six centuries, people have brought and planted gooseberries and currants, raspberries, plums, cherries, apple trees and lilacs.
Konevets Island: Attractions
The object under consideration is incredibly attractive both for lovers of ecotourism and for those who wish to get acquainted with its unique sights. In particular, tourists come to Konevets to see the so-called Horse-stone, which is a huge boulder with a diameter of 10 m, shaped like a horse's skull. In the pre-Christian era, it was a pagan altar on which the Finnish tribes made sacrifices. According to legend, Saint Arseny Konevsky, who settled on the island in the 14th century, expelled unholy spirits from the Horse-stone, which turned into ravens. In memory of this miracle, a small chapel was built on the boulder in 1895, which still exists today.
Konevets is an island considered one of the centers of Orthodoxy in the west of Russia. For more than 6 centuries it has been of great interest to travelers. For example, at one time Alexander II with his family, Alexander Dumas, Nikolai Leskov and Fyodor Tyutchev visited here. Tourists who follow suit will be able to see the magnificent Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin and several other buildings from the 19th century.
Konevets Island: how to get there
To get to Konevets, you should go to the Finland Station in St. Petersburg and take the train,bound for Priozersk or Kuznechnoye station. You need to get off at the station "Gromovo" and transfer to the bus following the route "Sosnovo - Vladimirovka".
Going to Konevets Island (the photo of the object is presented in the article) by your own car, you should leave St. Petersburg along the Priozerskoye Highway and turn right for 106 km. Then, after driving 0.5 km, at the fork in the village of Plodovoye, make a left turn, then proceed straight through the village of Zaostrovye to the crossroads and turn right. After 4 km, there will be a fork in front of the tourists, where you should turn off at the sign "Vladimirskaya Bay", and after 1 km (next to the bus stop) turn left towards the pier.
If the trip is made in the summer, then you need to wait for the boat plying between the village of Vladimirovka and the island of Konevets. If we are talking about a winter trip, when Ladoga is covered with ice, then you can get there on foot along one of the trails. You should not be afraid to get lost, as the distance you have to walk is only 5 km, and the island is clearly visible from the shore.
Best time to visit
Unfortunately, the island of Konevets, reviews of the trip to which are always enthusiastic, is a rather inaccessible place. Those who have often been there do not recommend going on such a trip during the periods from late October to early December and from late March to early April. The fact is that otherwise the tourist may be onshore at a time when navigation is difficult and it is dangerous to move on the ice. You should not go to Konevets in June either, as this month there is an increased activity of mosquitoes.
Where to sleep
Konevets is an island where tourists and pilgrims will have no problems organizing overnight stays in summer. As an option - just put up a tent in the forest. In addition, Orthodox tourists can spend the night in the monastery. If we are talking about visiting the island in winter, then the only way out is to take a bed in a small guest house on the shore. The building belongs to the Konevsky Monastery and is designed specifically for pilgrims.
Holy place
As already mentioned, for several centuries Konevets has been a place of regular pilgrimage for Orthodox Christians. Such a trip has its own characteristics and rules. In particular, those wishing to make a pilgrimage to the Konevsky shrines should contact the monastery pilgrimage service operating at the St. Petersburg courtyard at Zagorodny pr., 7. In addition, pilgrimage is not just an excursion. It is necessary to prepare for it very carefully and seriously, to properly tune in. Be sure to talk with the priest you trust in order to receive a blessing and listen to the advice of a wise and experienced person.
