Reservoirs of the European part of Russia are connected into a single network suitable for navigation of cargo and passenger ships, yachts and boats. Between St. Petersburg and Moscow go real "floating hotels" - well-equipped motor ships. Movement is possible due to the fact that in 1964 the Volga-B altic Canal united lakes and rivers in northwestern Russia. Initially, the path was called the Mariinsky, and in 1964 it received its modern name. River cruises along the Volga-B alt have become an exciting and prestigious form of recreation for Russians and foreign tourists.
Mariinka - the predecessor of the Volga-B alt
Attempts to connect the basin of the Volga and the B altic Sea were made during the reign of Peter the Great, but only in 1810 the Mariinsky water network was opened to traffic. This grandiose project of the hydrobuilders of the Russian Empire was awarded the highest award at the International Paris Exhibition (1813). The beginning of the Mariinsky system was Rybinsk, thenmovement was carried out along the Sheksna River, Lake. White, r. Kovzha, the Mariinsky Canal, which crossed the watershed of the Volga and B altic basins. Further, the route continued along the river. Vytegra, oz. Onega, r. Svir, oz. Ladoga and r. Neva. The total length of the waterway was about 1100 km. In 1829, the Mariinsky Way was connected to the White Sea by canals, artificial bypass channels were laid. The most extensive reconstruction of the system began in the 1960s, when the Volga-B altic Canal was built. The map of the new route in some places coincided with the Mariinsky, but part of its engineering structures remained aside. The water route, which began near the city of Cherepovets, provided a connection between the basins of 5 seas: the B altic, White, Azov, Black and Caspian.
The waterway between the Volga and the B altic
Dredging was carried out on the Neva and Svir rivers before the creation of a modern water transport system. In 1964, a new highway began to operate on the site of the Mariinsky Theater that had existed for 150 years. A deeper Volga-B altic Canal was built with fewer locks than in tsarist times, and a modern control system. The engineering and hydraulic system was supplemented by 3 hydroelectric power stations, dozens of earthen dams and other structures. The total length of the route from the Neva to the entrance to the Rybinsk reservoir has reached 857 km. Passenger transportation was opened by the voyage of the ship "Krasnogvardeets", which set off in the last days of June 1964 from Leningrad to Yaroslavl.
Modern Volga-B altic Waterway
The route from St. Petersburg to the city of Cherepovets consistently includes: r. Neva, oz. Ladoga, r. Svir, oz. Onega, the Volga-B altic Canal, crossing the watershed between the Caspian and B altic basins. The length of the artificial channel connecting the Rybinsk Reservoir with Lake Onega exceeds 360 km. The elevation difference in the northern part of the watershed is 113 m, the Volga - 13.5 m. The Volga-B altic Canal includes numerous hydraulic structures (hydraulic facilities, locks, reservoirs), their construction led to a rise in the water level in some areas by tens of meters. The contours of the shores have changed, new islands have appeared. At the bottom of the Sheksna or Cherepovets reservoir, located on the territory of the Vologda region, there are old Mariinsky sluices.
River cruise - an exciting journey on a yacht, boat, boat
Cruises along the Volga-B altic Canal are sailing along the Volga, Neva, other rivers, as well as lakes and canals. Comfortable passenger boats run along the main routes. The schedule of their movement provides stops for travelers to see the sights on the banks of reservoirs and islands. After interesting excursions, tourists relax in cozy cabins, eat in restaurants that offer guests to taste a variety of dishes. Passenger leisure activities are organized on cruise ships, “green parking” is held on the shore (picnics, swimming, sports and other entertainment).
Features of the territory along which the Volga-B altic waterway was laid
The map of the hilly plain, interrupted by swampy relief depressions, does not give a complete picture of the amazing landscapes. Meadows and low forests with peat bogs stretch along the banks. The climate of the territory is moderate, but its conditions in Lake Ladoga are slightly different. Here, northerly winds can cause storms, in November they create dangerous conditions for sailing. The current along the entire length of the canal is weak, the average height of wind waves is 1.5 m. The most favorable months for traveling are June and July. Summer in the north-west of Russia is moderately warm, less wind force and excitement on Ladoga. The time of white nights is coming, which allows you to admire the beauty of northern nature around the clock.
Pearls in the "necklace" of the Volga-B altic route
Ladoga and Onega lakes belong to the group of the largest natural reservoirs in Europe. The basins owe their origin to a glacier that arose more than 100 centuries ago. The maximum depth of Ladoga is more than 230 m, Onega - 120 m. On the shores of the lakes one can see "sheep's foreheads" - the so-called boulders processed by the tongues of the glacier.
Picturesque forests and cliffs alternate with sandy beaches. Spruce and pine predominate, birch, aspen, elm, and alder occur. Summer pleases with lush herbage, richness of flowers and berries. The fauna includes dozens of species of mammals and birds, among which there are many waterfowl. Commercial fish (whitefish, perch, carp andother). Ecologically clean lake-forest land, remote from megacities and industrial giants, the Volga-B altic Canal, as if created for travel and recreation. Ladoga and Onega are not the only natural pearls in the Volga-B alt necklace. White Lake, reservoirs contribute to maintaining the image of a popular recreational area. On the shores there are convenient boat piers, parking lots, cafes, playgrounds and gazebos for recreation.
Fascinating Volga-B altic travels
The nature of the North-West of the Russian Federation pleases with magnificent views of the lake-forest, swamp and river regions. Reserved places attract hundreds of thousands of travelers. Tourists who travel from St. Petersburg to Moscow and vice versa will see signs of a distant historical past in the very heart of Russia. So, by analogy with the Egyptian desert, inhabited in ancient times by hermits, followers of the early Christian teachings, the monasteries of Belozerye received the name "Russian Thebaid".
Popular Cruise Destinations:
- one-day excursions to the island of Valaam on Lake Ladoga;
- visit Kizhi Island and the museum-reserve;
- excursions on the boat on the Ladoga and Onega lakes;
- travel along the Volga-B altic with a visit to the capital of Russia and other routes.
Volga-B alta contrasts
Urban landscapes at a distance from St. Petersburg to the east and south, and from Moscow - to the north, are gradually replaced by lake-forest landscapesthe edges. Before the eyes of the passengers of a cruise ship or yacht, ancient buildings, wonderful corners of nature float by. While traveling along the Volga-B alt, you can visit St. Petersburg and its suburbs, see the sights of Moscow, monasteries, historical sites - Uglich, Yaroslavl and others.
With heartfelt awe, many travelers and pilgrims go to the island of Valaam in the waters of Lake Ladoga, where the famous monastery is located. Kizhi Island rises above the water surface of Onega, the glory of which was created by samples of Russian architecture of the 18th century. As you approach the capital, well-groomed smooth banks and grandiose concrete structures float by, quiet splashes of river water are heard overboard the cruise ship. Tourists get unforgettable impressions from the contrasts of northern nature and urbanized landscapes of the main Russian cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg.
