Is there a local population on the island of Konevets. Where is Konevets Island located? Monastery on the island of Konevets: history. How to get to Konevets Island

But the fact that there, at a distance of sixty kilometers from it, there is still the island of Konevets, until recently, almost no one knew. Konevets is located in the west of Ladoga. At this point, a cape seems to cut into the lake, creating a bay there, bearing the name Vladimirskaya, or, as the monks who lived on the island called it in former times, Devil's.

The distance between the bay and the island is about seven kilometers. The city of Priozersk, closest to Konevets, is located forty kilometers from the island, if we talk about the waterway. But the waterway to St. Petersburg is not at all close, about one hundred and seventy kilometers.

Konevets Island is much smaller than Valaam, it stretches for eight kilometers in length and four in width. In the western part of the island, its entire length of coast is a rather steep cliff. But on one of the ledges there is an opportunity to go down to the lake, a sandy steep path leads to it. The coast of the eastern part of the island seems to be completely indented. This impression is created because of the many peninsulas, between which there are bays.

A lot of pine trees grow on Konevets. The climate is harsh: winter lasts almost five months, and summer does not please with warmth. The air temperature rarely rises above twenty degrees.

The island of Konevets got its name thanks to a huge boulder - the Horse-stone, one of the attractions of the island, which until the fourteenth century was a place of sacrifice for pagans. In our time, the island has become famous thanks to its Konevsky Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery.

History of the island Konevets.

At the end of the fourteenth century, Arseny Konevsky founded on Konevets monastery. At the same time, construction began on the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, laid in those days on the shore Lake Ladoga. And at the beginning of the fifteenth century, the Monk Arseny decides to move the monastery to a hill, as there was a constant threat of flooding. Today the monastery is located there.

Despite the fact that the island is small and unremarkable, it was captured by the Swedes twice: at the end of the 16th century and at the beginning of the 17th. During the Swedish rule, the Konevsky monks were in the Resurrection Monastery, located near Novgorod. The cathedral of the monastery on Konevets at that time was almost completely destroyed.

Those monastic buildings that we see today were erected at the end of the nineteenth and at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was the most fertile time for the monastery. Konevets was visited by the emperor, famous Russian and foreign writers and playwrights. In the seventeenth year, when the revolution took place in Russia, this did not affect the monastery, since the island at that time belonged to Finland. But there were fewer and fewer monks, since no one went to Konevets from Russia.

During the Soviet-Finnish war, the headquarters and some units of the Finnish troops were located on the island. Before the start of the war, the monks were able to partially take out the monastic utensils, however, most of it remained on the island, including: iconostases, bells of all churches. It was possible to save only the bells of the Kazan Skete.

Before the Second World War, the island of Konevets again went to Finland and the monks began to return to revive the monastery. The monastery was in a very deplorable state, everything was destroyed and ruined everywhere. Only St. Nicholas Church survived. And at the end of the summer of 1944, Konevets, which already belonged to Soviet Union, left all the monks. They went to Finland, where they lived in the commune of Keitele until the middle of the twentieth century.

In August 1956, ten of the thirty-two surviving monks returned to the New Valaam Monastery, founded in Finland. They had the miraculous Konevskaya icon with them. Since the end of the last century, twenty monks returned to Konevets and began to restore the monastery. In addition to the income from their subsistence farming, in our time they receive decent help from outside. The monks themselves bake bread, make cheese, they have a garden and some livestock. Heating on the island is still carried out by wood, and movement is by sleigh. Electricity is available only in the house left by the military, and even that is autonomous.

Sights of the island Konevets.

Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This is the main attraction of the island. In the cathedral church are the relics of the founder of the monastery - Reverend Arseny Konevsky. The temple is located on the very spot that he chose for its construction. Throughout the history of the island, on the foundation laid by the Monk Arseny, a temple was erected more than once. The building of the temple in its architecture is more related to the ancient Russian traditions, but the influence of baroque and classicism is also noticeable. However, it all looks very harmonious. To the east of the temple, on the way to the Kazan Skete, you can see the outbuildings of the monastery. Two large buildings, built in the second half of the nineteenth century: a house for workers and a hotel, behind which there is a barnyard, built at the beginning of the 19th century. Even further to the east there is a wooden stable, almost completely preserved to this day, it is a courtyard and two huts for stable workers.

The fact that there was a secret secret on Konevets Island military base, possibly served to the benefit of the monastery and saved it from complete ruin, since access here was prohibited.

Nikolskaya chapel.

Everyone who travels by waterways is patronized by St. Nicholas. This is also remembered at Konevets. Almost on the pier is St. Nicholas Chapel, built in the early nineteenth century. This is the first thing people who arrive on the island see. At the time of its foundation, it was a building made of stone with a wooden cross; parting and grateful prayers were held in the chapel. Nikolskaya chapel, seven and a half meters high, was visible from afar. All the temples and chapels of the island are modestly decorated, and Nikolskaya is no exception. The founder of the chapel was hegumen Hilarion, he also wrote the charter of the Konevets monastery. On the territory of the monastery there was not only a chapel, but also a temple built in honor of St. Nicholas.

Konevsky skit.

The skete is named after the icon of the Mother of God, located in the Konevets Monastery. The Konevsky Skete is located where the first monastery was built - in Vladychnaya Bay. Before its foundation, there was only a modest chapel here, as a memory of the fact that a monastery was founded there. The construction of the monastery began at the end of the nineteenth century. A beautiful white-stone church with five domes was the decoration and center of the skete. It contained a magnificent iconostasis, all carved, with a finish reminiscent of malachite. In addition to the temple, the skete had a cell building - a two-story building. Everything was destroyed. And only at the beginning of the twenty-first century, the buildings were restored and services began in them.

Assumption Chapel.

This building is located in the place of the island of Konevets, where there used to be a cross, at which the Monk Arseniy prayed. The Assumption Chapel was erected at the end of the nineteenth century in honor of the Assumption of the Mother of God. At the entrance to it were the images of the Monk Arseny and St. Euthymius. Currently, the chapel has been restored and is one of the most beautiful wooden structures. Wood carvings harmoniously combine several styles: Russian traditional art, classics and even some oriental motifs.

Kazan skit.

The road going through a pine forest, then rises to a hill. There, on the hill, is the Kazan Skete, which was built in the name of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. On its territory are miraculously surviving stone buildings, one of the first on the island of Konevets. In 1794, the first stone was laid for the construction of the temple, which was located in the very center of the monastery. In addition to the temple, on the territory of the skete there are one-story cell houses. The skete is surrounded by a fence. According to the architectural style, the temple can be attributed to the ancient Russian architecture. In the northern part of the skete, there is a long one-story building, which, as it were, encloses the courtyard. In this building there were warm cells of the monks and a refectory with pantries. There are two more houses located at the corners of the fence, in which there is only one cell and an unheated canopy.

Horse-stone.

At the Kazan Skete, the road breaks off. But if you go left along the path, which winds intricately through the hills and thickets of the forest, then it will eventually lead to the northern part of the Holy Mountain. At its foot is a huge stone (boulder), which is very similar in shape to a horse's head. To this stone you can go down the stone steps. A wooden chapel was built at the very top of the boulder. This is one of the significant sights of Konevets Island - the chapel on the Horse-stone. According to legend, this chapel was built after the expulsion of evil spirits from under the stone by Reverend Arseny. The chapel, like all other buildings on the island, had to be restored more than once. Last construction the chapel fell on 1815.

How to get to Konevets Island.

You can get to the island in various ways, depending on the time and degree of comfort. Electric trains run from St. Petersburg to Priozersk or Kuznechny, they depart from the Finnish Station. You need to take an electric train to Gromovo station. From there, a bus runs along the route Sosnovo-Vladimirovka, on which you will get to the shore of Lake Ladoga. Boats that go from the village to Konevets do not have a clear schedule. Yes, and in order to take you with you, you have to negotiate. It is in summer and in winter you can walk. Only five kilometers along the people of Ladoga.

Better not to come to Konevets late autumn or in late spring, as navigation has already ended, and the ice is not strong enough to be safely navigated on it. You can also stay on the island in different ways: in a tent you set up in the forest, in a monastery or in a small monastery hotel for pilgrims. Konevets Island is small in size, so you can see it and all the sights in one day.

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Good afternoon :) I already wrote to this community once, and I am very grateful to those who responded and really helped me cope with my problem. The fact is that time has passed, and more ...

The boat to Konevets set sail without us. We were literally two or three minutes late. The guy on the shore said that today there will be another flight to the island. Must wait. Well, I bought a bottle of Karelian vodka "Russian Garant" in the Vladimirovsky village store and settled down on the shore. Vodka was excellent - with garlic and pepper. It was written on the label that Comrade Stalin himself drank this vodka and recommended that his comrades-in-arms drink it. Well, since I did it myself... I dumped pile after pile, pile after pile into myself... The weather was rapidly deteriorating, the wave was getting steeper. By two o'clock in the afternoon the boat returned. There was no dry thread on the passengers. The captain said that he would not go anywhere in the next three days - a storm.

Well, isn't it a shame to screw it up like that? From drunken eyes, I clearly understood that the demons of Konevets did not want to let me on the island. Or - not demons? When in 1393 the Novgorodian monk Arseniy returned to Russia from Athos, he intended to settle on one of the remote islands of Lake Ladoga. Not on Konevets. A storm washed up his boat on this island. Arseny tried to swim further, but the waves brought him back twice. He realized that this was not without reason, and remained. This is how the Konevets Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos arose, in which many wonderful monks labored over the course of six hundred years. Some of them are mentioned on the pages of "Places of Power". For example, a native of Adrian (who founded the Kazan Skete on Konevets) and his disciple Zosima, after whom Dostoevsky named his elder from The Brothers Karamazov. On Konevets, the elder Isaiah lived, who then went to restore. These were the people who raised the Russian desert spirit at the beginning of the 19th century.

But now it's not about them, about Arseny. In his time, Konevets was deserted. The natives were afraid to settle on the island, because spirits were found there. They lived in a huge stone more than four meters high and weighing about 750 tons. A horse was sacrificed at this stone every year. Hence the name of the stone - Horse-stone (I know and described it also with this name). Hence the name of the island - Konevets. In general, Arseny saw that the place was "more dense than a dense forest surrounded by demonic horror." Something like the island to which Prospero washed up from Shakespeare's "The Tempest". But only Prospero was a magician, and Arseny was an Orthodox monk. He did not subdue the demons, but took the image of the Mother of God, brought to him from Athos, and made a procession around the Horse-stone. Then he sprinkled the stone with holy water. Then the demons that lived in him turned into ravens and flew away with an ominous cawing.

They say that they went towards Sortan-lakhta, that is, Devil's ("sort" - just a spoiled Russian "devil") bay, where they rushed into the water. And therefore, sudden storms often occur on Lake Ladoga now. This is a meteorological fact. But where is that bay? The website of the Konevets Monastery says that now it is called Vladimirskaya Bay. That is, the very one on the shore of which, cursing the bad weather and my own sluggishness, I finished my vodka? But maybe this is some other place on Ladoga. For example, Sortavala, the center of the Finnish alcohol tourism in Karelia and the pier from where boats go to Valaam, another famous island forces on Lake Ladoga.

Having finished my vodka, I decided to go around the lake in a circle, to look for other places where power gushes. Do not wait for the weather by the sea for three days in this Devil's Bay. Valentina, my friend and driver, got behind the wheel and we set off. The mood was lousy, we drove slowly. It was pouring down a terrible rain, and the road behind it was almost invisible. But here's what's funny: already near Shlisselburg, the rain suddenly stopped. And the wind died down. And in the morning the sun came out, as if confirming that they simply did not want to see me at Konevets. Well, they don't want to and they don't have to. Having rounded Lake Ladoga from the south and east, having found many places that I will still talk about (see, and), on the third day of the journey I ended up at the pier in Sortaval (formerly Serdobol), where I was waiting for a ship to Valaam.

The excitement on the lake had not yet completely subsided, so it was not clear whether it would be possible to swim away. Painful waiting. Suddenly, my friend from Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Misha Karpov, called from Moscow and said that our mutual friend Zhenya Alexandrov had died under strange circumstances. Looks like he's been killed. I got really sick. Yes, some idiot came up with a newspaper and asked: "Have your dog bit you yet?" I explained that soon the sky will fall to the ground and the Neva will flow back, than my noble male will bite me. To which the man remarked that one could not be sure of anything. Here, he showed the newspaper, they write here that a completely domestic dog killed the owner for no reason. I hastened to move away from the madman.

Having visited Valaam, I nevertheless decided to try to get to Konevets. Arrived in Vladimirovka. The weather is fine, there is a ship at the pier, ready to sail in an hour. Everything was going great. Only there was a problem with the dog. They did not want to put her on the ship. I offered to pay for the animal as an adult tourist. "Yes, that's not the point," the girl said, letting us through, "there's just a dog there who fights visiting dogs. Look, it's your responsibility." I did not attach any importance to her warning, since my Osman (see his photo and), even though the Labrador, knows how to stand up for himself. But the first monk we met on the island told us to leave the dog on the ship. Why? "Because our Tyutya cannot stand strangers," was the answer. And who is Tyutya? "You'll see, but better leave the dog." I didn't listen.

When we saw Tyutya, he did not cause any fears in us: a normal mongrel, not even one of the largest. Next to him was Martha, his wife, as the pilgrims explained. Osman and Tyutya approached each other, took up fighting positions, growled and suddenly rushed at each other. Mine acted more clearly: he managed to grab Tyutya by the ear and get on top. The great experience of fights with the Moscow Staffordshires had an effect. To finish off the mongrel was now a matter of technique. But I decided that the guest should not do this, and began to drag my dog ​​by the collar. This was the worst mistake. As soon as the grip loosened, Tyutya twisted around, grabbed Osman's neck and was already getting close to the carotid artery. What was it to watch? No, you need to separate them. There was no collar on Tyut, so I had to climb into his mouth with my bare hands, pushing his jaws apart. But as soon as I parted them, my combat Labrador jumped to his feet and - oh, fuck! He aimed at Tyutin's neck, but missed in the commotion. His teeth clattered around the wrist of my left hand, which was still trying to hold Tyutya.

So I got bitten by my own dog. A prophecy that came to me through a madman from Sortavala came true. Now, when I look at the scars left by my faithful dog, I think that things could have turned out much worse. The teeth stumbled on the bone without touching any important vessels. The monastery workers came to the rescue and helped separate the dogs. It’s good that Tyuti had in his soul strict ban to the bite of a man, otherwise it would be - what is left of my hands that have been in his mouth? Don't know. The monk who performed the obedience of a healer, having examined my wounds, said: "Nothing." And anointed them with some kind of potion. I was about to start a conversation that it would be necessary to wash the wounds and maybe give an injection. But he objected: “Your dog is healthy, isn’t it? And our Tyutya is healthy. Don’t worry. Now, if a person bit you, then it would be bad. will pass immediately." Indeed, the wounds healed rapidly. Reverend Arseny helped. The very next day my swollen hand turned yellow and began to recover.

Later, the workers who helped me pull the dogs away explained that Tyutin's grandmother was a she-wolf. When Tyutya matured, he killed all the males that lived on the island. Subsequently, he killed all his sons as soon as they grew up and became his competitors. Naturally, he is always ready to kill any males brought to Konevets. At some point, the monks, no matter how much they loved this nice dog, realized that Tyutya allows himself too much. And they decided to send him to the mainland, because - well, really, it’s not good to keep a born killer in a holy place. But in the village where he was brought, the frantic Tyutya killed either 11 or 13 dogs (I don’t remember exactly how many, but all of them), and he was returned to the island.

I admit that all these exploits of Tyuti are only a legend, but still - they did not arise from scratch. In general, the wolf is one of the most mysterious creatures in the world. He was created by the devil, but he could not revive. God breathed life into the wolf, and the wolf immediately grabbed the creator's leg with his teeth (hell). Hence the ambivalence of the legends about the wolf: he is both an enemy and a helper. He is the friend of both the saints and the unclean. The locals see in Tyut rather a tamed wolf: a wild beast that lives among people under the guise of a kind dog. After our desperate fight, I saw in him the embodiment of the spirit of this island, something like those demons that Arseny had once cast out of stone. Did they drown? Yes, fullness, spirits do not drown. They returned here in the form of a wolf's grandson. And if earlier horses were victims of the spirit of this place, now dogs are. And then someone else will. After all, it has been known since the time of Anthony the Great that demons are a by-product of the ascetic production of holiness. If there were ascetics, there would be demons.

Believe me, I do not hold a grudge against Tyutya. I understand him well. When we met an hour after the fight (my dog ​​had already been taken in by warm-hearted people from a mental hospital located next to the monastery), he was clearly unhappy with me. Still - some alien did not allow him to fulfill his destiny. He brought the dog to the island, but did not give it as a sacrifice. Why did you bring it then? Tyutya grumbled. Then he looked up, saying: "Well, what to do with you profane ones." He sighed mournfully. He accepted a piece of cheese offered by me as a sign of reconciliation (and compensation: a lamb for the sought-for Isaac), and hobbled to his Martha. The fur on his neck was completely soaked with blood.

As for the mystical topography of Konevets, without a dog trained to search for places of power, my exploration of the island turned out to be incomplete. Nevertheless, from what happened to me on the island and on the way to it, it clearly follows: the spirit of the Stone Horse continues to fool the wanderers approaching it. So I was repeatedly warned that something should happen on Konevets, but I continued to maniacally strive to go there. It was as if a veil had eclipsed my eye, which was trained to grasp all kinds of signs and signs. As if I was plunged into a dream, the course of which I could not control. They made him an unconscious participant in a strange mystery. And in this way they showed something.

It seems to me that blaming is in the nature of the Horse stone (in this sense, similar to the Humpbacked Horse). Once he captured the Monk Arseny, did not allow him to sail away. Why? Maybe Arseny was supposed to play the role of Odysseus, who unleashed the Aeolian fur on Ladoga? Or maybe the stone had to be cleansed of the demons that lived in it? Who knows. People believe that it is they, and not a stone at all, that determine the course of life on the island. And as a sign of imaginary power over the stone, they leave traces on it. As a result of the deeds of Arseny, the Horse-Stone was saddled by the chapel. If you look closely, you can also see petroglyphs on it. Image of demons? It seems. Although someone could just spoil. As one of the great princes who visited sacred place and left a tablet in memory of this on a stone (now, however, removed). It looks like "Kolya was here." Stupid vandalism. Dogs are much more delicate.

MAP OF POINTS OF POWER OLEG DAVYDOV - ARCHIVE OF PLACES OF POWER -

On May holidays we traditionally go on a multi-day trip to those “distant” lands, where we usually don’t have time to get there in two days off. This year a trip to Konevets Island was planned! We have been planning for a very long time - and decided!

- an island located in the western part of Lake Ladoga, stretched from the southwest to the north. The largest length is 5 km long and 2 km wide. Konevets is an alluvial type island: the waters of Lake Ladoga have washed up the sand and continue to wash it up. The Konevsky Monastery is located on the island.

Realizing that the island of Konevets is relatively small, we allocated two days to get acquainted with it, and planned to spend the third day on the mainland, not far from the village. Vladimirovka. Correlating the mileage of the upcoming path and the time allocated for it, we realized that the trip would turn out to be quite passive. However, after the winter break, it's even better!

How to get to Konevets Island on your own

On the very first train, crammed full of tourists and summer residents, we went to the railway station. Otradnoe. From Otradny to Vladimir bay , where the boats go to, can be reached by local by regular bus, the schedule of which hangs right there, at the bus stop. But we decided not to waste time - and rented a car (taxi drivers always stand here, at the bus stop). And now, after 15 minutes, our gaze opened up a view of a cozy quiet Vladimir bay, hidden from the penetrating Ladoga winds.

Here, by prior arrangement, Sergey was already waiting for us (phone +7 921 433 32 22, +7 952 395 73 73), the owner of the boat, on which we will rush to the island in a few minutes. According to Sergey, there were no tourists on the island before us this season, and it is not known how things are with the pier on the island this year!

The GPS track of this route can be viewed and downloaded.

We plunged into the boat, sat comfortably in a covered cabin and began to move through calm water Vladimir bay. But the open Ladoga met us with a strong gusty wind. The boat kept tossing on the waves. It seemed that we were moving not on water, but on concrete - the impacts of the boat on the water were so hard. By the way, Sergey's boat is very comfortable and modern. We cut through Ladoga almost like in a Mercedes, and no weather conditions overshadowed our water trip!

After about 20 minutes, they approached the island and saw that due to low water, the old pier was entirely on land. As I wrote earlier, it is an island of alluvial type. Every year, the depths around the island decrease due to the rise of the bottom, which makes it difficult for ships and boats to approach the island. There was an option with central pier, but even before it it was necessary to crawl in the literal sense of the word. However, we made it through!

And here we are on the island! Hello hello, !

A strong icy wind was blowing on the pier, and the only desire was to hide somewhere from it. On the advice of Sergei, we moved to western part islands. And indeed, it was quiet and warm, and most importantly - very picturesque! Steep coast, sandy beach, tall pines with ornate roots, still water and even rare rays of the sun. The forest was spring fresh! Primroses shone brightly in the clearings.

The land was dug up everywhere on the island. Why? Versions sounded very different, up to the point that it was “the monks collect knots and roots” ... However, we will return to this question and its very simple answer.

Soon we decided on a parking spot: we chose a cozy place on the shore under the pines, in case we had to pull the awning from the rain. We set up camp, had a bite to eat, took a breath and set off along the coast to study the Strelka Spit.

The sandy spit Strelka is the southwestern tip of the island. The length of the spit is about a kilometer.

As soon as they reached the spit, a strong howl immediately Eastern wind. Packed in hoods, fastened with all the zippers and moved against the gusts of wind! Spit Strelka made an indelible impression: wave after wave ran from the east to the spit, and at that time on the western part of the spit it was quiet and smooth. And only at the sharpest end of the spit do these waves meet each other, shimmering under the bright rays of the May sun!

On Konevtse we were very impressed by the beautiful red-brown striped stones. To be honest, we see this for the first time here in the north. However, judge for yourself:

Having admired the views enough, we moved back towards the camp. I felt the accumulated fatigue, an abundance of oxygen - frankly, I was falling asleep. Realizing that there is no need to rush anywhere in this campaign, we did not deny ourselves this joy. After a short but sound sleep, we sat on the shore, listened to the swans cooing, looked at the seal slowly passing by, admired the view of the lake, the fading sunset and ate a delicious tourist dinner! And at 9 pm we sniffed peacefully in the tent.

Sights on the island of Konevets.

It rained at night. He “touched” the tent so softly and soothingly that we woke up at 9 am! While getting up, pulling the awning - the drizzle stopped. And after a late breakfast, around 11 o'clock in the afternoon, we went on the route. It was planned that day to get acquainted with the eastern coast of the island, its sights and the Konevsky Monastery.

It turned out that our camp was located very close to the Horse-stone and the Konevsky Skete, hidden in dense Christmas trees.

Horse - stone- one of the main attractions of the island. It is the largest stone on the island, over 4 meters high. In ancient times, this stone was the site of pagan rituals. Local residents, who used the island as a summer pasture for their horses, annually sacrificed a horse on this stone, in gratitude to the local spirits. By the way, that is why the stone was named Horse-stone, and the island itself - Konevets. “The Monk Arseniy, who came to the island at the end of the 14th century, found this place “surrounded by demonic horror more than a dense forest.” Arseny spent the night in prayer, and in the morning he made a procession around the stone and the icon of the Virgin in his hands and sprinkled it with holy water. According to legend, the spirits came out of the stone like soot... Together with the demons, the snakes also disappeared. - the only island on Ladoga where there are no snakes! In honor of this event, a chapel was built on the boulder, which has not survived to this day. The current chapel dates back to 1895.

From here there is a steep path uphill, where we went. Soon the path led to the monastery fields and church buildings. From here we could hear the wind humming on the east coast, where we moved further through the forest. To our surprise, the elevation of the island turned out to be somewhat swampy, and we still had to munch a little in the mud. Meanwhile, the forest was waking up and transforming right before our eyes!

Finally got to snake mountain(29 m) - most high point islands. In its shape, the mountain resembles the body of a snake, hence the name - Serpentine. True, the mountain is overgrown with lush spruce forest, and therefore it was not possible to see something special from the mountain. There is a cross on the mountain.

Close to snake mountainThere is a road to the east, and we went further along it. However, this road soon turned into a continuous swamp. What should I do? Do not come back! Dimon and I were once again saved from the water by our beloved Belarusian all-terrain berets!

East coast of the islandnot impressed at all: almost everywhere there are reed thickets. Plus, an icy wind was blowing, and a nasty drizzle broke.

Along the coast there is a dirt road, along which we continued to move. And then along the way we met a man with a gun. This confused us a little: like an island, and the hunting season is still closed ... It was then that the solution to the mystery of the land dug up everywhere happened! There are a lot of wild boars on the island. Even too much. They are no longer afraid of people, calmly go out to them. In general, we were strongly advised to be careful. And from that moment on, grunts, the clatter of hooves and sparkling eyes began to seem everywhere to us. Now we kept a close group, and with my photographs I no longer lagged behind the group. Let me reassure you right away: we did not meet wild boars. True, the area near our tent in last night it was overdone though!

But back to our road. Soon we came to the territory of the Konevsky Skete and a nearby children's camp. The Konevsky Skete is already visible when you swim up to the island from the mainland. It stands almost on the very shore, on the site of the first monastery founded by the Monk Arseny. Only at first it was a small chapel, and in the 19th century a majestic temple was erected here.

Next to the skete - Kid `s camp. Very cozy and well maintained. But for now, it's quiet here, deserted. Only the local dogs barked lazily.

Not far away is the Konevsky Monastery. Sometimes this monastery is called a double Valaam Monastery. Let me tell you very briefly about the history of the monastery, so that you understand the scale of what is happening.

The monastery was founded by Arseny Konevsky in 1393. As I just wrote: the first monastery was built on the site of the Konevsky Skete, in Vladychnaya Lakhta Bay. But after severe flood flooded this building - Arseny decided to build a temple on a hill. So in 1421 the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin was erected, which is the main shrine of the Konevsky Monastery.

During the Russian-Swedish wars in 1614-1617, after the island was captured by the Swedes, the monks were forced to leave the island. But with the return of these territories to Russia, the monastery was restored. True, already in 1812, after the Finnish War of 1808-1809, the monastery administratively became part of the Principality of Finland.

In the 19th century the monastery was widely known in the Russian imperial capital. At this time, all extensive construction work was carried out on the territory of the monastery. In 1858, Alexander II visited the Konevsky Monastery with his family and prominent guests: Alexander Dumas, Fyodor Tyutchev, Nikolai Leskov.

After 1917, the Konevsky Monastery ended up on the territory of independent Finland and was fortified by the Finnish military. During the First World War, the monks evacuated and, having joined the monks who fled from the Valaam Monastery, they soon founded the New Valaam Monastery in Finland.

During the Soviet period, the monastery was occupied by the military. Traces of their presence, alas, are still everywhere on the island.

In 1990 the monastery was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church. And today the Konevsky Monastery is popular place for pilgrims and ordinary tourists.

The monastery has a very informative and useful website. For a more detailed acquaintance with the monastery and all the church buildings of the island, I recommend visiting their website.

And we will return to our journey ... We got acquainted with the architecture of the monastery, took a walk in the area. In general, during this day we managed to get around almost the entire island. It is very quiet and calm, absolute peace.

Having completed the entire program of the day and finally freezing, we moved towards the camp. Here they tried to somehow warm themselves, wrapping themselves in a sleeping bag and drinking hot tea. And life seemed to get better right away, and the mood improved! But suddenly the wind changed direction in just seconds, as if someone in the sky had pressed some button. Now our once so quiet coast was blown through by the cold wind from the lake. And again the drizzle broke.

But while we were busy in these new weather conditions cooking dinner, the wind slowly subsided and the sun came out.

In the evening, we again sat and admired the sunset, built tours in the water, ate a delicious dinner and shared our impressions of the day.

Farewell to Konevets

Morning greeted us with another portion of wind and drizzle. It was very cold and dank. But it was necessary to actively gather, because. We planned to leave Konevets Island that morning and continue our hike on the mainland along Lake Ladoga. Around 11 o'clock in the afternoon, Sergei sailed for us. Sailed away from the old pier. The water was quieter this time, and we got to Vladimir bay we're even faster.

In the bay, while we were relishing the local pies, clouds swooped in again and brought rain with them. There was a great temptation to turn towards the house. But willpower and the desire to continue outdoor recreation won. Passing through the village of Vladmirovka, we came to a forest road along the coast of Ladoga. Soon we found a very cozy bay, which we spotted from Konevets. Actually, the main trump card of this bay is gorgeous view to Konevets, from where we just sailed! Judging by a large number parking, in the summer there are a lot of people, but in May we were alone here. Only sometimes rare summer residents walked along the shore.

Rejoicing at the end of the rain and the peeking out of the sun, we hurried to put up a tent and pull up an awning.

And after the true tourists ate, slept, ate again ... In general, such a complete relaxation happened to us on the last day of the trip. We walked a lot around the bay and took pictures. And in the evening, some miracles were observed: a rainbow literally grew over Konevets before our eyes! Yes, not just a rainbow, but as in the pictures, all colors! These miracles happened for quite a long time - so they managed not only to capture on the lens, but also just sit and admire the picture of what is happening!

Way home

The rise was quite early - at half past five in the morning. I really wanted to catch the morning train.

It was raining again, the wind was blowing. But Konevets was beautiful in all these states. And in parting, we made another marvelous photo, but already at 9 in the morning we were on the train towards the house!

Such a wonderful May exit turned out. In general, as planned, the trip was designed more for contemplation than for active movement. The weather, although it was not the most friendly, still did not overshadow our impressions in any way and even gave us plenty of sleep! Extreme sports were added by the Konevets wild boar, which, fortunately, we did not meet. Well, before your eyes you can still see that wonderful rainbow over Konevets! An island that left behind a very pleasant aftertaste. And for some reason I really want to go there again! Rainbow Konevets!

Video report from visiting Konevets Island:

Konevets Island, on which the Konevsky Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery is located, which made it famous, is located in the western part of Lake Ladoga, 5 kilometers from the coast.
In this place, far into Ladoga, a cape juts out, limiting the convenient bay of Vladimirovskaya (the monks sometimes call it Devil's). The entire cape is occupied by the village of Vladimirovka and the naval base. The military is also present on the island of Konevets, at its northern tip. In summer, they move to the island by boats, and in winter, when the ice becomes strong enough, they use caterpillar all-terrain vehicles. Today, the military unit is half empty, the ships that once plied the expanses of Ladoga are mostly flooded in Vladimirovskaya Bay and near north coast islands.

The greatest length of Konevets does not exceed 5 km, and the average width is 2 km. West Bank The islands steeply break off to the lake for almost the entire length and have a narrow strip of beach under the ledge. On the east side, the island is indented. coastline- elongated narrow peninsulas and wide bays between them. Stony shoals here stretch for hundreds of meters from the coast; some of them are densely overgrown with reeds. As if wanting to connect Konevets with the shore, from the southwestern tip of the island it goes far into the lake sandbar, serving at the same time as a natural breakwater for Vladychnaya Bay, where monastery boats come. Most of the island is covered pine forest. There is snow on the island for about five months of the year. Summer is cool, with temperatures of +18...+20.

The name of the island comes from a boulder weighing more than 750 tons - the Horse-stone, which until the end of the 14th century served as a place of pagan sacrifices. The inhabitants of the coast (korels), who used the island as a pasture, annually sacrificed a horse on this stone.

How to get there

To get to the island, you need to St. Petersburg take the train from Finland Station go to Priozersk or Kuznechnoye station (up to 6 departures per day in summer) and get off at Gromovo station. There take the bus Sosnovo - Vladimirovka (4 times a day). In an hour you will find yourself on the coast of Ladoga. It is better to take the first train from St. Petersburg (~ 7h20min), as buses run infrequently, and it is better to have a reserve of time. From the village to the island in the summer you can get on a boat that runs without any schedule. This creates some inconvenience, since people on the boat are not required to take you with them and take you back from the island. However, a small fee makes them more accommodating. In winter, there are much fewer problems - a distance of 5 kilometers can be walked on ice in an hour and a half (numerous paths leading to the island have been trodden in this place).

The bus stops in front of the gates of the military unit. After passing through them (for this you need to ask permission from the gatekeeper, which today is a pure formality), you will see a high water tower, from which the paths go towards the island. The island is clearly visible from the shore, so it is impossible to get lost. You should not come to the island in late October - early December and late March - early April. You can get to a moment when there is no navigation, and the ice is still not strong enough. Another not the best time for visits is June. This month is loved by mosquitoes. As you can see, getting to the island is a bit of an adventure in itself!

You can spend the night on the island, putting up a tent in the forest, or asking to visit the monastery. In the latter case, it is recommended to be Orthodox. In the village, located on the coast, on the territory of the military unit there is also small hotel, belonging to the monastery and designed for pilgrims. There are practically no amenities in it, but you can spend the night. Given the small size of the monastery and the island, it can be seen in one day.

History pages

The monastery was founded at the end of the 14th century by the Monk Arseny Konevsky from Novgorod the Great. In 1398, a church was founded in the name of the Nativity of the Virgin, located on the banks of Ladoga. However, already in 1421, due to a flood, Arseny transferred the monastery to more high place where he remains to this day.

Twice, in 1577 and 1610, the Swedes captured the island. The Konevsky monks were forced to leave the monastery and settle in the Derevyanitsky Resurrection Monastery near Novgorod. After the ruin in 1610, the island of Konevets until the end victorious for Russia Northern war, was under Swedish rule, the cathedral was almost destroyed.

The buildings that have survived today were built mainly in the 19th and early 20th centuries. At this time, and account for the heyday of the monastery. Emperor Alexander II with his family and retinue, writers Leskov, A. Dumas, F. Tyutchev and Nemirovich-Danchenko came here.
During the coup of 1917, the monastery was not damaged, as it ended up on the territory of Finland that gained independence. However, the number of monks was noticeably reduced, as there was no influx of novices from Russia. Before the Soviet-Finnish war, the headquarters (in a stone hotel) and two coastal artillery batteries of the Finnish army were located on the island. With the outbreak of war, some of the utensils were taken out, but most of remained - the iconostases and bells of all churches, except for the bells of the Kazan Skete. In 1941, when the island again became part of Finland, some of the monks again arrived on the island, trying to revive the monastic life. All the churches, except Nikolsky, were completely ruined by that time. On August 19, 1944, the last of the brethren left the island forever, which had gone to the Soviet Union. After a period of wandering, 32 Konev monks settled in the Hnekka estate in the Keitele commune, where the monastery existed until 1956. On August 31, 1956, the nine surviving monks moved to the New Valaam Monastery in Papinniemi, taking with them the miraculous Konev Icon.
Beginning in 1990 modern stage the history of the monastery. Today, there are more than 20 monks on the island, and active restoration work is underway.

The monks are for the most part subsistence farming, although, of course, they receive significant outside help. The monastery has its own bakery and cheese factory, its own garden and farm. Furnaces are heated in the old way - with firewood. In winter, sleds are used for business trips.

Attractions

The main attraction and shrine of the monastery is a magnificent building Cathedral Church in the name of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a cathedral in which the relics of the Monk Arseny Konevsky are buried. The place for construction was chosen by him back in 1421, after the flood, and since then more than one temple has been built here, but each time on the foundation of the first one.
In terms of volume and layout, the building follows the traditions of ancient Russian architecture, representing an eight-pillar temple with a protruding altar in the form of three semicircles of apses, a central cubic volume and a vestibule in the western part. The central volume is crowned with five domes on octagonal drums. The silhouette of domes with cupolas, the shape of the windows, arched cornices above them, pilasters are inspired by the Baroque architectural style, which until recently dominated the architecture of St. Petersburg. In general, the cathedral building absorbed the traditions ancient Russian architecture, the motifs of the Baroque era and the influence of the classicism that has gained strength, harmoniously combining all this. In the late 60s of the 19th century, the cathedral building received an addition from the western side in the form of an extension with a turret, which made it possible to arrange a closed entrance to the second floor, in addition, an additional area for the sacristy appeared.
If you go east from the temple to the Kazan Skete, then you can not help but pay attention to the outbuildings. On the right we see a stone two-story building with mezzanines building for workers, built in 1874 by architect I.B. Slupsky. On the left side - stone two-storey hotel Built in 1861, behind it you can see the stone barnyard, erected in 1826. A little further to the east there is a wooden stable with a courtyard in the middle, with two huts for grooms and workers - a rather rare example of an outbuilding in our time, which has been preserved almost in its entirety. It should be noted that the fact that the monastery was located on an island, access to which was restricted by the military, saved the monastery from final destruction. local residents, which is the lot of many churches in continental Russia.

Further, the road deepens in a wide clearing into a pine forest, against the background of which, on the right side, you can see the silhouette of an amazingly beautiful wooden chapels in the name of the Assumption of the Mother of God. The chapel was built in 1899 to replace the cross that stood on the spot where St. Arseniy liked to rest. The architecture of this elegant building is designed in the Russian style.
Leaving the forest, the road climbs to the picturesquely located on the top of the hill. skete in the name of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. We see the very first of the stone buildings preserved on the island.

The construction of the skete began in 1794 with the laying of a stone church. The temple was erected in the center of a rectangular courtyard formed by a fence and one-story cell houses. The architectural image of the temple bears the features of ancient Russian architecture.
Rectangular yard with north side encloses a solid one-story building, in which warm cells and a common meal with pantries were arranged. The southeastern and southwestern corners of the stone fence were occupied by one-story houses for one cell with cold vestibules.

The skit road ends here, but a path goes to the left, winding up the hill and disappearing into the thickets of the forest. Along this path, we come to the northern slope of the Holy Mountain, where at the foot lies a huge boulder measuring 9 x 6 and 5 meters high, shaped like a horse's skull. We go down the stone steps and find ourselves next to this miracle of nature, on top of which there is a small wooden chapel. This is the very pearl of the island - chapel on Horse-stone. The chapel was erected after the Reverend Arseny drove out the evil spirits that lived, according to legend, under the Horse-stone. The last version of it, later updated more than once, apparently can be attributed to 1815.

There is no doubt that a trip to this island, remote from noisy tourist trails, is covered with beautiful pine forest, towering over the boundless expanse of Lake Ladoga, can leave vivid impressions!

If you have been to Konevets, then send your impressions and comments on the text, and they will be published here.

14.01.2017

Everyone who is interested in Russian history knows the island of Valaam - iconic place for pilgrims and one of the centers of spiritual culture of our country. But few people know that only fifty kilometers from Valaam, in the west of Lake Ladoga, is the island of Konevets, the cradle of an ancient shrine - the monastery of the miracle worker Arseny Konevsky.

Island on Ladoga

The area of ​​Konevets is 3.5 times smaller than the area of ​​the island of Valaam, and its landscape consists mainly of hills and steep cliffs. East End The coast is replete with small bays that lie between numerous capes protruding into the lake surface. In the depths of the island there is a 750-ton granite boulder - the Horse-Stone, the former cult place of the pagans, used by them for sacrifices. The name of the island came from the name of this stone.

The picturesque natural composition of Konevets is complemented by the bay, which in the old days was called Chertovaya, and in our time it has been renamed Vladimirskaya. The trip from the bay to Konevets by boat will take about an hour. But the nearest settlements to the island are separated from the island by a much greater distance: 40 km by water to Priozersk, the regional center in Leningrad region, and 170 km to St. Petersburg.

Foundation and development of the monastery

The Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin was founded on the island by the monk Arseniy Konevsky at the end of the 14th century. At the same time, the monks began to build a temple on Konevets. But in the early years of the 15th century, due to regular floods, the monastery buildings were moved from the coast to the island hills.

The monastery is located there to this day, being the main attraction of the island.

Konevets was twice attacked by Swedish troops, who in the 17th century completely destroyed the monastery. The monastic brethren had to urgently move to the Novgorod lands and seek asylum in the Resurrection Monastery.

Only in the 50s of the XIX century, when the island was part of Finland, the buildings on Konevets were recreated almost in their original form. A fertile time began for the monastery - it was visited by Alexander II, writers Nikolai Leskov and Alexander Dumas, poet Fyodor Tyutchev and many other prominent figures of Russian and foreign culture.

Konevets in the 20th century: from decline to revival

The revolution of 1917 did not affect the way of life on the island, since Konevets was still under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Finland at that time. However, the number of monastic brethren decreased, because none of the Russian priests wanted to enter the service in the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery.

Shortly before the war between the USSR and Finland in 1939, the monks left the island and removed several bells and iconostases from it, however, most of the utensils remained on Konevets, occupied by Finnish troops.

After the end of the Soviet-Finnish war, the monastery brethren returned to the island and began to restore the ruined and devastated monastery.

But in 1944, when Konevets passed to the USSR, the monks had to leave the island and move to Finland.

And only at the end of the 20th century the monastic life on Konevets was revived - about 20 monks settled on the island, built a bakery, started producing cheese and started livestock. Today, the brothers live not only on the income from the bakery, cheese factory and farm, but also on the help provided by the monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Finnish society "Konevets".

temple complex

The main attraction of Konevets is the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, which houses a shrine with the relics of the miracle worker Arseny, as well as the icon of the Mother of God of Konev.

Despite the fact that over the course of several centuries the temple was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, its architecture has preserved the traditions of ancient Russian architecture. However, in the appearance of the temple, the features inherent in baroque and classicism are guessed. But in general, the structure is distinguished by a surprisingly harmonious composition.

Close to temple complex outbuildings are located: barns for animals and stables, as well as huts for cattlemen. Near the temple you can also see a couple of solid buildings - pilgrimage hotel and a house for workers (seasonal workers).

chapels

The chapel, built on Konevets in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the patron saint of sea travelers, is visible from afar - its height exceeds 7 meters. Due to the fact that the Nikolskaya chapel is located near the pier, it is the first island shrine that pilgrims see when they set foot on the shore of Konevets. The stone chapel with ascetic decoration was founded in the 19th century by hegumen Hilarion, the author of the monastic charter.

In place of the cross erected by the monk Arseniy with his own hand in last years XIV century, five centuries later, a chapel was built in the name of the Assumption of the Mother of God. Nowadays, the Assumption Chapel is beautiful building Konevets. The walls of the building are made of carved wood in the old Russian style with the addition of oriental flavor. Crossing the threshold of the chapel, you can see the icons depicting Arseny the Wonderworker and St. Euthymius.

Sketes

On the site of the construction of the first monastery complex, in the bay, there is the Konevsky Skete. It was founded at the end of the 19th century and was a beautiful five-domed church from white stone and a two-storey high cell building. The carved iconostasis, the decoration of which resembled malachite stone, was considered the pride of the church.

But during the Great Patriotic War, the monastery was destroyed. Only in 2003 the buildings of the church and cell building were restored.

To the north of the Assumption Chapel, on a hilly hill surrounded by a pine forest, is the Kazan Skete. Part of the buildings that make up the skete were erected during the life of Arseny the Wonderworker and happy accident have come down to our days in their original form.

In the central part of the skete there is a temple built in the late 18th - early 19th centuries in the style of ancient Russian architecture. The temple is surrounded by cold summer and warm winter cells of the monastic brethren, a refectory room and pantries. The territory of the Kazan Skete is surrounded by a fence, along the edges of which there are two more small outbuildings - a summer vestibule and another cell.

Holy Mountain and Horse Stone

If you go around the Kazan Skete on the left side, you can go to the path leading to the Holy Mountain. Walking along a winding path through numerous hills and forest thickets, you will find yourself at the northern foot of the Holy Mountain, near which the Horse-Stone is located. This giant boulder gets its name from its resemblance to a horse's skull. There are many legends associated with the Horse-stone and mystical stories. Before the arrival of the monk Arseny on the island, the pagans held rituals near the boulder, in which horses were sacrificed. The place sprinkled with blood served as a refuge for evil spirits, who were expelled from the island by the monk Arseny. According to legend, the black spirits flew away towards the bay, which later became known as Devil's. After the expulsion of the "demonic force", the founder of the Konevsky Monastery built a small cell on the Holy Mountain, where he lived alone for three years.

Later, during the erection of the first monastic buildings, a small wooden chapel was installed on the top of the Horse-stone. Like many buildings, this chapel was destroyed several times. The chapel, which can be seen on a boulder today, was built in the last years of the 19th century. Her hallmark architectural appearance are decorative carved window frames. You can get inside the chapel by climbing a simple wooden staircase. The interior decoration is modest and simple: the walls and ceiling are painted white, in the center of the hall there is a lectern for reading prayers and several icons.

Memo to the pilgrim

You can get to the island in the following way. From the Finnish railway station in St. Petersburg by train you need to get to the village of Gromovo, which is located in the Priozersky district of the Leningrad region. In Gromovo, you need to take a bus to Vladimirskaya Bay. So you will find yourself on the shore of Lake Ladoga. A monastery boat will take you to Konevets Island during the navigation period. This trip will take about an hour. However, when setting off on a journey, you must take into account the following features: the boats do not run according to the schedule, and the captain of the boat will not let you on board without the permission of the Pilgrimage Service of the monastery.

IN winter time from the bay to the island you can walk on the ice of Lake Ladoga. But it should be remembered that access to the ice must also be agreed with the Pilgrimage Service or the abbot of the monastery.