Why Lake Ladoga. Lake Ladoga, eastern shore, the mouth of the Vidlitsa River. Unusual natural phenomena on Ladoga

Lake Ladoga is the largest freshwater lake Europe - located in the north-west of Russia, in harsh land with majestic nature and rich history. It was here that Russian statehood was born, the first Russian cities appeared.

The history of the lake, the unique and rich nature - all this makes Lake Ladoga the most valuable object culture and beautiful corner Russia.

Origin of the lake

The lake was formed by the melting of the glacier, and this process lasted several millennia. Several times the giant lake either merged with the waters of the ancient ocean, or again found itself surrounded by firmament. Finally, about three thousand years ago, a body of water squeezed by the banks broke through to the Baltic Sea by the Neva River.

The gradual formation of the lake was reflected in the unique bottom topography: if in the northern part of the lake the depth reaches 230 m, then in the “shallow” southern part it is 20-70 m. natural areas. The Karelian (northern) coast lies on the Baltic crystalline shield, it is steep and rocky. South coast located in Leningrad region, composed of sedimentary rocks. The coast gently goes under water, forming sandy shoals and beaches.

Lake Ladoga on the map looks like the footprint of some giant beast. The length of the reservoir from north to south is 219 km, and from west to east - 138 km. Huge area lakes - over 18,000 sq. km - holds about 900 cubic meters. km of water. More than 40 rivers and streams fill it with their waters, and only one - the full-flowing Neva - flows out. Some rivers connect Lake Ladoga with other lakes - with Onega, Ilmen, Saimaa.

There are many islands on the lake - more than 660. In the north of the lake there are the famous Ladoga skerries - a magnificent necklace of a series of rocky islands separated by narrow straits. The main diamond of this stunning natural phenomenon of unique beauty is the holy island of Valaam with the famous Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery.

History of the lake

Lake Ladoga occupies a special place in the history of our country. The name of the reservoir comes from the name of the ancient Russian city of Ladoga, but there is another version: on the contrary, the city is named after the lake. Until the 13th century, the lake was called "great lake Nebo". In Finnish, the word "nevo" means: "swamp", "quagmire".

Fateful events that are reflected in culture and history are associated with Lake Ladoga:

the famous route from the Varangians to the Greeks passed through Ladoga;
in the 14th century, Oreshek, the oldest Russian fortress, was built at the source of the Neva;
at the end of the XIV century, the largest Orthodox monasteries were built on the islands - Valaam and Konevsky, famous for their missionary activities;
Novgorodians kept a navy here;
battles took place on the lake and its shores Northern war 1701-1721;
Road of life during the Second World War.

Since 1721, the coast of Lake Ladoga has become completely Russian. Even then, Peter I appreciated the harsh nature of the lake, its deceit: a complete calm in a few tens of minutes can be replaced by a real storm, and the waves rise to a height of 4-5 meters. Such inconstancy of the lake made the Russian emperor say famous words about the fact that only one who walked along Ladoga can be considered a real sailor.

The road of life

There are tragic pages in the history of the lake that cause tears of joy and grief at the same time - this is a heroic chronicle of saving hundreds of thousands of human lives from besieged Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War.

The road of life through Lake Ladoga connected the dying city with the country and saved it from destruction. In the period from September 1941 to March 1944, 1,600 thousand tons of various cargoes were transported through the water and ice of the lake and more than 1,300 thousand people were evacuated.

In winter, goods and people were transported on the famous "lorries" - GAZ-AA. With the melting of the ice, navigation on the water began. In addition to 15 barges, metal vessels, which were built in Leningrad, took part in the navigation.

The road of life passed near the front line and needed protection. It was defended by anti-aircraft artillery divisions and fighter regiments, but thin ice and bombing destroyed about a thousand trucks.

In memory of the feat Soviet people on the Road of Life in the territory from Leningrad to Ladoga, 7 monuments, 112 memorial pillars along the highway and railway. The most famous of the monuments is the "Broken Ring" by architect V. G. Filippov.

Why you should visit Lake Ladoga

Ladoga is one of the many water bodies in our country, a visit to which will bring great pleasure. From year to year, in any season, thousands of fishermen, pilgrims and just vacationers flock to the shores of the lake. Each of them has their own interests, but the stunning beauty of the water surface, bizarre islands, majestic shores and, of course, the harsh nature of the lake leave no one indifferent. You need to make friends with him, and then the relationship with the lake will last for many years, bringing a lot of impressions.

So why is it worth visiting the shores of a wonderful lake? Here are the main reasons:

. More than 50 species of fish live in the lake, the most famous of which are salmon, whitefish, Ladoga smelt, pike perch. You can fish at any time of the year with consistently great results.
Rich flora and fauna. The nature of Lake Ladoga is unique and diverse: here you can meet southern views plants and flora of the tundra; hares, wolves, bears, elk and other species of animals live in the forests, and the Ladoga seal lives in the north of the lake.
Diving. Thanks to fresh and clean water, its low temperature, the artifacts of bygone times lying at the bottom are perfectly preserved and are of scientific and research interest.
Curious natural phenomena: mirages, brontides (underground rumble).
Visiting holy places.
Developed tourist infrastructure.
Rest on sandy beaches.
Complete absence of mosquitoes.

Lake Ladoga - mysterious, majestic and beautiful, will always attract thousands of tourists seeking to join its harsh beauty. The wealth of waters and shores, the bizarre landscape and the history of the lake stagger the imagination and fill hearts with love for Russia, its nature and culture.

Ladoga lake is the largest freshwater lake in European continent. For Russia, this lake is of great industrial, ecological and historical importance. Another version of the name - Ladoga.

If you look at the map, you can see that the shores of Lake Ladoga belong to two Russian regions: Republic of Karelia and Leningrad region. That is, located in the European part of the country.
On north side Ladoga the shores are high, rocky, their relief is quite indented, which explains the presence here a large number peninsulas, bays, small islands. From the south of Ladoga, the lake is surrounded by low, gently sloping, more even shores. The largest bays are also located here: Volkhovskaya, Svirskaya, Shlisselburgskaya bays. The eastern coast is also not very indented, there are sandy beaches here. In the west, the coastline is almost flat. Mixed forests, bushes grow here, there are a lot of big stones, which also cover the bottom under water for a fairly long distance.
Bring their waters into Ladoga lake 35 rivers, and only one flows out. The largest river that brings water is the Svir. What river flows out of Lake Ladoga? This is the famous Neva, on which stands the second most important city Russian Federation- Saint Petersburg. Some rivers bring water into Ladoga from other lakes, such as Onega or Ilmen.
There are a large number of islands on the lake - at least five hundred. The largest islands Ladoga together they form the Valaam archipelago. The largest single island is Riekkalansari. Also a large island is Konevets, where a famous monastery was built, just like on Valaam.

Dimensions, lengths and depth of Ladoga

The depth of Lake Ladoga is uneven throughout its territory - it increases from south to north. The maximum depth of Lake Ladoga is 233 m. The average figure is much lower - 50 m. In the north of Lake Ladoga, its depth varies from 70 to 230 m, and in the south - from 20 to 70.
The area of Ladoga is 17.87 thousand square meters. km. The volume of water in Lake Ladoga is 838 cubic meters. km. The length from north to south of the lake is 219 km, at its widest point Ladoga stretches for 125 km.

Climatic features of the area

Lake Ladoga has a generally temperate climate. In the geographical area where Lake Ladoga is located, not so much sunlight penetrates during the year. Therefore, the evaporation of water from Ladoga is rather slow. Most of the days of the year it is cloudy and overcast.
Between the end of May and the middle of July, Lake Ladoga you can observe the famous phenomenon of "white nights", when at night the sun practically does not set below the horizon.
Throughout the year, western and southwestern winds blow on Ladoga. In winter, Lake Ladoga freezes until the end of spring, but is completely covered with ice only in the coldest winters. Such a long glaciation affects the water temperature throughout the rest of the year. The average water temperature here is low: at a depth it stays at 4 ° C, and on the surface Lake Ladoga depending on the time of year and site, it can be in the range from 2 ° C to 24 ° C. The water is not as clear as on Baikal, but this may be due to the fact that many species of algae, small plankton live in it, and constant storms disturb its surface, whipping up foam.

History of Lake Ladoga

Lake Ladoga was formed as a result of the melting of glaciers and over the course of several thousand years its outlines were formed and changed.
Until the 13th century, the lake was called Nevo, which, apparently, was directly related to the name of the Neva River. Then it was named Lake Ladoga, taking over the name from the city of Ladoga located here. Many objects in this area have names derived from Karelian. But the most likely explanation for the name "Ladoga" is Finnish versions - from the ancient words for water or the concept of "lower", which are consonant with Ladoga. The name Nevo also has Finnish roots and can mean "swamp". It is possible that in those days the lake gave a reason to call itself that way, in this area there are many traces of swamps.
On Lake Ladoga, starting from the 9th century, from Scandinavia, across Europe to the country of Byzantium, the water part of the route “From the Varangians to the Greeks” passed. In the 8th century, the city of Ladoga was built here, and soon other cities and fortresses began to appear here. At the end of the 14th century, the famous Valaam Monastery was founded on the islands of the same name. Until now, its buildings are the pearl of wooden architecture.
For many years there was a war with the Swedish state for part of the land lying on the lake. Nevertheless, Peter I managed to achieve that Ladoga became Russian. In 1721, according to an agreement with the Swedes concluded after the war, the coast of Lake Ladoga was completely ceded to Russia.
To make navigation on Ladoga more accessible, a canal was built here.
During the difficult war years from 1939 to 1944. the Ladoga flotilla was based in Lake Ladoga, fighting in its waters. In 1941–1944 more than half of the coast of Lake Ladoga was occupied by enemy troops. From September 1941 to March 1943, the “Road of Life” passed along the ice of Ladoga - the only way along which besieged Leningrad it was possible to deliver provisions and necessary things. The evacuation of people was also organized through it, in total, about 1.3 million people took advantage of the evacuation.
Thus, Ladoga is a lake that has a special significance for Russian history.

Ecology of Lake Ladoga

Basically, the waters of Ladoga are very clean, but there are problem areas. This is largely due to the development of industrial zones near Lake Ladoga as well as the aftermath of World War II. During the war, radioactive weapons were tested in this area and on some islands. Including studied the reaction of animals to the consequences of its use. In addition, a lot of sunken military ships, aircraft with ammunition create an unfavorable radiation background.
The number of contaminated sites is on the rise. Approximately 600 industrial enterprises operate on the banks of Ladoga, which pollute the air, dump production waste into the Ladoga River and others, which then bring them into the lake. By the way, the correct answer to the question - Ladoga - is it a river or a lake, that it is both. There is a river, and also a city with that name. At the same time, historians claim that at first the river got its name, then the city, and only after that Lake Nevo was renamed.
Pollution of Lake Ladoga today is considered to be at a moderate level. In some places, there is an excess of radiation standards - where supplies were previously tested, as well as those closest to nuclear and other industrial enterprises.

Nature and fauna of Lake Ladoga

The nature of Lake Ladoga is very beautiful, this place is very famous among tourists, travelers as a place for recreation and hiking. Majestic rocks, mountains, pine forests- it creates everything unique image this place. Rare plants and animals are found in various reserves of Ladoga. Despite the difficult climate, even some southern plant species grow here, and in the north - typical representatives of the tundra (saxifrage). Forests on Lake Ladoga are not only coniferous, but also broad-leaved - with maples, elms.
Fauna Lake Ladoga includes representatives of the taiga: foxes, wolves, hares, bears, etc. There is also an original animal, which is found only here - the Ladoga seal. The animal, which is more characteristic of the seas, feels great in the fresh water of Ladoga.
Approximately 50 species of fish live in Lake Ladoga. The most popular among fishermen and industrialists can be called smelt, pike perch.

Rest on Lake Ladoga

Around Lake Ladoga you can find places for recreation for every taste and for any purpose: recreational, hiking, entertaining. Fishing enthusiasts can often be found here. Everything you need for similar activities, is located at recreation centers, including instructors who teach the intricacies of this or that type of pastime at almost every one of them.
People like to go diving here because of the large number of finds that can be found at the bottom and simply beautiful underwater views. You can also choose relaxing holiday on the beach when weather permits.
Excursions are also organized to the natural and historical sights of Ladoga, for example, structures left after the war, old fortresses or mountain peaks.

Attractions on Lake Ladoga

It is worth talking about the sights of Lake Ladoga separately. Here is, for example, interesting, with beautiful views practically untouched nature Nizhnesvirsky reserve. It is home to a huge number of bird species and many animals.
Valaam Island on Ladoga with the monastery of the same name is of historical, cultural and architectural value. Not to mention the fact that pilgrims come here from all over Russia and beyond.
The memorial complex dedicated to the Road of Life tells the story of the heroic feat of people who made trips on the ice of Lake Ladoga in the most dangerous conditions, risking falling through the ice or being fired upon by the enemy. Nevertheless, they went for it in order to save the lives of the inhabitants of the city, who survived the terrible blockade.
Also of historical and cultural interest on Lake Ladoga are the cities of Shlisselburg founded by Peter I, with the fortress Oreshek, Novaya Ladoga.

Lake Ladoga in works of art

Ladoga is a lake, which is reflected in folk legends and examples of folk art of various peoples who lived here. Basically, these are Karelian and Russian epics.
The famous Karelian folk composition "Kalevala", which was once passed from mouth to mouth, describes the events that took place in the north of Lake Ladoga.
Constantine Roerich in his youth made an expedition along the rivers flowing into Lake Ladoga and to the lake itself. Since 1916, he lived in this area for two years, created several paintings, sketches, poems and fairy tales here.
Due to its amazing nature, Lake Ladoga inspired, first of all, painters who admired the local colors and landscapes. Many painted the Valaam Monastery, as its buildings looked especially impressive and mysterious against the background majestic nature. The lake with the sonorous name Ladoga also evoked fairy tales. Here worked such masters of painting as F. A. Vasiliev, A. I. Kuindzhi, N. K. Roerich, I. I. Shishkin.

industry on the lake

The lake is used for the passage of ships, whose routes along it are segments of the Volga-Baltic route and the White Sea-Baltic Canal. The weather on the lake is very changeable and ships are often threatened by storms, high waves, so navigation is periodically suspended. Once upon a time, there was even a common expression that if a sailor did not sail on Ladoga, then he was not yet a real sailor. Such a phenomenon as complete calm is quite rare on this lake.
Various industrial cargoes and building materials are transported along Lake Ladoga. There are also passenger ships and cruise ships, for the most part these are tourist routes.
On an industrial scale, about 10 species of fish are caught here, such as smelt, pike perch, and whitefish. Not far from the lake there are industrial enterprises: a paper and pulp plant, aluminum, oil and chemical industries, and so on.

Secrets and secrets that the bottom of Lake Ladoga keeps

At the bottom of the lake there are many interesting researchers and lovers of various mysteries and secrets of things. Of course, the greatest success is considered to find something very ancient, dating back to the Vikings. But most often find artifacts that have remained since the Second World War. They are better preserved and easier to find. For example, the sights of that time that attracted extreme tourists and divers include the so-called "Bay of Death", the bottom of which is practically covered with shell casings, since a fierce battle took place here in 1941.
Amateur divers find sunken ships, wartime planes. Unlike the marine fresh water does not destroy and spoil sunken things so much, which is why the finds of Lake Ladoga are so attractive.

Lake Ladoga is the most large lake Europe. The area of Lake Ladoga is 18400 sq. km. It is an inexhaustible source drinking water for the second largest city in Russia - St. Petersburg.

The lake is slightly elongated in the meridional direction. The maximum length is about 200 km, width - 130 km. The greatest depth is 230 m. Nature itself made sure that there was no monotony on the Ladoga shores. Lake Ladoga is rich in islands (up to 500 islands with an area of about 300 sq. km), almost all of them are located in the north of the lake. Among them, the Valaam Islands stand out for their size, with coastal slopes sheerly descending into the water. Of the other islands, the largest are Konevets, Vossinansaari, Heinäsensaari, Mantinsaari, Lunkulansaari. IN southern half there are very few lakes of islands and their sizes are small: Zelentsy (in the Shlisselburg Bay), Ptinov (in the Volkhov Bay).

Nature has been working on the artistic framing of Lake Ladoga for millions of years. Northern part it lies on the Baltic crystalline shield, the formation of which dates back to the most ancient eras in the history of the development of the Earth. The rocks that make up the shield are mainly represented by granites, gneisses, and crystalline schists of the so-called Archean age. These rocks come to the surface and are only covered in places by a thin layer of sediments of a later time.

Ladoga skerries - a necklace of islands separated by a labyrinth of straits, stretched north coast. Some of them bristled with granite cliffs, dropping almost vertically into the cold depths of the waters. Others expose their sloping stone backs to the waves. In the depths of the bays, small islands covered with trees turn green. A scattering of rounded boulders meets us on the western coast. Rocky ridges, called "fences" here, go far into the lake. sandbanks and dunes overgrown with red-stemmed pines open up to the gaze of the traveler along the eastern coast.

An integral part of the Ladoga skerries is the Valaam archipelago, on which the ancient Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is located. At one time, it was his monks who were sent to the Russian Orthodox Church spread the Christian faith among the peoples of distant Russian Alaska. Now Valaam is one of the most popular centers of international tourism.

Thirty-two rivers carry their waters to Ladoga, this is the full-flowing Svir, concealing a huge supply of energy, and the small rivers of the northern coast, lost among the forests and meadows, and the straight Volkhov, and flowing through the many lakes of Vuoksa. There are short rivers, the sources of which lie 20-40 kilometers from Ladoga. Others stretched out for more than one hundred kilometers, and their waters overcome a long way before they join the lake. No matter how the rivers of the Ladoga basin differ from each other in their size, together they serve as the main source of nutrition for the lake. Every year the rivers bring here about 68 cubic kilometers of water. In high-water years, this figure can increase to 100. The share of rain and snow involved in replenishing water reserves in the lake accounts for 15 percent, groundwater - only 2 percent of the total inflow.

Many rivers connect Ladoga with lakes: the Volkhov River - with Ilmen, the Svir River - with Onega, the Vidlitsa River - with Vedlozero, the Tulema River - with Tulmozero, the Lyaskelya or Yanisyeki River - with Lake Janisyarvi, the Vuoksa River - with large the lakes of Finland (the Saimaa lake system), the Taipale River - with Sukhodolsky Lake (Suvantojärvi).

Lake Ladoga, without exaggeration, can be called a pantry of solar energy. Solar energy penetrating into the water column sets the water masses of the lake in motion. Even in short periods of calm, when the surface of Ladoga is mirror-fixed, at depth there is a movement of water masses both horizontally and vertically. This phenomenon contributes to the redistribution of heat in Ladoga, the gradual enrichment of ever deeper layers with it. The accumulation of solar heat and its distribution in water during the day, season, year determines the temperature regime of the lake. Ladoga has its own spring, summer, autumn and winter.

The water reserve in Ladoga is 908 cubic kilometers. This value does not remain constant - in some periods it grows, in others it falls. True, such fluctuations in relation to the total mass of water in the lake did not exceed 6 percent, at least over the past 100 years. They manifest themselves in changes in the water level and are sometimes so significant that they even cause low-water and high-water periods in the Ladoga regime.

In the old days, a long low standing level was often explained by the influence of supernatural forces. Among the inhabitants of the villages scattered along the banks, there were various legends. Maybe because the number 7 was considered lucky in Rus', there was a belief that the water level on Ladoga has been growing for 7 years and falling for 7 years. The onset of dry years in the life of the lake has always been considered an unkind phenomenon. In the XVIII and XIX centuries it especially affected the life of St. Petersburg, whose economic development was closely connected with shipping. In dry years, due to the strong shallowing of the Ladoga canals and the source of the Neva, navigation was difficult and suffered heavy losses. The supply of goods to the city was reduced, food prices began to rise, which was why the poor suffered first of all.

From ancient times, swimming on the lake was associated with great risk. Thousands of ships perished in its waves. It got to the point that not a single insurance company in Russia insured ships sailing with cargo on Ladoga. It was not only the poor equipment of ships and the lack of good navigational charts that affected, but also the natural features of Ladoga. "The lake is stormy and filled with stones," wrote the well-known researcher A.P. Andreev.

The reason for the harsh nature of Ladoga lies in the structural features of its basin, the distribution of depths and the outlines of the lake. A sharp break in the bottom profile during the transition from great depths in the northern part to shallow depths in the southern part prevents the formation of a "correct" wave - along the entire length of the lake.

Such a wave can occur only in the northern part. When the winds drive it south, it retains its shape only over great depths. As soon as she gets into the area with depths of 15 - 20 meters, the wave breaks. She is tall but short. Her comb topples over. There is a complex system of waves going in different directions, the so-called "crowd". It is especially dangerous for small boats that experience unexpected, fairly strong jolts. There is a known case when a research vessel, operating at a wave of 3-4 points and a wave height of 0.8 meters, experienced a blow, as a result of which it tore off the doors of the closet from the hinges, and the dishes that flew out onto the floor of the wardroom were smashed to smithereens. In the old days, apparently, during such unexpected blows, the steering failed or the ship's hull was destroyed, which led to its inevitable death.

Another feature of the unrest on the lake was also noticed. During a storm, waves alternate: a group of 4-5 high and long waves is replaced by a group of lower and shorter ones. Such excitement is perceived by the vessel as a bumpy road. It causes roll, which adversely affects the condition of the ship's hull. The study of waves on the lake is associated with great difficulties. The highest wave that was measured on Ladoga was 5.8 meters. According to theoretical calculations, the height of the wave during a storm can be higher here.

A relatively calm area of Ladoga is the southern bays, where a wave of 2.5 meters occurs only with very strong winds. The quietest month on Ladoga is July. At this time over the lake for the most part worth the calm.

The ichthyofauna of Lake Ladoga is represented by 14 families: lamprey, sturgeon, salmon, grayling, smelt, pike, carp, loach, catfish, eel, cod, stickleback, perch and sculpin. There are 53 all types and varieties of fish in Ladoga. In the lake, its channels and lower sections of tributaries, the following fish are found and found in the order of the ichthyological system according to Berg: river lamprey, stream lamprey, sterlet, Baltic sturgeon (occasionally), sea salmon (as a rarity ), lake salmon, lake trout, brook trout (in Ladoga rivers), ludoga char, pit char, common vendace, Ladoga ripus, Vuoksinsky whitefish, black whitefish, Yamny or Valaam whitefish, Ludog whitefish, Volkhov whitefish, Svir whitefish, lake whitefish , grayling, smelt, smelt, pike, roach, dace, chub, ide, minnow, rudd, asp, tench, gudgeon, bleak, silver bream, bream, white-eye, blue, damp, sabrefish, crucian carp, mustachioed char, loach, pluck, catfish, eel, burbot, nine-spined stickleback, three-spined stickleback, zander, perch, ruff, four-horned goby and sculpin.

Only 9-10 species are of paramount commercial importance: whitefish, smelt, perch, roach, pike perch, vendace (together with ripus), bream, pike, salmon (together with trout), ruff. According to the species composition of fish, Lake Ladoga is rightly called a reservoir predominantly salmon. Salmon, trout, palia, vendace, several breeds of whitefish, grayling and smelt close to salmon fish, that is, a third of the species and varieties of fish represent a group of inhabitants of large, cool and clean waters. Another large group is carp fish, which also make up a third of the species. Ladoga fish, is common for water bodies warmer than Ladoga, but these fish have adapted to living in Ladoga, and some of them have a large number (roach, ide, bleak, bream, partly raw).

most interesting tourist site on the lake is the Ladoga seal listed in the Red Book of Russia.

general characteristics

The relief of the bottom of Lake Ladoga is characterized by a gradual increase in depth from south to north. The bottom of the northern part is uneven, furrowed with depressions. Depths exceeding 100 meters prevail here. It is in the north, near the Kilpisaret Islands, that maximum depth lake, equal to 230 meters. The depth of the depression against the Kurkijoki skerries reaches 220 meters. Not far from Priozersk, as well as near the Sortaval skerries, depths of up to 150 meters are known. The bottom relief of the southern part is calmer and more smooth. The depths in this part of the lake range from 20-50 meters and are close to the average depth of the entire reservoir - 51 meters.

The total area of Lake Ladoga is 18,135 square kilometers, 457 of which are islands. Only islands exceeding 1 hectare in area, there are more than 650, of which about 500 are located off the northwestern coast. The bizarre outlines of rocky islands, sometimes reaching a height of 60-70 meters, are combined with the indented coast of the mainland, into which numerous bays deeply cut. The largest of them - Lekhmalakhti, Naismeri, Kurkiyoksky, Yakimvarsky, Sortavala - have a length of more than 10 kilometers.

From the steep shores, a delightful panorama of islands opens up, towering above the silvery surface of the lake. The numbers speak eloquently about the ruggedness of the shores of northern Ladoga: from the total length coastline lakes of 1570 kilometers, the share of the skerry region accounts for 790.

The high northern coast drops to the south and gradually passes into the calmer western and eastern shores. The eastern coast is not indented, only two major bays- Lunkulanlahti and Uksunlahti, covered from the side of the lake by one of largest islands Ladogi - Mantsinsari. The eastern coast (in the southern part) is surrounded by wide sandy beaches. West Bank even less rugged. It is overgrown with dense mixed forest and shrubs, coming close to the water's edge, along which placers of boulders of various shapes and sizes predominate. Ridges of stones often go far from the capes into the lake, forming dangerous underwater reefs.

The western shore passes into the low and swampy southern shore, bordered, like a curb, by thickets of aquatic plants. The coast here is replete with shoals, rocky reefs and banks. Therefore, shallow South part fraught with many dangers for navigation ships.

Thirty-two rivers carry their waters to Ladoga. This is the full-flowing Svir, fraught with a huge reserve of energy, and small rivers of the northern coast, lost among the forests and meadows, and the rectilinear Volkhov, and flowing through many lakes of Vuoksa. There are short rivers, the sources of which lie 20-40 kilometers from Ladoga. Others stretched out for more than one hundred kilometers, and their waters overcome a long way before they join the lake.

No matter how the rivers of the Ladoga basin differ from each other in their size, together they serve as the main source of nutrition for the lake. Every year the rivers bring here about 68 cubic kilometers of water. In high-water years, this figure can increase to 100. The share of rain and snow involved in replenishing water reserves in the lake accounts for 15 percent, groundwater - only 2 percent of the total inflow.

River waters flow into Ladoga fairly evenly throughout the year. In this, the main role is played by the artificial regulation of the flow of large rivers, which became possible after the construction of a number of structures and hydroelectric facilities.

In the spring, the southern river, the Volkhov, is opened before anyone else. It carries a huge mass of water at this time of the year. By winter, its value in the total inflow decreases. The flow of the Vuoksa (Burnaya) River is most evenly distributed over the seasons, followed by the Svir. This leads to the fact that in winter, when many rivers are depleted, the filling of the lake occurs due to these two tributaries.

Only the full-flowing Neva flows out of Ladoga. Every second it takes about 2500 cubic meters of water, which in less than a day manages to go all the way from the source to the Gulf of Finland. The length of the Neva is 74 kilometers. Throughout the river bottom lies below the surface Baltic Sea. If, for some reason, the water level in Ladoga fell 4.5-5 meters below the average, then the Neva would flow back, and the waters of the Gulf of Finland would enter the lake.

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LADOGA LAKE

Lake Ladoga, the old Russian name is Nevo, (Ladoga - Karelian Luadogu, Finnish Laatokka) is a lake in Karelia (N and E shore) and the Leningrad Region (W, S and SE shore), the largest freshwater lake in Europe. Refers to the Baltic Sea basin. The area of the lake without islands is from 17.6 thousand km² (with islands 18.1 thousand km²); the volume of water mass - 908 km³; length from south to north - 219 km, maximum width - 138 km. The depth is uneven in the northern part, it ranges from 70 to 230 m, in the southern part - from 20 to 70 m. The cities of Priozersk, Novaya Ladoga, Shlisselburg in the Leningrad Region, Sortavala, Pitkyaranta, Lahdenpokhya in Karelia are located on the shores of Lake Ladoga. More than 30 rivers flow into Lake Ladoga, and only one - the Neva - originates. In the southern part of the lake there are three large bays: Svirskaya, Volkhovskaya and Shlisselburgskaya bays.

The name Ladoga is given to a river, a lake and a city. At the same time, until recently it was not quite clear which of the names is primary. The name of the city was derived from the name of Lake Ladoga (from Finnish *aaldokas, aallokas "wavering" - from aalto "wave"), or from the name of the Ladoga River (now Ladoga, from Finnish *Alode-joki, where alode, aloe - "low terrain" and jok(k)i - "river").

In PVL 12th century. referred to as "the great lake Nebo". Perhaps from the name of the Neva River. Fasmer's etymological Russian-language dictionary:NEVA - a river connecting Lake Ladoga and Fin. bay, for the first time other Russian. Neva, Zhit. Alexandra Nevsk. (XIII century), p. 2; earlier also Nevo - "Lake Ladoga" (Pov. time years and also in the Book. big hell.). From Finnish. Nevajoki, Nevajarvi from neva "swamp", whence also the Swiss, Wed-Nzh.-Ger. Nu "Neva", perceived by the people. etymology as "New (river)".Etymological dictionary of Krylov:NEVA - The name of the river on which Tsar Peter built the new capital of Russia goes back to the Finnish name Nevajoki - "swampy river", derived from the word neva - "swamp".

In the sagas, and later in agreements with the Hanseatic cities, the lake is called Aldoga (cf. Finnish aalto - wave). From the beginning of the 13th century, the name came into use - Lake Ladoga, formed from the name of the city of Ladoga, which in turn was named after the tributary of the Volkhov River of the same name in its downstream(Fin. alodejoki - a river in a low area). Other variants of the origin of the name of the lake: from the Karelian word aalto (Karelian aalto - wave; hence Karelian aaltokas - wavy). Some researchers consider the primary hydronym Ladoga, from other Fin. *Alode-jogi (joki) "lower river".

There is also a hypothesis about the origin of the word "Ladoga" - from the dialect Russian word -alod- meaning an open lake, a vast water field (Mamontova N. Toponymy of the Ladoga Region). Fasmer's etymological Russian-language dictionary: ALOD - f. "glade, vast and flat terrain", arkhang., mez., (Dal), also "open lake, vast water field", zaon. (Sandpiper). According to Mikkola (JSFOu 23, 11), from Fin. *alode, modern. fin. aloo, alue "that which is below". It is doubtful borrowing from Fin. aavo, aavu "steppe, open lake";Explanatory Dictionary of V. Dahl: ALOD - f. arch-mez. clearing, vast and flat terrain. Alodnoe place is flat and open.

rice. 1 Islands of Lake Ladoga.

rice. 2 Lake Ladoga near Sortavala.

rice. 3 Ladozhskoe lake

The basin of Lake Ladoga is of glacial-tectonic origin. In the Paleozoic 300 - 400 million years ago, the entire territory of the modern basin of Lake Ladoga was covered by the sea. Sedimentary deposits of that time are sandstones, sands, clays, limestones - they cover with a thick layer (over 200 m) a crystalline foundation, consisting of granites, gneisses and diabases.

The modern relief was formed as a result of the activity of the ice sheet (the last, Valdai glaciation ended about 12 thousand years ago). The main factor was: the change in the level of the world ocean, the water of the glacier and its weight - the rise of the land began (and continues). After the retreat of the glacier about 12,600 years ago, a fresh Baltic glacial lake was formed with a level of 25 meters above the ocean. About 10-9.6 thousand years ago, the waters of the lake broke through in the region of central Sweden and the Yoldian Sea was formed, the level of which was 7-9 m higher than the modern level of the Baltic Sea.

Approximately 9500 years ago, the rise of land blocked the strait in Central Sweden and the lake of Ancylus was formed. In the north of the Karelian Isthmus, it was connected by a wide strait to Lake Ladoga. The Mga River at that time flowed to the east and flowed into the lake in the area of the modern source of the Neva.

Approximately 8500 years ago, tectonic processes open the Danish straits and the Litorin Sea is formed. Although the water level was much higher than the current one, it was lower than in Antsil Lake. This led to the formation of the Karelian Isthmus, and the formation of Lake Ladoga.

How long the lake was completely isolated is unknown - the water level in the lake rises faster than the land rises, and when the level of Ladoga exceeded the watershed level, the lake waters, flooding the Mga river valley, broke into the Tosna river valley.

Thus, about 4 thousand years ago, a new strait arose between Lake Ladoga and Gulf of Finland, which became the valley of the Neva River. The old strait in the north of the Karelian Isthmus by this time was already above the level of the lake. The relief has not changed significantly for the last 2.5 thousand years.

The northern part of Lake Ladoga lies on the Baltic Crystalline Shield, the southern part lies on the East European Platform. In the areas closest to Ladoga, the southern border of the shield runs approximately along the line Vyborg - Priozersk - the mouth of the Vidlitsa River - the source of the Svir River.

The crystalline basement of the Northern Ladoga area belongs to the ancient primary basement of Fennoscandia and was formed about 2000 million years ago. These are the oldest geological formations on Earth. Over millions of years, the ancient mountains of Svekokarelida have flattened to picturesque hills, rocks and cliffs. The depression of Lake Ladoga was formed in the Tertiary period as a result of a powerful geological fault. At the same time, as a result of faults, the formation of the archipelago and the coastal part of the northwestern shore of Lake Ladoga took place. 12 thousand years ago, after the departure of the glacier, almost the entire surface of the Ladoga region was under the water of the ancient Baltic glacial lake. The climate, water level and salinity of the lake gradually changed. About 4000 - 3000 years ago the formation of the Neva took place and the level of Lake Ladoga dropped by 10 meters.

At the end of the 9th century AD. a change in the hydrography of the region (a decrease in the level of the Baltic and, accordingly, of Lake Ladoga), led to a simultaneous process of shallowing of the rivers of the Ladoga basin, including the Volkhov with tributaries.

rice. 4 Antsyl Lake includes Ladoga 9500 years ago. The lake's outflow to the ocean is marked.

32 rivers flow directly into Lake Ladoga - more than 10 km long, to the most major rivers flowing into Lake Ladoga include: r. Svir flowing from Lake Onega, r. Vuoksa, originating in Finland, r. Volkhov, flowing from Lake Ilmen, r. Syas and others.

rice. 5 The Svir River - Podporozhsky district in the NE part of the Leningrad region.

rice. 6 Svir River, rapids.

rice. 7 Sandy banks of the Svir River.

rice. 8 River Vuoksa.

The Vuoksa River is mentioned in the Novgorod chronicles. People have lived in the vicinity of the river since prehistoric times - sites of the Stone Age period were found here, there is a mention of Vuoksa in the ancient epic "Kalevala". In the distant era of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the Vuoksa River is mentioned as a place of congress for solving state issues.

pic 9 Vuoksa near Melnikovo.

rice. 10 A dam on the Vuoksa River in Imatra.

rice. 11 Priozersk Vuoksa river.

rice. 12 Upper reaches of the Volkhov River.

rice. 13 The Volkhov River in the St. Ladogi and Lyubsha (Chernavino-5), mounds in the "tract of the hill".

rice. 14 The Volkhov River - not far from the mouth.

rice. 14 river Syas.

Lake Ladoga - Nevo.

rice. 16 ladozhskoe lake.

rice. 17 Landscapes of Lake Ladoga.

rice. 18 Lake Ladoga - shores.

rice. 19 Lake Ladoga - breaker.

rice. 20 Lake Ladoga - forest.

rice. 21 Lake Ladoga - silence.

rice. 22 Lake Ladoga - autumn.

rice. 23 Rocky shores of Lake Ladoga.

rice. 24 Lynx rock, pos. Vartsila, Northern Ladoga.

rice. 25 Ruskeala, former marble quarry. Height of rocks: 30 - 40 m, Northern Ladoga area.

rice. 26 Lake Ladoga - stones.

rice. 27 A boulder near Vidlitsa is a river in Karelia, near Ladoga.

rice. 28 On the islands of Lake Ladoga.

rice. 29 Cape Rahaniemi. Radiance August 18, 2003.

rice. 30 Gorskii Staraya Ladoga canal photo 1909

Figure 31 Korela Fortress in Priozersk.

Korela (Swedish Kexholm, Finnish Käkisalmi "Cuckoo Strait") is a stone fortress in the city of Priozersk, on the island of the Vuoksa River. Medieval Korela was the most northwestern city of Rus'. The fortress was founded at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. Novgorodians on the island of the river Uzerva(Vuokse)to protect the northwestern borders of the republic from the Swedes.

Priozersk - [Karelian. Kagoisalmi, Fin. Käkisalmi - "Cuckoo Strait", Swedish. Kexholm - "cuckoo island"] - administrative center Priozersky district of the Leningrad region. The city is located on Karelian Isthmus, along the banks of the northern branch of the Vuoksa River, between Lake Ladoga and Lake Vuoksa. Until the beginning of the 17th century, it was the center of the Korelsky land, the Korelsky district of the Vodskaya Pyatina. From the 14th century to 1611 the city was known as Korela. From 1580 to 1595 and from 1611 to 1918 the city was called Kexholm. Since 1918, the city, which was part of Finland that gained independence, began to be called Käkisalmi. In 1940, after the Soviet-Finnish war, the city went to Soviet Union, the name Kexholm was returned. In 1941-1944, during the Soviet-Finnish war, the city was occupied by Finnish troops and was called Käkisalmi. In 1944, after the Moscow armistice, the city was ceded to the Soviet Union for the second time. In 1948 it was renamed Priozersk.)

rice. 32 Fortress Oreshek - Nut Island, (fin. Pähkinäsaari) - small island at the source of the Neva. The main attraction is the ancient Novgorod fortress of the XIV century Oreshek.

pic 33 Map of the encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron. Ladoga lake. (clickable)

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