Kizhi

Kizhi is an island on Lake Onega in Karelia, which contains the world-renowned architectural collection of the Kizhi churchyard, which consists of two churches and the bell tower of the 18^th to 19^th  centuries, surrounded by a single fence - the reconstruction of a traditional enclosure. The State historical and architectural museum “Kizhi”, based on the architectural collection of the Kizhi churchyard, was founded  on January 1, 1966.

A large number of chapels, houses and farm buildings from Zaonezhye Karelia and other regions were relocated to Kizhi in addition to the original buildings. According to one legend, the Preobrazhensky (Transfiguration of the Saviour) Church was built with one ax, which was then thrown into the lake by its master. There are also several villages on the island, which together constitute the Rural Settlement of Kizhi. In 1990, Kizhi Pogost (Kizhi Enclosure) was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and in 1993 it was listed as a Russian Cultural Heritage site.