!!!Kizhi. The wooden wonder of Russia
by Stanislav Sedov, member of the [AirPano Team|Geography/About/Consortium/AirPano,_Team] that is a member of the [global-geography Consortium|Geography/About/Consortium]. \\
6 January 2020
with kind permission of [AirPano|http://www.AirPano.com]
Since our winter adventures in Finland, we have decided to include
Karelia in our "Seasons" project and chosen to start with a genuine
pearl of this republic, the Museum of Kizhi. It was my long-standing
desire to fly above Kizhi but an ongoing restoration of the
Transfiguration Church kept it away from happening. I did not like the
idea of capturing a partly dismantled cathedral. And having heard that
the restoration works were almost over, I started packing for the trip.
[{Image src='01_kizhi.jpg' caption='Kizhi Open Air Museum, Republic of Karelia, Russia\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='600'}]
My last journeys across Russia led me to the idea that I need to take
with me all the possible equipment to ensure successful work.
Unfortunately, the quality of the tourist services in our country is at
a very low level. That's why I had to prepare an entire road-train for
this journey to Karelia. It contained different "men's toys" aimed to
ensure the success of this expedition.
Kizhi is an island in Lake Onega. Most tourists travel there from
Petrozavodsk on the board of the boat called "Meteor". There are no
hotels on the island, so one can't stay there for the night. The museum
has a strict permit system due to the special firefighting measures. But
I didn't want to spend several hours to get to the island and back, so I
started looking for accommodation in the nearby settlements. On the map,
I found the village closest to the island that was accessible by road.
Thus I started my journey.
[{Image src='02_kizhi.jpg' caption='Kizhi Open Air Museum, Republic of Karelia, Russia\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='600'}]
It took me two days to get there. The highway from my home to
Medvezhyegorsk is just excellent. But the following 150 km turned out to
be a pretty tough challenge. The road to Kizhi is being constructed at
the moment; it is promised to be fulfilled in around three years.
I went to the museum having no contacts or friends. I thought that I
would deal with the permits on the ground, as soon as concerns arise.
That was a bit presumptuous approach but it worked out in Karelia. I was
lucky to meet the right people. Having parked my road-train on the shore
of the lake (that had good parking) and talked with volunteers who were
conducting a survey for some foreign project, I quickly found an
accommodation.
The host, Dmitry Bobrov, not only gave me a shelter in his house but
also helped to make an appointment with the administration of the
museum. It was very important because airspace above Kizhi is closed to
all types of aviation. A regular helicopter sometimes comes here but all
other vehicles are strictly prohibited at the 500-metre area around the
island. That rule also applies to drones.
[{Image src='03_kizhi.jpg' caption='Kizhi Open Air Museum, Republic of Karelia, Russia\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='506'}]
Despite this, almost every "Meteor" brings tourists who carry their
drones and try to launch them to photograph the local landscapes.
Security and National Guard are well trained in catching such violators.
Basically, no fines are issued and they are just confined to warnings
and polite requests not to fly above the island anymore. Such
restrictions are explained by firefighting measures and concern for the
safety of the museum's buildings: in the past, drone-related incidents
occurred here.
I am delighted to note that the administration of the museum is pretty
loyal to professional photographers and operators. I managed to get all
the needed permits within quite a short period, so working routines soon
started.
[{Image src='04_kizhi.jpg' caption='Kizhi Open Air Museum, Republic of Karelia, Russia\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='600'}]
Summer is a tough period for landscape photographers: short nights,
early sunrises and continuous sleep deprivation. And the northern summer
is another type of a photographer's hell! The sunset session is over at
around 10 p.m., while at 2 a.m. it is already time to catch the sunrise.
At this point, you realize the joy of having your personal boat! You
don't need to depend on anyone else and having this crazy sleeping
schedule I could visit the island for the whole week without a break.
That's how long the hunt for the proper light above the Transfiguration
Church lasted.
A lot of words are told about the Church of the Transfiguration. But my
opinion is that you should see it with your own eyes. No description is
sufficient to give you even a small part of the excitement, which you
can experience standing next to it.
[{Image src='05_kizhi.jpg' caption='Kizhi Open Air Museum, Republic of Karelia, Russia\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='599'}]
And if you are lucky enough to be invited inside and see the inner
structure of this church... As an engineer, I felt an unspeakable
delight when I saw it from the inside. I couldn't imagine that people at
that time were able to create such incredible constructions!
As a result of this "solo" journey around Kizhi, we agreed with the
museum direction that the filming would continue with the beginning of
the golden autumn. And later, one sunny September morning, I met my
colleagues at the railway station in Petrozavodsk. This time the AirPano
team was reinforced by the presence of both our directors, Sergey
Semenov and Sergey Rumyantsev. The recognized Russian aerial operator
Anton Yelchaninov and the photographer Olga Shutova also joined the
team.
[{Image src='06_kizhi.jpg' caption='Kizhi Open Air Museum, Republic of Karelia, Russia\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='600'}]
Perhaps the season of golden autumn is the best time for visiting Kizhi!
We were doubly lucky: locals said they had not witnessed such stable
sunny weather in September for years. Having found this favour from
nature, we started working.
Together with Anton, we occupied the airspace, while the other part of
our team was busy with capturing landscapes. Sometimes our paths
crossed, which resulted in certain confusion.
One situation occurred when we were exploring the inner intricacies of
the church. Dmitry, a museum employee accompanying us during our work,
showed us a small window used as a technical manhole in the upper dome.
The view from this window was stunning! Of course, all of us wanted to
see the outside. We could do it only one be one because of the size of
the manhole. At the same time, Anton was filming the cathedral closely
using a drone. What an incredible thing to happen: when the drone was
flying close to the dome, Sergey Semenov leaned halfway through the
window! As soon as he saw the drone, he didn't hesitate to greet our
aerial operator. This scene looked like a Jack-in-the-box, such a funny
action. Later in the evening, we looked through the pictures and arrived
at a common vision that this scene could not be prepared in advance and
done on purpose: it would have needed more than a dozen takes.
Special thanks must be expressed to the museum employees who prepared
the scenes of household activities and daily routines of the traditional
Karelian village specially for our film. It is also worth mentioning
that the genuine hospitality of Karelia can only be compared to the one
I saw in the North Caucasus. It was a pleasant surprise for me. I only
wish that more people could take part in our filming: unfortunately,
pandemic restrictions were taking place here.
One week in this museum went by quickly. A short Indian summer was over,
it was time to pack my road-train with equipment and start my way back
home. But a clear thought has stayed in the mind: we will definitely be
back to Kizhi next year or even in winter. Because what you can see here
is a genuine masterpiece of the ancient wooden craft and the
magnificence of Northern Russian architecture. It is our history!
In the northern part of Lake Onega, there is an island known all over
the world: it is named Kizhi. A nature reserve protecting rare animal
and plant species was created here. But definitely, the major landmark
of the island is its architectural complex, Kizhi State Open-Air Museum
of History, Architecture and Ethnography.
[{Image src='07_kizhi.jpg' caption='Kizhi Open Air Museum, Republic of Karelia, Russia\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='506'}]
The first inhabitants of this site, the Slavs, Karelians and Vepsians,
started to reside on the island back in the 10th century. The etymology
of the word Kizhi is uncertain. According to one version, it derives
from the Vepsian word "kidz" ("moss growing on the bottom"). It is also
possible that it came from another Vepsian word "kisi" meaning "place
for games, celebrations".
In the 15th century, these lands became a part of the Grand Principality
of Moscow and were first mentioned in the records as the pogost of Kizhi
(enclosure of villages). Copper and iron ore deposits were found in this
area giving the start for the industrial growth.
Centuries later, the majority of the settlements went into decline and a
new chapter in the history of Kizhi began in 1966 when the decision was
made to restore two wooden churches and a belfry. Then wooden
architectural monuments from other historical villages of Zaonezhie were
moved here so now it has become one of the greatest open-air museums in
Russia.
In 1990, the entire architectural ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost was
listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a stunning example of the
Old Russian architectural art and the ultimate mastery of craftsmanship.
[{Image src='08_kizhi.jpg' caption='Kizhi Open Air Museum, Republic of Karelia, Russia\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='599'}]
The most noticeable construction is the Church of the Transfiguration
built in 1714 on the site of the old one which was burnt by lightning.
The church rises at 37 meters. The whole wooden frame was made without
using a single nail: several were used only for fixing certain details
on domes. The church counts 22 of them arranged in tiers: it creates an
astonishing rhythmic effect.
Another great monument of Kizhi is the Church of the Intercession of the
Virgin built in 1694 and rebuilt 70 years later. Configured as a
prolonged rectangle, it is 32 meters long and 8 meters wide with a
height of 26 meters.
The bell-tower of the Kizhi Pogost was constructed in 1863 on the site
of the previous one, as well. Wood is a good material which has certain
disadvantages: its main enemies are time and the severe northern
climate. Over the past centuries, the belfry was repeatedly restored,
most recently in 1991.
[{Image src='09_kizhi.jpg' caption='Kizhi Open Air Museum, Republic of Karelia, Russia\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='600'}]
Another interesting feature of Kizhi is the fence: it is a timber
construction with a gable roof resting on a tall boulder basement and
stretching for around 300 meters. The main entrance with a double-leaf
gate faces east near the Church of the Intercession.
Among other magnificent monuments of the ancient Russian architecture on
Kizhi island, there is an eight-winged windmill designed by a peasant
N.Bikanin in 1928. It was brought here from Volkostrov village. As for
the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus, it is smaller and not as
refined as the neighbouring buildings but is one of the most ancient
wooden churches in Russia: it was built in the second half of the 14th
century by the founder of the Muromsky Monastery.
[{Image src='10_kizhi.jpg' caption='Kizhi Open Air Museum, Republic of Karelia, Russia\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='599'}]
The island possesses around 70 monuments such as bell-towers, peasant
dwellings, farm buildings telling the history of Russia. The virtual
journey created by AirPano will let you feel the unique atmosphere of
this place, admire the skilful creations of the ancient masters and
enjoy harmonious landscapes of the Russian North.
[{Image src='11_kizhi.jpg' caption='Kizhi Open Air Museum, Republic of Karelia, Russia\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='644'}]
We express our gratitude to the staff of the Kizhi Museum and personally
to the director E.V. Bogdanova, as well as Dmitry Dyugay for the help in
organizing the filming.
\\ \\
[17 panoramas of Kizhi. The wooden wonder of Russia|Geography/Asia/Russia/Special_Information/Video_Kizhi_The_wooden_wonder_of_Russia]
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