Local attractions
August 15, 2022- The city has a fine frontage on the Gulf of Petrozavodsk. The modern embankment, inaugurated in 1994, displays an assortment of Karelian granites and marbles. It is lined with extravagant postmodernist sculptures presented by sister cities of Petrozavodsk from around the world.
- The treasury of cultural heritage of native peoples living in this wonderful Republic (Russians, Karelians, Vepses and Finns) is inexhaustible. Northern Land soul is in the sounds of strings of the kantele, which is a symbol of Karelian art. The Karelian National Song and Dance Ensemble “Kantele”, which was founded in 1936, was named after this ancient folk instrument. The first ensemble director was a poet, composer and folklorist Victor Gudkov. Today “Kantele” is a professional collective with rich history and traditions.
- The Kizhi museum is one of the largest open-air museums in Russia. This is a unique historical, cultural and natural complex enlisted on the Code of the Most Significant Cultural Heritage Sites of the Peoples of the Russian Federation. The basis of the museum collection is the architectural ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost included in the World Heritage List of UNESCO.
- Kivach is the second large in Europe, 10.7-m-high cascade waterfall. It is situated on the Suna River in the Kondopoga District, 60 kilometers from Petrozavodsk, and gives its name to the Kivach Natural Reserve, founded in 1931. The territory also includes the Nature Museum, the Arboretum (live collection of trees and shrubs) and a monument to the soldiers killed in the Reserve during World War II.
- Marcial Waters, the place that had initiated health resort business in our country, is located 50 kilometers from Petrozavodsk, beside the transparent waters of Lake Gabozero. There in 1714, a worker of Konchezero blast-furnace factory discovered a wonderful spring that cured his heart pain. Having learned about surprising properties of this spring, in 1719, Peter the First established the Marcial Waters spa resort.
- The picturesque deep quarries and adits filled with limpid water attract to Ruskeala tourists from around the world. In 1766, a marble deposit was discovered near the Village of Ruskeala. In the following years, a marble quarry was opened to offer four brands of marble: ash-grey, grey-green, white with grey streaks and white-grey-blue. The marble has been used to decorate many significant buildings in St. Petersburg and its suburbs since the 17th century.
- The cultural life in Petrozavodsk is rich, thanks to the Music Theatre, many interesting museums including Art Museum, National Museum of the Republic of Karelia, Kizhi Museum and many others.
- Karelian people belong to Russian Orthodox community, and several well-known monasteries and churches are here, including the Valaam monastery, Solovetskie islands.
- More tourist attraction points can be found on Tourist Centre of Karelia website or VisitPetrozavodsk.