Karvala can be explored through its place names and a history shaped by the traces left by different population groups. The village is one of the Finnish-language names in the surrounding area that have survived as a remnant of the former Finnish-speaking community. A look at Karvala therefore also offers a glimpse into the history of the region.
Place Names as Traces of History
During Swedish rule, Swedes, Finns and Estonians came in place of the displaced Russian population. Among other places, they named Villosi, Karvala, Myurelya and Retselya. These place names make a historical change tangible: they are connected with the population movements of that time.
Karvala is also one of the Finnish-language place names in the surrounding area that have survived as an enduring trace of the former Finnish-speaking community. Two perspectives therefore sit side by side: naming during Swedish rule and the linguistic memory preserved in place names. Those interested in cultural history will find an approach here that looks not only at individual buildings, but also at the language of the landscape.
A Memorial in the Nearby Area
On 30 September 2018, a memorial in the form of a metal cross was erected near Karvala, on Kirchhoff Hill. It stands in an abandoned Lutheran cemetery next to the ruins of the Church of the Holy Trinity. The place and date situate the memorial in a specific historical setting; it is another point of reference for the history of the area.
Nature and Culture in Leningrad Oblast
Leningrad Oblast offers another regional perspective. The Vepsian Forest Nature Park lies in the far east of the oblast and comprises seven reserves with particularly strict protection regulations. Numerous lakes shape the park; the largest is Lake Lerinskoye, in the reserve of the same name. Notable natural features include preserved old spruce and pine forests in the “Vepsskiy les” and “Ashchozyorskiy” reserves. They are important for organisms that can survive only in forests undisturbed by commercial activity.
Wildlife is also part of the nature park’s character: brown bears are found there in greater numbers, and the wolverine, which is extremely rare in the region, has also been recorded. A sighting is not guaranteed. The Veps, a small people of Russia with their own culture and traditions, have traditionally lived in the nature park.
Leningrad Oblast also offers regional ecological routes in seven protected areas of regional significance. A regional account dated 24 December 2019 describes them as intended for independent visits and equipped with informational materials and various visitor facilities. Check current conditions before travelling. A 2019-dated description of the Toksovskie vysoty natural monument mentions a circular nature trail over sand dunes and the hollows between them, as well as through old spruce and pine forests. In the “Gryada Vyaryamyanselkya” protected area in Priozersk District, an ecological cycling route runs through a landscape of lakes, marshes and dry, old pine forest; check the current condition of this route in advance as well.
Other regional routes offer different points of interest: the Ladva Trail leads to glacial landforms, middle-taiga vegetation and the Vepsian village of Ladva. It also leads to Lake Ladva in Podporozhye District. An ecological trail near the settlement of Kurba in the same district runs alongside lakes in the Vepsian Forest Nature Park. The regional description of this route is dated 24 December 2019; check current trail conditions before travelling.
Koporye Fortress is also a cultural-history attraction in Leningrad Oblast: it is a museum and a monument of ancient Russian stone architecture. It has survived in its present form since the 16th century, while parts of the masonry date from the 13th century. Because of its critical condition, climbing the walls and towers is prohibited. The multimedia guide “Koporskaya krepost 2.0” is intended for visits without a guide; confirm its availability when planning your visit.
Discover more destinations: Voznesenye, Staraya Sloboda, Shapki, Bugry, Melnitsa, Svobodnoye, Lyugovichi, Slanzy.
For the broader travel overview: Leningrad Oblast.
