A monument to Ingrian Finns and Izhorians who were victims of repression stands in the cemetery in Gakkovo. An account also describes a memorial service at the cemetery. This local focus on remembrance can be distinguished from the broader nature and culture themes of Leningrad Oblast.

Memorial Sites in Gakkovo

Opened in 1989, the monument in the cemetery is dedicated to Ingrian Finns and Izhorians who were victims of repression. It is described as the only monument of its kind in Russia.

An account from 2019 describes a memorial service held on July 27 at the cemetery in Gakkovo, on the Kurgalsky Peninsula, for local residents, Ingrian Finns and Izhorians who were victims of repression. During the ceremony, flowers were laid at an obelisk bearing the victims’ names. The service was led by Aarre Kuugappi, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria. The choir of the Lutheran Alexander Church in Narva sang hymns.

An account published in 2019 describes a patriotic event held near Gakkovo on September 10 to mark the opening of a monument to Ismail Matigulovich Zaidulin. Zaidulin died on August 26, 1944, in Gakkovo Bay.

Nature and Culture in Leningrad Oblast

The Vepsian Forest Nature Park lies in the far east of Leningrad Oblast and comprises seven reserves with particularly strict conservation regulations. The park has numerous lakes; the largest is Lake Lerinskoye, in the reserve of the same name. Among the park’s special features are well-preserved old spruce and pine forests in the “Vepsskiy les” and “Ashchozyorskiy” reserves. These forests are important for numerous organisms that can survive only in forests undisturbed by economic activity.

Brown bears are relatively numerous in the nature park; the wolverine, which is extremely rare in the region, has also been recorded there. The Vepsians, a small people of Russia with their own culture and traditions, have traditionally lived there.

Another cultural highlight of the oblast is Koporye Fortress. It is a museum and a monument of ancient Russian stone architecture. It has been preserved in its current form since the 16th century; parts of the masonry date back to the 13th century. For a visit without a guide, you can use the “Koporskaya Krepost 2.0” multimedia guide. Check its availability when planning your visit.

Descriptions from 2019 mention different routes in the oblast: at the Toksovskie Vysoty natural monument, a circular nature trail runs over sand hills and hollows and through old spruce and pine forests. In the “Gryada Varyamyanselka” protected area in Priozersk District, a cycle trail runs through a landscape of lakes, marshes and dry, old pine forest. As these route descriptions date from 2019, check the current route status before setting out.

For the broader travel overview: Kingiseppskiy rayon.