The Church of All Russian Saints gives Sosnovo a cultural and historical landmark. Construction began in the winter of 1993; the church became the foundation of the religious ensemble. The church project was completed by 2000, and construction of additional ensemble buildings began. Together with the folk theatre “Lesnaya Skazka,” this places sacred architecture and Russian folklore side by side as two distinct cultural themes.
Church and interior
The church features an iconostasis made in Greece. It also has ceramic floors with Byzantine mosaics, installed in 2002. These two details offer different points of interest: the iconostasis points to where it was made, while the floors combine material and mosaic design. For anyone interested in sacred architecture, the church can be understood through both its history and its furnishings.
The development of the ensemble also has several points in time. The church’s construction beginning in the winter of 1993 and the church plans completed by 2000 are part of the history of this building; the start of construction on additional ensemble buildings marks a further stage. This distinguishes the church from the development of the religious ensemble as a whole.
Folk theatre and local history
The Russian ensemble “Lesnaya Skazka” is a folk theatre that brings together various genres of Russian folklore. These include singing, folk instrumental music, dances, and folk games. Its artistic profile includes polyphonic singing, circle dances, and quadrilles. The forms mentioned thus range from music and singing to dance and games.
Sosnovo was formerly known as Rovdugi. This former place name adds another historical layer to the building’s history: it does not refer to an additional place, but is an older name for Sosnovo.
Regional overview: Leningrad Oblast
A separate focus is Leningrad Oblast. In the oblast’s far east lies the Vepssky Forest Nature Park, which encompasses seven nature reserves with particularly strict conservation regulations. Its landscape includes numerous lakes; the largest is Lake Lerinskoye, in the reserve of the same name. Ancient spruce and pine forests have been preserved in the “Vepssky Les” and “Ashchozyorskiy” reserves. They are important for numerous organisms that can survive only in forests undisturbed by economic activity. Brown bears are found in significant numbers in the nature park; the wolverine, which is extremely rare in the region, has also been recorded. The Vepsians have traditionally lived in the nature park and have their own culture and traditions.
Another regional landmark is Koporye Fortress, a museum and monument of ancient Russian stone architecture. It has been preserved in its present form since the 16th century; parts of the masonry date from the 13th century. There is one specific restriction for visitors: climbing the walls and towers is prohibited because they are in a state of disrepair. You can visit without a guide using the “Koporskaya krepost 2.0” multimedia guide; check its availability when planning your visit.
Discover more destinations: Ogonki, Nurma, Runovo, Rozhdestveno, Sviritsa, Vyriza, Garbolovo, Poroshkino.
For the broader travel overview: Leningrad Oblast.
