Several travel interests come together in Prionezhskiy District: Vepsian culture, church and archaeological history, and nature and recreation on Lake Onega. When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to decide first what you want to focus on during your stay. Sheltozero is known for its ethnographic museum and historic buildings; other themes range from prehistoric sites to the landscapes around the lake.
Vepsian Culture and History in Sheltozero
The Sheltozero Vepsian Ethnographic Museum named after R. P. Lonin is the only museum in Russia that provides information about the material and spiritual culture of the Vepsians. Since 1991, the Rurik Lonin Sheltozero Vepsian Ethnographic Museum has been housed in the Melkin House. It was built in the second half of the 19th century for the large, wealthy Vepsian peasant family, the Melkins. The museum and the history of the house thus offer two distinct starting points for learning about the place: Vepsian culture and the life of a Vepsian peasant family.
The museum offers the one-hour excursion “Sheltozero – an Old Vepsian Village.” If you plan to take it, check the current visiting conditions in advance. The Church of the Apostle Matthew in Sheltozero also tells the story of the town’s architectural history. The single-nave stone church, with one altar, was built in 1838 by St. Petersburg merchants Terenty Ulyanov and Mikhail Matveyev. It was expanded and renovated in the 1910s and reconsecrated on November 16, 1913. Later, the building was converted for use as a club.
Archaeological Traces and Church Architecture
Near Sheltozero, a group of prehistoric sites includes 14 settlements and two burial grounds. They date from the Mesolithic to the Bronze Age, from the 7th to the 2nd millennium BC. The cultural heritage site “Sheltozero Shore” is a separate archaeological focus: it comprises 31 prehistoric settlements, three burial complexes and four individual graves from periods ranging from the Mesolithic to the Middle Ages. The complex lies in the lower reaches of the Zheltozyorka and Sarbakhta rivers. The two descriptions reveal different layers of history, from early settlements to finds from the Middle Ages.
Another site connected with church architecture is the Blagoveshchensky-Iono-Yashezero Monastery, a monument to monumental church architecture. It is situated on a narrow isthmus between Lake Monastyrskoye and Lake Yashozero, on the western shore of Lake Yashozero. The surviving buildings are deteriorating.
Landscapes Along Lake Onega
The “Lake Onega Shore” nature and recreation area is intended to protect and restore the natural landscapes and resources along Lake Onega. Its purposes also include recreation, health-promoting activities, ecological and nature-based tourism, and opportunities for tourism and leisure. The area covers 65.6 hectares, all of which belongs to the forest fund. The district’s recreational areas also include landscapes, forest products, sandy beaches, pine forests and river rapids.
The history of the Shoksha quarries also broadens the picture of the region. Since the late 18th century, raspberry-colored and red quartzite has been quarried there for St. Petersburg and its suburbs; since the 20th century, it has also been quarried for Moscow and other cities. This history adds a chapter of industrial use to the region’s cultural and archaeological themes.
Planning Your Trip
For a stay focused on Vepsian culture, consider exploring the museum and the history of the Melkin House. Those more interested in historic buildings will find the Church of the Apostle Matthew and prehistoric sites in Sheltozero; the monastery on Lake Yashozero is also part of the district’s historical heritage. The area on Lake Onega offers nature and recreation. This leaves room to choose the activities that best match your own travel interests.
Discover more destinations: Namoyeva, Zaozerye, Polovina, Suysar', Sortavala, Belomorskiy District, Medvezhyegorskiy District, Kondopozhskiy District.
Go to the overview of the wider region: Republic of Karelia.
