This tiny, six-kilometer-long island in Lake Onega, northwestern Russia, has been inhabited since at least the 15th century.
The most famous attraction on the island is the Kizhi Pogost, an open-air museum with over 80 ancient wooden structures. The two 18th-century churches, in particular, are breathtaking and have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are also regarded as one of Europe’s most amazing and tallest wooden structures.
The main church has 22 silver domes (the tallest of which is 37 metres), a massive wooden altar, and 102 icons that decorate its walls. It was built with no nails and, according to legend, only one axe. In Russia, there is no other wooden structure built in a similar style.
Visitors must take a picturesque ferry from the nearby city of Petrozavodsk to reach the island. During the summer, cruises travel around the lake before arriving at the island.
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