2. Kizhi is an island on Lake Onega in the Republic of Karelia, Russia with an ensemble of wooden churches, chapels and houses. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Russia and an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The churches are made of wood without a single nail Lake Onega is the second largest lake in Europe, it covers 3,757 square miles and has 1,000 Islands. Fifty rivers enter into Lake Onega and it is a valuable source for fishing. The oldest wooden Russian Church built in the 14 th century is located here PowerPoint by Jack Cross

3. The Church of the Transfiguration was used during the summer, when the faithful journeyed from the outermost regions of the parish to attend services. A study of the materials sets its construction date after 1713-14.

4. Church of Transformation on Kazhi Island Lake Onega

8. The pogost of Kizhi is the site of two 18 th century wooden structures constructed without nails

10. All the structures have Bell Towers used for communication Church of the intercession

11. The two 18th-century wooden churches, and an octagonal clock tower, also in wood and built in 1862 are unusual constructions, in which carpenters created a bold visionary architecture, perpetuate an ancient model of parish space and are in harmony with the surrounding landscape.

12. 30,000 shingles made of Aspen wood were used to make the roof on this church

13. The church domes are space-frames covered with carved aspen shingles. The exposed edges of the shingles resemble rising and descending ste ps

16. Porch carved verge boards with pendant finialverge boardspendant finial

17. Porch detail: carved four-sided log columns.

18. The log work of the Bell Towers walls uses a construction method in which no log protrudes past the corner intersections, and this made it easier to cover the walls of both the square and the octagonal structures with plank siding. The planking is fastened to vertical sleepers, not to the log walls themselves. BELL TOWER

19. The Bell Tower had 14 bells with ropes attached a series of different rings was used for communication

20. Trees had to be cut down, thousands of logs had to be hauled from the mainland, knotched and assembled to build these wooden structures, this was quite a chore.

21. Cemetery behind the church is reminiscent of the wooden grave markers seen in the movie Dr. Zhicago

22. You can get to Kizhi by ship or any number of boats from St Petersburg The structures are within walking distance from the boat landings

23. s The Homestead of a Karelian farmer Yakovlev. Visitors can get a look at the inside and exterior and its historical background

24. A typical Russian farm house. A family of 15 would live here. Because of the severe winters the livestock was kept on the ground floor

33. This lady making Ribbons with ornate decorations in the traditional way. One end of her "weaving loom" is fixed on the fence of the farmhouse. This was the work for the long wintertime at home, partly for some extra income but certainly also for private use in traditional Costumes.

41. Sleds, Tools and Boats were kept inside during the winter

44. The large dining area

45. A Small 13 th century church on Kizhi Island.. These Churches were often built overlooking the forest and hilltops. The roofs were often complex and the onion shaped domes symbolizing heaven in the Russian orthodox tradition.

46. Windmill of Volkoston on Kizhi Island These Windmills were used to grind grain

48. Chapel of the Archangel Michael

50. Încă o capelă.

53. Ca şi la biserici, nici un cui !

54. Oşnevnev - 1876

62. Model of construction

63. Model of roof assembly

64. Model of the wedge shingle concept.

65. The round cone slips over the last shingles

67. House Iakovlev – 1880-1890

69. Al Log Swing!

70. A old small peasant house

73. The End Jcross002 @comcast.net