Yashëzero: Monastery between the lakes

The monastery in the village of Yashëzero is a monument of monumental church architecture and defines the character of the place. It lies on a narrow strip of land between Lake Monastyrskoje and Lake Yashëzero, on the western shore of Lake Yashëzero. The building and its precise landscape setting are therefore both central: the strip of land gives the place a clearly defined setting, while the monumental church architecture adds its cultural accent.

If you would like to see the monastery in person, check access arrangements in advance. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can first consider whether Yashëzero is right for your trip because of its architectural and landscape features. This gives you a specific starting point for planning, without making any assumptions about your accommodation.

Prionezhskiy District: Vepsian culture and history

In the wider destination of Prionezhskiy District, Sheltozero broadens the cultural perspective to include the history and present-day life of the Vepsians. The R. P. Lonin Vepsian Ethnographic Museum in Sheltozero is the only museum in Russia that provides information about the material and spiritual culture of the Vepsians. The Rurik Lonin Vepsian Ethnographic Museum has been housed in the Melkin House since 1991. The house was built in the second half of the 19th century for the large, wealthy Vepsian peasant family, the Melkins. The museum offers a one-hour tour entitled “Sheltozero – an Old Vepsian Village”; if you would like to include it in your plans, check the latest visitor information.

The archaeological evidence near Sheltozero also spans different periods. One group of prehistoric sites consists of 14 settlements and two burial grounds dating from the Mesolithic to the Bronze Age, from the 7th to the 2nd millennium BC. The cultural monument “Sheltozero Shores” covers a longer period: it includes 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 groups of findings therefore differ both in their composition and in the periods they cover.

The Church of the Apostle Matthew in Sheltozero represents another strand of history. The stone, single-nave 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 16 November 1913. Alongside this church, the history of the Shoksha quarries tells of regional stoneworking: raspberry-coloured and red quartzite has been mined there since the late 18th century, initially for St Petersburg and its suburbs, and since the 20th century also for Moscow and other cities.

Landscape and the scale of trip planning

The landscape features of the wider Prionezhskiy District extend beyond the monastery’s specific location in Yashëzero. The district’s recreational areas are characterized by sandy beaches, pine forests, rapids in rivers and forest products. The “Onega Lake Shores” natural and recreational area covers 65.6 hectares, all of which belongs to the forest fund. Its purposes include protecting and restoring natural landscapes and natural resources on Lake Onega, as well as recreation, health-promoting activities, ecological and nature tourism, and leisure opportunities.

This distinction can help you decide on your preferred destination before you look for a holiday apartment.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Lakhkolampi, Medvezhyegorsk, Tiurula, Sheltozero, Kondopoga, Otrakkala, Ustye Tuloksy, Lakhdenpokhya.

Return to the regional travel overview: Republic of Karelia.