No wonder Karelia is called the land of blue lakes. After all, there are over 60 thousand of them here. It just so happens that of the two largest such reservoirs - Onega and Lake Ladoga, throughout history seem to compete with each other in their superiority. Yes, Lake Onega both in depth and in area it is twice as shallow, but its waters, into which more than 1,150 rivers flow (in comparison: only 35 rivers into Ladoga) wash 1,650 islands (which is 2.5 times more, unlike Ladoga). Even in terms of water quality, Onego puts Ladoga to shame, even Baikal itself!
The shores in the northern part of the lake are elevated, densely covered with forest and quite heavily indented by bays, capes, lips, cliffs, while in the southern half they are low, mostly swampy.
Mainly on Onego Storms are common when waves reach heights of over 2 meters, but there are exceptions with breezes and calms in the summer months.
History of Lake Onega
Lake Onega belongs to the Baltic Sea basin and is located in the southeastern part of Karelia, similar in shape to some kind of monster, extending either claws or tentacles in the form of bays to the north.
In this connection, the lake was given this name, until today not installed. However, there are several versions of its origin. According to the first, aniz means “significant” in Finnish, which corresponds to the impressive size of the reservoir, because it is not for nothing that it is listed as the second largest in Europe. According to another version, from the Sami “onego” is translated as sand, i.e. "lake with a sandy bottom." Another assumption is “low-lying plain” (a lake formed in a lowland) or a variant from Finnish - “sound”, explained by the echo reflected from the rocks that prevail in these places.
Previously, the Finns called Onego “smoking lake” because of the frequent and thick fogs over the reservoir.
The basin of Lake Onega was formed as a result of the activity of a glacier in a place where the earth’s crust collapsed, so large depths are characteristic here, reaching a maximum of 130 meters.
Islands
The main part of the islands is concentrated in the northern and northeastern parts of Onega.
Zaonezhye- most large peninsula on the lake. This area is included in the UNESCO heritage list as a unique area, the only one in all of Europe. There are many interesting objects scattered here and there along the islands and shores of Zaonezhye: villages, famous and not so well known, with old huts, churches, chapels. Among travelers, Zaonezhie is nicknamed “Russian Rome”. The Kizhi chernozems grow diverse and unique vegetation that is unique to other islands. So every 100 meters, one type of forest is replaced by another.
On one of these islands is pearl of Lake Onega and Zaonezhye, business card Karelia - a whole museum that contains masterpieces of wooden architecture under open air, famous throughout the world - Kizhi.
In the 10th century, the history of the island began, when the local lands, inhabited by Finnish tribes - the Korela and Ves (from which the Vepsians and Karelians descended), gradually began to be developed by the Novgorodians. This mixture of two nationalities left its mark on the formation of the island’s culture (which affected the local dialect, examples of architecture, and epics).
The Kizhi Museum-Reserve includes another specially protected part - the Kizhi Skerries, which are a labyrinth of numerous islands of various shapes and sizes: from large to very tiny. Some are covered with tall grass meadows, some with dense forests, some have inland lakes, others have swamps.
To the most valuable natural objects Kizhi skerries include:
Inland lakes and swamps on Klimetsky Island are a stopping and resting place for swans and geese, as well as a nesting place for cranes. Here you can see rare species insectivorous plants.
Volkostrov Island a kilometer north of Kizhi Island. These are rocks, famous for the extraction of Volkostrovsky amethysts and overgrown with meadows, and in the center of the object there is a grassy swamp with a nearby rare plants republics. Inspected only on special routes.
Radkolye Island- a rocky island, therefore the soil cover is very rocky, and therefore it is impossible to find a forest here, except that birch and pine trees grow in small groups, and rare plant species for this region, as well as native plant species, are of particular interest.
Lelikovo Island has long been overgrown with waist-deep grass, a few houses with tiny windows. And at the very beginning of the 19th century there were over 280 residents and 90 households. The bulk of the population were Novgorodians who fled the oppression of their boyars. Their main occupation was arable farming. Therefore, there are no forests here, since the trees were completely cut down to create arable land.
The church in the name of the Holy Forerunner was built by the local merchant Kleerov. The entire facility fell into disrepair, the iconostasis was completely stolen. And although the church is not a masterpiece, it is a legacy from our ancestors. A hundred-year-old two-story stone house in which the founder of the shrine lived has been preserved here to this day.
Near the village of Podjelniki there is sacred grove. Ancient fir trees, the maximum diameter of whose trunks reach a meter, were concentrated around the local chapel.
The wooden chapel of Praskeva Pyatnitsa and Varlaam Khutynsky (1750) is not operational, the iconostasis has not been preserved. It consists of two rectangular log houses placed end to end. The wider one is a vestibule with a porch, the narrower one is the chapel itself. A hexagonal bell tower rises above the entrance hall. The belfry tent is supported by pillars and ends with onion domes. Both log houses are covered with a gable roof. On the south side of the chapel there is a bench for rest, where you will have the opportunity to inhale the aroma of freshly cut hay and wild rosemary, and see cloudberries and cranberries ripening in the swamp nearby.
Thermokarst sinkholes in the central part of Kizhi Island (100 meters west of the village of Yamka) illustrate a complete picture of how the landscape was formed. When the glacier melted, rivers with melt water formed in its thickness. Sand and gravel absorbed blocks of ice, which subsequently melted and formed caves, the arches of which were so unstable that they collapsed, forming craters.
Deer Island
12 km east of Kizhi Island, with an area of just over 1 sq. km, it is an archaeological monument of the republic, since limestone deposits formed by the remains of sponges, mosses, corals and blue-green algae dating back more than 2 billion years have been preserved here. In the 17th century, limestone was mined on the island, during which a burial ground with bones was discovered ancient man, presumably considered an ancestor who stood at the origins of the formation of the Sami people, as well as numerous hunting and fishing tools and jewelry.
The village of Suisar, Prionezhsky district (50 km from Petrozavodsk), founded in the 16th century, has preserved its original historical layout and the remains of a relict spruce grove. But the local ancient forge was transported to the island of Kizhi and is now presented as an exhibit. Nowadays Suisar is an integral stop for the yacht regatta, which is held annually in Lake Onega
"Osudareva Road"
The exact location of the path was not recorded in historical sources. It stretched through swampy forests, from the village of Nyukhcha in the White Sea to Povenets in Lake Onega, with the aim of secretly leaving the troops of Peter I to the Swedish fortress of Noteburg in order to recapture and return to Russia the banks of the Neva and access to the Baltic coast at the beginning of the 18th century. The road is 260 km long. was laid out in 14 days and overcome on foot by battalions in 8 days, which in history is a complete paradox.
A couple of kilometers from the Village of Pegrema, Medvezhyegorsky district, surrounded by a pine forest, there is a complex of the same name, which was so carefully hidden by nature in thick grass, was opened for public viewing thanks to the fire: boulders in the form of human figures, animal figures “Duck”, “Frog”, which served as idols for worshiping the souls of the dead, circles-amulets made of boulders lined with a snail. Burials of an ancient man were discovered on the territory of the monument
Klimetsky Island is the largest on the way to Kizhi Island (7 km from the reserve) with a length of 30 km. These places were made famous by local storytellers in various legends and epics. In addition, Klimetsky gained particular fame, perhaps, as the most mysterious, shrouded in many inexplicable stories: vibration of the earth underfoot, a oppressive buzzing that causes terrible headaches, people disappearing in one place and appearing in a completely different place, memory lapses and much more.
On the same island you can see the ruins and, in some places, preserved frescoes of the Klimets Monastery (16th century). According to legend, the Novgorod merchant Klim was caught in a storm during his next trade route, and after praying for salvation, he promised the Almighty to build a monastery in this place. Soon deserts appeared on the island. After this incident, Klim spent the rest of his life in solitude in the holy monastery. Despite the dilapidated state of the building, the atmosphere here is peaceful.
Sandarmokh International Memorial Cemetery, Medvezhyegorsky district, highway A119 to Povenets, 12 km. from Medvezhyegorsk.
The place in the 30s of the 20th century was used as an execution and burial site for victims. Stalin's repressions(there are about 7 thousand people of 60 nationalities). These were mainly prisoners of the White Sea-Baltic Canal and Solovetsky camps.
In the chapel located nearby there is a book that lists the names of the people who were executed. There are no birds singing here, no traces of animals. Now there are steles and crosses installed here.
Places of petroglyphs - The eastern shores of Lake Onega are mainly represented by rocky capes preserving monuments of the stone chronicle - petroglyphs represented by signs, drawings of animals, birds and conveying the consciousness of those people who lived here in the era of millennia BC. Until now, the meaning of many has not been figured out by scientists.
Cape Besov Nose is the richest in petroglyphs. Of this abundance, the most famous is a drawing in the shape of a demon, more than 2 meters in length. On the cape there is a lighthouse that is no longer operational. 200 meters east of the cape lies the rocky island "Besikha", which is adjacent to the cape. It is worth noting that the Demon's Nose is listed as a landmark in the Onega Regatta.
Cape Peri Nos is located a kilometer north of Besov Cape. Of all the petroglyphs located in the Onega complex, half are located on this cape. Some of the petroglyphs are located at the bottom of the lake. The edges of the cape are strongly indented by seven capes of varying sizes with rock carvings near the water, between which bays and bays are concentrated.
West Bank
Shoksha- an ancient Vepsian village 60 km away. from Petrozavodsk. The history of the village began with the mining and processing of crimson quartzite. This is the only deposit of royal and time-tested stone. It was used in the decoration of the Kazan Cathedral, Mausoleum, Winter Palace, and was also supplied to France for Napoleon’s tombstone.
16 km from Shoksha you will see the ruins of one of the oldest in Karelia, the Annunciation Ion-Yashezersky Monastery (the village of Sheltozero, surrounded by forest lakes-lambushki), already mentioned in sources during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. The desert was founded by a student of Alexander Svirsky - Jonah. Now the monastery is being restored.
Kolgostrov is one of the large islands of Lake Onega, with an area of about 7 sq. km. An interesting object on the “Bell” rock is located in the southwestern part of the island - a “ringing stone” in the form of a boulder, when struck top part which is a small cobblestone, the stone emits a melodic sound, reminiscent of the ringing of a church bell.
Where to stay
A holiday away from civilization on the shores of the picturesque Lake Onega can be not only serene, but also comfortable accommodation, each option equipped with all amenities modern life. From the variety offered, any guest will find accommodation to their liking and taste.
At the recreation center "Zaonego.Ru" there are cottages with high level comfort (7 km from the property), a house with amenities in the Kizhi skerries area. Services: hunting (1000 rubles/person/day), fishing (500 rubles/8 hours), boat trips (from 700 rubles/day), excursions (from 2000 rubles), sauna, barbecue.
Tourist base "Senoval" (village of Garnitsy, 7 km from Kizhi), guest houses with a bathhouse, kitchen, smokehouse and barbecue, shop 3 km away. Cost of accommodation from 2800 rubles/day.
Tourist base "Big Bear" (M18, 27 km from Medvezhyegorsk), guest complex for 2 people. - from 1800, VIP cottage - from 3000, fisherman's cottage for 6 people - from 4200 rubles/day.
Fishing
IN Lake Onega There are about 50 species of fish, among them: pike, perch, bream, pike perch, catfish, burbot, sterlet and even salmon and trout. This diversity is determined by the complexity of the bottom topography due to alternating depressions and increases in depth, which creates favorable conditions for its expansion.
The most common method of fishing, which even a beginner can master, is trolling (using a boat with a motor), which can also use a downrigger for catching deep-sea fish. Spinning fishing is also used - throwing bait into the water, which then begins to slowly pull up, simulating movement towards the shore.
Fishing pier, Kvartsitny village (70 km from Petrozavodsk). Services: boats, echo sounders, barbecue, smokehouse. Renting a boat for 4-5 people for 8 hours will cost about 10 thousand rubles, including the cost of fuel and fishing gear.
Country Club "Silver Onega". Services: salmon fishing licenses - 500 rubles, instructor, gear, catch storage - 50 rubles/pcs/day. A boat for 3 people for 5 hours will cost 12,000, a catamaran for 6 people for the same time will cost 15,000 rubles.
White nights in Karelia are considered one of the attractions of this region, and compared to St. Petersburg, here they last longer, starting from the May holidays and ending in August. Special interest this phenomenon evokes among lovers of picturesque landscapes, when all nature is filled with magical colors. At this time of day it is quite light, almost like daytime. It is during this period that fans of extreme sports gather annually for the White Nights rally.
Discover your corner in Lake Onega! Enjoy the silence of Karelian nature and the beauty of local landscapes, get an unforgettable experience of a wonderful vacation!
Powerful and majestic, with long coastlines and many tributaries, Lake Onega is located in Karelia.
The lake is located in the European part of Russia and is considered the second largest freshwater reservoir, after Ladoga. Most of the lake went to the Republic of Karelia, about 80% of the entire reservoir was located there, and the remaining 20% went to the Leningrad and Vologda regions. Lake Onega belongs to the Baltic Sea basin of the Atlantic Ocean.
Characteristics of Lake Onega
Lake area
The reservoir has a length coastline 1542 kilometers, total area 9720 km². Maximum depth is 127 meters, although the average depth for the lake is about 30 meters.
The length from south to north is 245 kilometers, and the greatest width of the coastal zone is 92 meters.
(Map and diagram of Lake Onega)
Lake water temperature
The water temperature in Lake Onega during warm periods of the year (starting from May) varies from +5 to +13 degrees. In August, if the summer turned out to be extremely successful and warm, then in shallow water the water temperature will be about +17 degrees. However, the water in Lake Onega has not yet heated above +22.
During the cold periods of the year, starting from September, the lake cools down. After a hot summer, the temperature slowly drops, reaching +2 degrees in October and November. And when frost occurs, it drops to 0 or -2.
(Air temperature on Lake Onega in winter and summer)
The air temperature here does not warm up above +30 degrees, even if the weather is sunny long time. The highest temperature recorded in the lake is +35 degrees. The warmest period is July, when the air warms up to +17 degrees.
During the winter months, the average air temperature varies from -7 to -13 degrees. The absolute minimum recorded in this area was -42 degrees.
Svir River
The Svir River connected the two large lakes Onega and Ladoga with a water thread 224 km long. The river begins its movement from Onega and changes in bed from 100 m in the narrowest places and up to 12 km wide Ivinsky Razliv, then the river flows in the lowlands, occupied in the past by glaciers and flows into Lake Ladoga. In the Ivinsky Razliv the river passes through the created Verkhnesvirskoye reservoir, with an area of 183 sq. km with a hydroelectric dam. The river contains 30 islands, and in the Leningrad region along the banks of the river there is the Nizhne-Svirsky Nature Reserve.
Nature of Lake Onega
Lake Onega is characterized by low shores. Therefore, there are areas of the coastal area that are completely swampy. However, such conditions do not prevent the development of flora and fauna, which is abundant both in the reservoir itself and near it.
Least common in Onega highest form vegetation, it can only be found in protected secluded corners in the northern part. But here reeds and reeds feel good, growing in an even row along the coastal zone. In some places you can find water lilies, sedges, pondweeds, egg capsules, and horsetails. Also, coastal areas are rich in dense taiga forests.
The fauna located on the territory of the Onega reservoir does not suffer from the conditions either. In total, its territory is home to more than 350 various forms and types. Starting from the simplest forms, aquatic insects, crustaceans, mollusks and sea sponges, and ending with seals.
If we talk about feathered friends, then waterfowl nest on the lake - geese, gulls, ducks and swans. Often on migration there are such species as cranes, eagle owls, short-eared owls, grasshoppers, grebes, terns, and rails.
Fishes of Lake Onega: 1) Lake salmon; 2) Trout; 3) Palia; 4) Vendace
There are also more than 45 species of fish, which belong to 13 families. The species that a fisherman can find are: salmon, lake and river trout, catfish, eel, ruffe, pike perch, dace, crucian carp, sabrefish, rudd, smelt, roach, pike, silver bream, spined loach, sterlet, vendace, palia, whitefish, ide, perch and grayling. The most common of them are perches, bream, pike perch, smelt, pike, vendace and ruff, and the least common are whitefish, grayling, palia, catfish and dace.
Cities on Lake Onega
The coastal strip of Lake Onega is densely populated, although it does not have million-plus cities on the shore. The entire coastal zone is dotted with small villages and settlements. Most of the villages are located in the southern and western parts of the lake.
The largest populations are the cities: Petrozavodsk, Medvezhyegorsk, Vytegra and Kondopoga, and if we take into account the urban-type settlements, the list can be supplemented with the villages of Povenets, Voznesenye, Shalsky and Pindushi.
If you travel through the territory of the Onega reservoir, be sure to visit Petrozavodsk. In the capital of the Republic of Karelia there is a large number of architectural monuments, for example, the building of the old men's provincial gymnasium or the ensemble of Round Square. Don’t forget to also visit Kizhi Island; its main attraction is the historical, architectural and ethnographic museum-reserve.
Climate and seasons of Lake Onega
(Winter rotunda on the embankment of Lake Onega, Petrozavodsk)
In general, winter on Lake Onega is mild, the air and water temperatures are acceptable even for desperate swimmers who want to harden themselves. However, on the territory of the reservoir it is often too windy; the cold subarctic climate brings with it an abundance of air masses. In winter this results in prolonged blizzards and blizzards, and in summer - into storms.
When continental anticyclones arrive from the south and east, dry and hot weather sets in in the spring-summer period, and sunny and clear days in the winter.
Summer on Lake Onega is distinguished by picturesque places. Almost the entire coastal strip in Karelia looks like a colorful picture come to life, and under the warm rays of the sun the landscape seems fabulous. However, in the summer there is often precipitation on Onega, most of The norm (about 70%) falls precisely from May to August.
This body of water has interesting shape– towards the north it stretches with tentacles-bays, its shores are dotted with many headlands, there are also islands overgrown with lush vegetation. Lake Onego is the second largest freshwater body of water in Europe; it is sometimes compared to the majestic Ladoga and called its younger sister.
As is known, they are almost twice as large as Onega, but they were formed at the same time.
History of the origin of the lake
This body of water appeared on the surface of the Earth as soon as the last glaciers that filled it retreated and melted. pure water huge pits that existed long before the formation of the glaciers themselves. Scientists claim that the reason for their appearance was faults and shifts in earth's crust in ancient geological epochs.
The deep waters of this mysterious lake have seen many amazing creatures that settled here many thousands of years ago. Who knows, perhaps their descendants still live at the bottom of the reservoir.
The lake has an oblong shape, its maximum length, taking into account the river mouths flowing into it, is 245 km. Its widest part is 91 km long.
About 50 rivers flow into this reservoir, while only one flows out - the Svir. The maximum depth of the reservoir reaches 107 meters, with an average depth of 30 meters. In terms of purity and transparency of Onego water, it is comparable only to the famous one.
Coastline
The reservoir deservedly enjoys unprecedented popularity among tourists who love to explore remote corners of the country. It is worth noting that the two parts of the lake are strikingly different from each other in the outline of the shores and their structure.
The southern part (the so-called Central Lake Onega) is a wide reach. It is here that the greatest depths are concentrated, and the shores are striking in their diversity - these are rocks, sandbanks, and swamps.
Nature itself divided the northern part of the reservoir into two picturesque bays, which are called Small and Large Onega lakes. They stretched towards the north, crashing their cold waters into the southern edge of the Baltic crystalline shield. Thanks to excellent natural conditions, is well developed here.
Islands of Lake Onega
The surface of the beautiful Lake Onega is literally dotted with numerous islands. In total there are more than 1.5 thousand of them - large and small, rocky and covered with vegetation. The largest islands are Bolshoi Lelikovsky, Klimetsky, and Suisari. One of the most famous among them is the protected island of Kizhi, known for its unique monuments of folk architecture.
Some of the islands are wild, rarely set foot by humans. Many islands attract travelers with an excellent opportunity to spend time alone with nature and enjoy the enchanting landscapes of the Karelian region.
Because of huge amount and the variety of fish here can be the best of a lifetime. The waters of the lake are especially rich in such species of fish as grayling, whitefish, perch, vendace, roach, and smelt. Lamprey and valuable commercial species such as trout and salmon are also found here.
In addition to trout, which was once brought from the Armenian city of Sevan, the Baikal omul has taken root here and has spread throughout the entire reservoir. The picturesque shores of Lake Onega and its numerous islands will be a wonderful place for those who are interested in real life.
Mysteries of Lake Onega
In the famous Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg there is an interesting exhibition, which is a huge piece of stone slab weighing several tens of tons. This gigantic block was once part of Lake Onega, or rather, its rocky cape Peri Nos.
Literally the entire surface of the granite slab is covered with ancient images of swans, deer, fish and people. In addition to living figures, you can see numerous signs on the stone in the form of lines and circles. What they mean is still a mystery.
Scientists have established that the age of the rock paintings of Lake Onega is 4 thousand years. The shores of this reservoir have always been inhabited by people, as evidenced by the different places the remains of their ancient sites.
On the banks of the Onego there are unique ancient monuments - the Oleneostrovsky burial ground ( City of dead) and Onega Sanctuary. Surely there are other amazing places here that are still inaccessible to humans. Unraveling the ancient mysteries of the lake is a great reason to head to its shores.
How to relax on the lake
It is famous for its unique corners of nature, where everyone can relax and gain strength. Lake Onega is one of these places.
It’s worth coming here with families or friends, but even single travelers will have something to do in this amazing land. Excellent conditions have been created here for all lovers of an active lifestyle. Exciting hikes, picking berries and mushrooms - all this is available to travelers.
Lake Onega is the second largest freshwater body of water in Europe. Its area is impressive; in size this reservoir is second only to The lake is located in the Republic of Karelia, as well as in the Leningrad and Vologda regions. But most of the lake is still located in the Republic of Karelia (80%), two other regions account for only 20% of the area of this reservoir.
Lake Onega: depth and area
To talk about this reservoir in more detail, you must first talk about its size. The area of Lake Onega is 9600 square kilometers, more precisely - 9690 square kilometers. km. This is an impressive figure. And it must be said that this area is taken without taking into account the islands. If we take into account the islands, then the area of Lake Onega in square meters. km will reach the figure 9720. To better understand the scale of the lake, let's say that its area is equal to the area of Cyprus, and this is not a small republic at all.
The average depth of Onega is about 30 meters, and the greatest depth is 127 meters. Note that these are very impressive figures for lakes. About 50 different rivers (and about 1000 different watercourses) flow into Lake Onega, and only one river flows out of the lake - the Svir.
Dimensions of Lake Onega: length and width
The length of the reservoir from north to south reaches 245 kilometers. The greatest width of the lake is 92 kilometers. On the banks there are three Karelian cities (Petrozavodsk, which is also Medvezhyegorsk and Kondopoga).
In general, it must be said that the Republic is the largest part of the lake, characterized by a large number of rocks. The shores of the lake are really rocky; sometimes it is very difficult to approach the reservoir precisely because of the rocks.
Meaning of the lake
Almost every local resident will always answer your question about the area of Lake Onega and will be happy to tell you some stories about the reservoir or its attractions. For the local population, the reservoir is a source of pride. Dimensions of Lake Onega really impressive. Local residents have a lot to be proud of. As we have already said, the area Lake Onega in km 2 equivalent to entire countries! Let's take a closer look at it.
Islands
The total number of islands in Onega is 1650, but not all of them are large. total area of all the islands of the lake is 224 square kilometers. The most famous island is Kizhi. It houses a unique museum-reserve of the same name, in which wooden churches from the 18th century have been preserved and restored. Some are built without the use of nails or other metal fastening materials.
But Kizhi is not the largest island in the lake; the largest in Lake Onega is Bolshoy Klimenetsky, its area is 147 square kilometers (more than half the area of all lakes in Lake Onega). Big Klimenets Island has its own settlement, there is even a school.
If we name other large islands, then we need to mention Bolshoy Lelikovsky, as well as the island of Suisar and Yuzhny Oleniy. The nature on all the islands is very colorful, bright and special in its own way, like the entire Republic of Karelia, where most of the lake is located (we have already said this).
Flora and fauna of the island
Some shores of Lake Onega are very rocky, but most of the shores of the lake are low and often swampy. They also often flood when the lake level rises. This can explain the fact that there are only three cities on the lake.
Along the shores of Onega, as well as on almost all of its islands, in the reeds and reed thickets, ducks, geese, swans and other water birds often nest. Almost the entire coastal area of the lake is occupied by dense coniferous forests, some of which are still untouched by human hands and are in pristine condition.
There is evidence that seals are sometimes observed in Lake Onega. In general, it must be said that fish, as well as various invertebrates, are represented in the lake in a wide variety. We emphasize that among the invertebrates there are a significant number of relics of the ancient Ice Age.
Returning to the fish of the lake, we note that the following are found here:
- sterlet;
- lake salmon;
- trout (lake and brook);
- palia (luna and pit);
- zander;
- pike;
- perch;
- vendace (including vendace-kilets);
- grayling;
- smelt;
- roach;
- lamprey (river and brook).
And that’s not all, because in the lake there are no less than 47 species and varieties of freshwater fish, which belong to 13 families. Fishing on Onega is a special chic and a way to find inner harmony with nature. Moreover, fishing is possible on the lake at any time of the year.
Ecology
IN modern world With outdated wastewater treatment systems, nothing good can be expected in terms of the environment. Over the past decade, the impact on the lake's ecosystem has only increased. Particular damage is caused to the northwestern and northern parts lakes. In this area there are Petrozavodsk, Kondopoga and Medvezhyegorsky industrial units. It must also be said that about 80% of the population lives in this area; the industrial potential of the basin here generally reaches 90%.
But in Lately there is a tendency to modernize treatment facilities and make serious investments in this matter (both from local budget, and from federal funds). I would like to believe that this unique lake will not be abandoned to the mercy of fate and will not become the center of man’s negligent attitude towards nature.
Economic importance
The lake is navigable, and it is a large part of the waterway, which is included in the Volga-Baltic waterway, as well as the White Sea-Baltic Canal. The lake is also a connecting link for the basins of the Baltic, Caspian and northern seas.
The system of canals and rivers allows you to send any cargo from the capital of the republic (the city of Petrozavodsk) to any countries located in the coastal sea zone. These are countries from Germany to Iran. We also mention that there is an artificially dug canal, which is located along the southern bank of Onega (from the Svir River to the river called Vytegra).
On the shores of Lake Onega there are two ports (Petrozavodsk capital port and the city of Medvezhyegorsk), in addition, there are five marinas and several small stopping points for ships.
No regular year-round passenger service in this moment no on the lake. But there is a regular service several times a day during navigation between Petrozavodsk and Kizhi Island, as well as between Petrozavodsk and Velikaya Guba. Tourist ships and so-called “meteors” are involved here. Also, according to the latest information, there is a connection from Petrozavodsk to Shala.
Among some interesting events of the lake, we note that since the distant 1972, Lake Onega annually (in summer, in July) hosts the largest “Onega Sailing Regatta” in the country. This is the country's open sailing championship among yachts (cruising). There are no other organized competitions, although the area of Lake Onega allows this. This is explained by the weak development of tourism in the region.
Kizhi Island
The main attraction of Lake Onega is the island of Kizhi, or more precisely, the museum-reserve of the same name, which is located here. On the territory of the museum island there are currently almost 90 monuments of wooden architecture from the 15th to 20th centuries.
The center of Kizhi island is architecture (buildings of the 18th century), it represents the 20-domed Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, as well as the 9-domed Church of the Intercession of the Virgin and the bell tower. In 1990, Kizhi Island entered the List world heritage UNESCO. This is pride for our entire country!
Onega petroglyphs
Rock paintings that are called Onega petroglyphs, are located on the eastern shores of Lake Onega. Scientists believe that their age is between 4-2 thousand years BC. Petroglyphs are located in groups. In total, they occupy a stretch of coastline approximately 21 km long or even more. Their total number numbers approximately 1200 different figures and signs. Petroglyphs have not been fully studied and new rock paintings are discovered from time to time. It seems that the shores of Lake Onega still hide many secrets. Its area allows this to be done.
To understand the scale of Lake Onega, you need to see it with your own eyes. Come fishing in Karelia or just relax here from the bustle of big cities and breathe in the clean northern air. You will love these places forever, and you will come back here again and again. Lake Onega will captivate and enchant. Karelia will also appeal to photographers. There are incredibly beautiful landscapes here that will not leave you indifferent creative person. The lake will also be appreciated by tourists, especially those who love beautiful open spaces. Holidays in Karelia are also a wonderful pastime, clean air, beautiful nature.
Lake Onega can be considered one of the treasures of Karelia, where thousands of tourists come from different cities.
Lake Onega is the second largest freshwater lake in Europe. Its other name sounds like Onego, which is no coincidence. There are several opinions about the reasons for the appearance of the name. From the point of view of scientists, the reservoir received its name from the river flowing next to it. Another opinion is due to the fact that in the area where the reservoir is located there is often fog, which is why it received the name Onego - translated from ancient Finnish as a smoking lake. About 1000 rivers flow into Lake Onega, and only one flows out - the Svir.
Its area is approximately 9.9 thousand square meters. km. Depth at different areas fluctuates. In the northern part the depth is 127 m, and closer to the south it is only 20-30 m. In the spring, Lake Onega is characterized by a rise in water, which lasts for 1.5-2 months. Storms are frequent. The weather is unpredictable, calm can instantly give way to a storm. In some parts of the lake the water is so clear that it can be seen to a depth of up to 8 m. The water is of high quality.
Lake Onega is especially popular among fishermen. Which is not at all surprising, since it is famous for its fish wealth. It is home to various fish, including valuable commercial fish such as trout and salmon. In total, 47 species of fish live in the reservoir. In addition, at the mouths of some tributaries of Lake Onega there is a bivalve mollusk that forms pearls the size of a pea. Pearl fishermen come to the pond in search of a precious ball, but finding a pearl takes a lot of effort.
Lake Onega is very surprising for its shape, structure of the shores, complex bottom topography, water quality, picturesque bays, mesmerizing sunsets and dawns. Sunsets and sunrises are especially mesmerizing. The shores are mostly sandy, but there are also rocky and even marshy shores. In the middle of the lake there are a lot of islands, in total there are about 1,500 islands, among which there are wild ones, covered with dense forests, some of the islands are inhabited by people.
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