Yanishpole: Local History and Regional Discoveries

• The war memorial in the village center was built around the grave of four unknown Soviet soldiers.
• Their remains were discovered in the mid-1980s at a fork in the road, four kilometers from Yanishpole; they were buried in the village center on June 30, 1990.
• The Church of the Holy Martyr Sisters Vera, Nadezhda and Lyubov and their mother Sofia was built from May 2002 to 2008 and consecrated on September 28, 2008.

The war memorial commemorates four Soviet soldiers whose names are unknown. Their remains were unearthed in the mid-1980s at a fork in the road, four kilometers from the village. On June 30, 1990, the soldiers were ceremonially buried in the center of Yanishpole. The memorial was built around their grave. The discovery, burial and memorial site mark different stages: from the find outside the village to the shared resting place in the center.

The Church of the Holy Martyr Sisters Vera, Nadezhda and Lyubov and their mother Sofia tells a story spanning a different period. Construction began in May 2002 and continued until 2008. On September 28 of that year, Manuil, Archbishop of Petrozavodsk and Karelia, consecrated it. The local history thus brings together a memorial to soldiers who fell in the Second World War and a church built in the early 21st century.

The Republic of Karelia offers a distinctive regional perspective on culture and landscape. At the Kivach Nature Reserve, an overview excursion includes an outdoor walk to Kivach Waterfall as well as visits to the dendrological collection and the nature museum. The waterfall is on the Suna River and has a drop of 10.7 meters. A 1,000-meter circular trail passes through a wooded area along the riverbank near the excursion zone. The excursion lasts one to one and a half hours; check conditions and booking with the operator.

Another highlight is the Kizhi Open-Air Museum: it displays 89 monuments of traditional wooden architecture, including chapels and houses, mills, granaries, threshing barns and drying racks. Visitors can explore the interior of the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God and peasant houses. Traditional peasant crafts are demonstrated in the houses. The Kizhi Pogost is an architectural ensemble featuring the world’s only multi-domed wooden Church of the Transfiguration.

The petroglyphs offer a further range of sights. The UNESCO World Heritage site of the Onega and White Sea Petroglyphs comprises 4,500 Neolithic rock carvings. More than 1,200 figures belong to the Onega petroglyphs in Pudozhsky District; most are found on the central capes of Pery Nos, Besov Nos and Kladovets. The White Sea petroglyphs mainly depict hunting and sailing scenes, along with equipment, and animal and human footprints.

Check the location and conditions details for your specific accommodation.

Discover more destinations: Belomorsk, Tiurula, Otrakkala, Pryazha, Derevyannoye, Pedaselga, Suojarwi, Shyoltozero.

When was the war memorial in Yanishpole established?

It was built around the grave of the four unknown Soviet soldiers, who were buried in the village center on June 30, 1990.

When was the church consecrated?

The Church of the Holy Martyr Sisters Vera, Nadezhda and Lyubov and their mother Sofia was consecrated on September 28, 2008.

How long does the excursion at Kivach Nature Reserve last?

The overview excursion lasts one to one and a half hours. Check conditions and booking with the operator.

Go to the main travel overview: Republic of Karelia.