Solovetsky Monastery

I had a dream to visit this place since i was a kid, so finally we did it! Its treaky to get to island as its very weather sensitive. When we arrived we were amazed how beautiful monastery is. When I`ve started to know this place better it gave me shivers. Its very religious place but suuuper far from spiritual. You can see how monastery people look at you with hate as you kind of "bothering" them, made me feel super sad. These people should give example of kindness, politeness etc (as they kind of more elevated then us simple tourists), not other way around. I could see only government helps to do restoration works, but what about hundreds of pilgrims coming to this island, if they are so religious and want this monastery to run why not to do some volunteering like painting, fixing etc? I just did not get that mentality. Thousands of political prisoners spent years dying in cells of this monastery and monks did not help them to survive most of times so more than 20,000 people passed away and buried on this island. SO i would say this place gave me very mixed feelings...

This place is a true example how pious people sholud live Christian life.

Absolutely amazing place with a great atmosphere. The Monastery was neglected but now the major reconstruction is about to finish. Fantastic!

The Solovetsky Monastery (Russian: Солове́цкий монасты́рь, IPA: [səlɐˈvʲɛtskʲɪj mənɐˈstɨrʲ]) is a fortified monastery located on the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea in northern Russia. It was one of the largest Christian citadels in northern Russia before it was converted into a Soviet prison and labor camp in 1926 to 1939, and served as a prototype for the camps of the Gulag system. The monastery has experienced several major changes and military sieges. Its most important structures date from the 16th century, when Filip Kolychev was its hegumen (comparable to an abbot).

A Google translate of the last comment in Russian: Journey to Solovki, one of those that will last a lifetime.  The land is saturated with prayers, blood and sweat; severe but beautiful northern nature;  Pearls of Russian architecture and architecture .. After all this, you return to peace to others.  With all this on the Solovki Islands, fifty kilometers from the Arctic Circle! - well developed modern service, tourist and tourist infrastructure.  It is important that in this place they are not intrusive. Almost all the churches of the Solovetsky monastery are active, with the exception of the Transfiguration Cathedral, where the service takes place on special occasions, such as each of visas!  the patriarch. This church can take part in the liturgy, put candles and submit notes. Those interested can purchase icons of the holy founders of the monastery of Zosima and Savvati. By the way, in front of the huge altar of the Transfiguration Cathedral in the floor of the temple there are several ancient bricks from the imprint of the house of the 15th-century master monks.  Putting your palm to them, you can make a handshake through the centuries. Trinity Cathedral is distinguished by a huge refectory, designed for 200 people. It is interesting that the monastery lives .. lisa! She can be seen during a tour of the inner space of the monastery. Attention travelers! On the Solovki Islands, there are only two mobile operators: Megafon and MTS. Those who wish to swim in the White Sea should be borne in mind that at the end of June, at least during my visit, the water temperature was about seven degrees.  A small beach suitable for swimming is called by the locals (there are about nine hundred people on the Solovki island, by the way) Malibu. The beach is located about four kilometers from the village, a little further than Negotiation Stone, near which negotiations took place in the 19th century between the abbot of the monastery and the commander of the English squadron during the siege of the island during the Crimean War.

Russia has such a magnificent history and I hope an even better future

I got hit by a radar tower other than that beautiful place blown up when I got there I went with friends they liked it aswell

Great place to visit and the guides know there history