| Valaam Archipelago is one of the most interesting cultural, historical and nature attractions in the North of Russia. The ancient Valaam Monastery is situated here, first mentions about which date back to 960 year AD.
For many years the Monastery was a religious and cultural center of Russia supported by Russian Tzars and the Russian Church. The Monastery was completely self-sufficient and monks produced all the necessary products themselves while working at small factories, saw-mills and farms, constructing buildings.
At the beginning of the 20th century the Valaam Monastery became one of the wealthiest Russian Monasteries, comprising a kind of a small state with 13 smaller monasteries under control.
During the Second World War the Archipelago was under control of Finland and returned back to the USSR in 1944. Since that time the Monastery was closed until 1989. Now it functions again. There are 10 hermitages on the very Valaam Island and nearby isles of different architecture and history. In several hermitages monks live according to the strict rules of the Monastery. Some of the hermitages are opened for visitors and two are abandoned.
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