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Owing to the numerous rivers and lakes St. Petersburg is called "the Venice of the North". The city was built in the picturesque area surrounded by thick forests and widespread swamps, by forbidding rocks, and gay-colored meadows.
Karelia is the area stretching to the north east of St. Petersburg between the southern coast of the White Sea and the lake Ladoga, known as the land of thousand lakes, virgin forests and fairytale islands. A trip to Petrozavodsk, the capital of Karelia, is one of the most popular. The city is situated on a picturesque shore of the lake Onega, and is 400 km away from St. Petersburg.
Once the area of the lake Onega belonged to the Novgorod Principality, being a part of an important trade way to the White Sea. It was in the 11th century when initiative and adventurous Novgorodians began to populate the islands. Drawn to this land by the rich deposits of salt, mica, by pearl fishery, as well as by hunting fur game and seals they stubbed woods, ploughed vast arable land, and built up houses. The carpenters from the lake Onega were well known in Russia. They were called upon even by Moscow.
Kizhi is the island where one can get a true idea of the traditional wooden architecture. The name of the island Kizhi originated from the word 'kizhat' that meant a site for games or worshipping in the local dialect.
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