Stand on the embankment on the Gulf of Petrozavodsk and you are walking between two kinds of stone: the Karelian granites and marbles set into the modern frontage, inaugurated in 1994, and the postmodernist sculptures presented by the city's sister cities around the world. Behind you the birch copse marks the spot where the first church of Petrozavodsk was built in 1703.
Petrozavodsk suits travellers who are drawn to Neoclassical town planning, Soviet-era squares, Karelian culture and the northern lake country rather than big-city nightlife. It rewards a slow day of walking, one good museum and a boat out to Kizhi.
This guide covers the sights and experiences in and around the city, with practical notes on how to combine them.
Top things to do in Petrozavodsk
1. Kizhi
From Petrozavodsk Harbor, a hydrofoil service of the "KareliaFlot" company carries people to the island of Kizhi, a World Heritage Site with an outdoor museum of ancient wooden architecture. It is the single strongest reason to build a day around the water rather than the streets.
Go on a clear day so the crossing itself is part of the experience, and start from the harbor rather than trying to reach the island another way.
2. National Museum of Karelia
The National Museum of Karelia sits at 1, Lenin Square, inside the building of the former governor's house, built in the late 18th century and now a federal architectural monument. It was founded in 1871 by the governor of the Olonets province, G. G. Grigoriev, and holds geological specimens, expositions on Karelian culture and history, and material on Kizhi Pogost.
It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00, with the ticket office until 17:30. It is on Lenin Square, so pair it with the square itself in the same visit.
3. Round Square
The Round Square dates from 1775 and was reconstructed in 1789 and 1839. It is the anchor of the Neoclassical city center that was laid out when Petrozavodsk was incorporated as a town.
Note the English-language oddity: the square is also called "round square" — an oxymoron in English, but not in Russian (kruglaya ploshad). Walk the Neoclassical architecture around it rather than treating it as a single stop.
4. Lenin Square
Lenin Square is an oval space with a large Soviet-era statue of Lenin at its center. It is the city's central landmark and the address of the National Museum of Karelia.
Combine the two: see the square, then go into the museum at number 1.
5. The embankment on the Gulf of Petrozavodsk
The city has a fine frontage on the gulf, and the modern embankment, inaugurated in 1994, displays an assortment of Karelian granites and marbles. It is lined with extravagant postmodernist sculptures presented by sister cities of Petrozavodsk from around the world.
There is also a birch copse here, where the first church of Petrozavodsk was built in 1703. This is an easy place to end a day of walking.
6. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was consecrated in 1832 and belongs to the city's Neoclassical heritage. A statue of Alexander Nevsky was erected outside the cathedral in 2010.
It fits naturally into a walk that takes in the Neoclassical center.
7. Statue of Peter I
The outdoor statue of Peter I is bronze and granite, by Ippolit Monighetti, dated 1873. It is one of the town's landmarks and a reminder of the foundry origins that gave the city its name.
Look for it as part of a circuit of the central statues rather than as a destination on its own.
8. Statue of Gavrila Derzhavin
Among the town's landmarks is the outdoor statue of Gavrila Derzhavin, a Russian poet who was the governor of Olonets in the 18th century.
Pair it with the Peter I statue and the Neoclassical center in a single walk.
9. The main theatre
The main theatre is worth the time for the architecture, which is gorgeous, and the square along with a nearby park offer great walking opportunities.
Build the surrounding square and park into the same outing rather than arriving only for a performance.
10. Karelian National Theatre
The Karelian National Theatre, at pr. Karla Marksa, 19, gives an authentic experience of the strong connections between Finnish and Karelian culture.
Telephone +7 814 2782674 for enquiries. If you are interested in the Finnish and Karelian side of the city, this is the place to seek it out.
11. Kivach Waterfalls
Kivach Waterfalls (Кивач) is a 10.7-m-high waterfall cascade. It is one of the natural sights within reach of the city.
Treat it as a trip out from Petrozavodsk rather than a stop in town.
12. Martial Waters
Martial Waters, known in Russian as Martsialnye Vody, houses several natural springs which are said to be very good for your health, with resorts nearby. The suburb is the oldest spa in Russia, founded by Peter the Great in 1714 and visited by the Tsar on four occasions; its name means "The Waters of Mars" in Russian.
Although Peter's palace at Martsialnye Vody has not survived, there is a museum devoted to the spa's history. Combine the springs and the museum in one visit.
13. Mushroom and berry picking
If you are visiting in the autumn, consider joining the locals as they head into the woods to pick mushrooms and berries. It is a seasonal activity rather than a fixed sight.
Time your trip to autumn if this appeals, and go with people who know the woods.
14. Fishing on the nearby lakes
Find a friendly local guide and go fishing at one of thousands of nearby lakes, with an overnight stay or without. It is the simplest way to spend time on the water around the city.
Arrange the guide locally, and decide in advance whether you want the overnight version.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Lenin Square, see the Soviet-era statue of Lenin at its center, and go into the National Museum of Karelia at 1, Lenin Square when it opens at 10:00. From there walk the Neoclassical center, taking in the Round Square and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, with the statue of Alexander Nevsky outside it.
Afternoon. Continue to the statues of Peter I and Gavrila Derzhavin, then head for the main theatre, where the architecture and the square and nearby park make for good walking. If you would rather spend the afternoon on the water, take the hydrofoil from Petrozavodsk Harbor to Kizhi instead, and keep the central walk for the evening.
Evening. Finish on the embankment on the Gulf of Petrozavodsk, among the Karelian granites and marbles and the postmodernist sculptures from the sister cities, and find the birch copse where the first church of Petrozavodsk was built in 1703.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Kizhi from Petrozavodsk?
From Petrozavodsk Harbor, a hydrofoil service of the "KareliaFlot" company carries people to the island of Kizhi, a World Heritage Site with an outdoor museum of ancient wooden architecture.
When is the National Museum of Karelia open?
Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00, with the ticket office until 17:30. It is at 1, Lenin Square.
What can I do around Petrozavodsk in autumn?
If you are visiting in the autumn, consider joining the locals as they head into the woods to pick mushrooms and berries. You can also find a friendly local guide and go fishing at one of thousands of nearby lakes, with an overnight stay or without.
Is there a spa near the city?
Yes. The suburb of Martsialnye Vody is the oldest spa in Russia, founded by Peter the Great in 1714, and it houses several natural springs which are said to be very good for your health, with resorts nearby and a museum devoted to the spa's history.
Decide which of these you want most — the wooden architecture of Kizhi, the Neoclassical center, or the springs at Martial Waters — and start building your days around it.