Karelia. Marble Canyon - a unique monument of nature, made by the hands of man

The Republic of Karelia, which is part of the North-Western Federal District, began to be inhabited since time immemorial - immediately after the Ice Age, and therefore has a rather rich history. But the real treasure of this region is the purest northern nature. Numerous lakes, marshes, rivulets and rocks at all times attracted real connoisseurs of pristine beauty. In these places there are many picturesque corners, but, perhaps, one of the most famous places with which Karelia is famous - the Marble Canyon.

History of the Marble Canyon

Located just twenty kilometers from the Finnish border, near the village called Ruskeala, this canyon has been known since the 17th century when marble began to be mined here. At first it belonged to Sweden, but later it moved to Russia. Local marble, distinguished by the richness of the palette and the variety of varieties, was very popular among St. Petersburg city planners. Therefore, during the reign of Catherine II Ruskeale marble was mined for the construction of many famous metropolitan buildings. This natural material was used to decorate St. Isaac's and Kazan's cathedrals, the Hermitage and Mikhailovsky Castle and other buildings. At a later time, it was mined for the internal design of the Leningrad subway stations.

During the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939, the retreating troops destroyed all technical documentation, and the quarry itself was flooded. After the Great Patriotic War, all attempts to restore the extraction of marble failed, and this idea was abandoned.

Marble canyon today

Currently, the Marble Canyon located on the territory of the Republic of Karelia is a submerged quarry (a transparency of about 20 m). Having 460 m in length and 100 m in width, it is unique in that under the layer of water there is a whole system of underground excavations consisting of a number of galleries and drifts that are connected by vertical shafts. Its depth is about 50 m, and in the galleries it can reach more than 100 m.

In the nineties of the last century the Government of the Republic of Karelia Marble Canyon was declared an object that is a cultural heritage, and in 2005 the Ruskeala Mountain Park appeared in these places. The entrance to the territory of the mountain park is paid. Attention to those who wish to explore the Marble Canyon of Ruskeala (Karelia): the prices here depend on the age category of visitors and on the type of excursion (with or without a guide).

In the park you can make an excursion around the flooded quarry, as well as the surviving nearby workings, go boating or plunge into the underground labyrinths with scuba-diving. On the pedestrian pathway built around the quarry there are specially equipped observation platforms, from which you can admire the beauty of the local nature endlessly.

In addition, in the vicinity of Ruskeal you can see the Italian quarry, the functioning Evangelical Lutheran church, as well as the Ruskeal waterfalls and the Ruskealsky dip, to visit the cemetery of the XVIII century with tombstones made of local marble.

Karelia. Marble Canyon. How to get there?

You can get to the Marble Quarry both from Petrozavodsk and from St. Petersburg. From the northern capital to the town of Sortvala and back go buses and shuttles. You can also take a train to Kaalamo Station or Sortvala.

But it's more convenient to get there by car. The distance along the route from St. Petersburg is about 300 km, and from Petrozavodsk - 250 km.

This man-made object is rightfully considered one of the most interesting places with which Karelia is so famous. The marble canyon, which appeared as a result of human intervention in nature, not only did not violate the ecological balance, but even made the local landscape a little more beautiful.