Russian Travel Guide

The nature of Konevets island

The island of Konevets in Lake Ladoga is home to one of the most important Orthodox shrines for both pilgrims and tourists - Konevsky Monastery, which was founded in the late 14th century by Saint Arsenius of Konevets. Despite the lack of magnificent natural sights and landscapes, almost all those who visit are moved by the island’s unusual, understated beauty, as well as by its intimate atmosphere and mystique. RTG TV host Igor Maximenko not only got to visit the historic monastery, but also take in the natural sights the island has to offer.   

Коллекция Russian Travel Guide. Зодчество. Новгородская область

Staraya Ladoga. The First Capital of Ancient Rus

“The Russian people in its multitude like the countless stars of the sky is unique.” These are the words of the Polish theologian Matvei Krakovsky spoken back in the 15th century. The subsequent centuries have done nothing to diminish the scale of his statement. They have multiplied and redrawn the borders of the Russian lands, and the poetic description of the population is matched by the statistics. Today, Russia is the largest country in the world. There are few blank spaces on its map today, but there are many questions still to be answered about its history. One of them is “Where did the Russian lands begin?” Even the old chronicles differ in their views on this. Increasingly, however, historians believe that the roots of the Russian state can be traced back to Staraya Ladoga. Discover an old town that is regarded as the first capital of Ancient Rus in a film by RTG TV.