The basin of Lake Ladoga is of glacial-tectonic origin. In the Paleozoic, 300 - 400 million years ago, the entire territory of the modern basin of Lake Ladoga was covered by the sea. Sedimentary deposits of that time are sandstones, sands, clays, limestones - they cover with a thick layer (over 200 m) the crystalline basement, consisting of granites, gneisses and diabases.

The modern relief was formed as a result of the activity of the ice sheet (the last, Valdai glaciation ended about 12 thousand years ago). The main factor was: the change in the level of the world ocean, the water of the glacier and its weight - the rise of land began (and continues). After the retreat of the glacier about 12,600 years ago, the fresh Baltic glacial lake with a level of 25 meters above the ocean. About 10-9.6 thousand years ago, the waters of the lake broke through in the region of central Sweden and the Yoldian Sea was formed, the level of which was 7-9 m higher than the current level of the Baltic Sea.

Approximately 9,500 years ago, the rise of land blocked the strait in Central Sweden and the Ancylovo Lake was formed. In the north of the Karelian Isthmus, it was connected by a wide strait with Lake Ladoga. The Mga River at that time flowed eastward and flowed into the lake in the area of ​​the modern source of the Neva.

About 8500 years ago, tectonic processes opened the Danish straits and the Litorina Sea was formed. The water level was, although significantly higher than the current one, but less than in Lake Ancylovo. This led to the formation of the Karelian Isthmus, and the formation of Lake Ladoga.

How long the lake was completely isolated is unknown - the water level in the lake rises faster than the rise of the land, and when the level of Ladoga exceeded the watershed level, the lake waters, flooding the valley of the Mga River, broke through into the valley of the Tosna River.

Thus, about 4 thousand years ago, a new strait arose between Lake Ladoga and the Gulf of Finland, which became the valley of the Neva River. The old strait in the north of the Karelian Isthmus by this time was already above the level of the lake. The topography has not changed significantly for the last 2.5 thousand years.

The northern part of Lake Ladoga lies on the Baltic crystalline shield, the southern part on the East European platform. In the areas closest to Ladoga southern border the shield runs approximately along the line Vyborg - Priozersk - the mouth of the Vidlitsa river - the source of the Svir river.

The crystalline basement of the Northern Ladoga area belongs to the ancient primary basement of Fennoscandia and was formed about 2000 million years ago. These are the oldest geological formations on Earth. Over millions of years, the ancient Svekokarelida mountains have flattened into picturesque hills, cliffs and cliffs. The basin of Lake Ladoga was formed in the Tertiary period as a result of a powerful geological fault. At the same time, as a result of faults, the archipelago and the coastal part of the northwestern shore of Lake Ladoga were formed. 12 thousand years ago, after the glacier left, almost the entire surface of the Ladoga area was under the water of the ancient Baltic glacial lake. The climate, water level and salinity of the lake gradually changed. About 4000 - 3000 years ago, the formation of the Neva took place and the level of Lake Ladoga dropped by 10 meters.

At the end of the 9th century A.D. changes in the hydrography of the region (lowering of the level of the Baltic and, accordingly, of Lake Ladoga), led to the simultaneous process of river shallowing Ladoga basin, including the Volkhov with tributaries.

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rice. 4 Lake Ancylovoe includes Ladoga 9500 years ago. The flow of the lake into the ocean is indicated.

32 rivers flow directly into Lake Ladoga - more than 10 km long, to the most large rivers flowing into Lake Ladoga include: r. Swir flowing from Lake Onega, R. Vuoksa, originating in Finland, r. Volkhov, flowing from Lake Ilmen, r. Syas and others.

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rice. 5 Svir River - Podporozhsky District in the NE part of the Leningrad Region.

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rice. 6 Svir River, rapids.

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rice. 7 Sandy shores the Svir river.

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rice. 8 Vuoksa River.

The Vuoksa river is mentioned in the Novgorod chronicles. People have lived in the vicinity of the river since prehistoric times - sites of the Stone Age period have been discovered here, there is a mention of Vuoks in the ancient epic "Kalevala". In the distant era of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the Vuoksa River was mentioned as a place of congress for solving state issues.

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rice 9 Vuoksa near Melnikovo.

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rice. 10 Dam on the Vuoksa river in Imatra.

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rice. 11 Priozersk Vuoksa river.

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rice. 12 Upper reaches of the Volkhov River.

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rice. 13 The Volkhov River in the area of ​​St. Ladoga and Lyubsha (Chernavino-5), mounds in the "tract of the hill".

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rice. 14 The Volkhov River - not far from the mouth.

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rice. 14 Syas river.

Lake Ladoga - Nevo.

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rice. 16 ladozhskoe ozero.

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rice. 17 Landscapes of Lake Ladoga.

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rice. 18 Ladoga Lake - shores.

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rice. 19 Ladoga Lake - Burun.

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rice. 20 Ladoga Lake - a forest.

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rice. Lake Ladoga - silence.

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rice. 22 Ladoga Lake - autumn.

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rice. 23 Rocky shores of Lake Ladoga.

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rice. 24 Lynx rock, pos. Vyartsilya, Northern Ladoga area.

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rice. 25 Ruskeala, a former marble quarry. Rocks height: 30 - 40 m, Northern Ladoga area.

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rice. 26 Ladoga Lake - stones.

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rice. 27 Boulder near Vidlitsa - a river in Karelia, Ladoga area.

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rice. 28 On the islands of Lake Ladoga.

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rice. 29 Cape Rahaniemi. Shining August 18, 2003.

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rice. 30 Gorskii Staroladozhsky Canal photo 1909

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rice 31 Fortress Korela in Priozersk.

Korela (sw. Kexholm, Fin. Käkisalmi "cuckoo strait") is a stone fortress in the town of Priozersk, on the island of the Vuoksy river. Medieval Korela was the most northwestern city of Russia. The fortress was founded at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. Novgorodians on the island of the Uzerve river(Vuokse)to protect the northwestern borders of the republic from the Swedes.

Priozersk - [Karelian. Kägöisalmi, fin. Käkisalmi - "cuckoo strait", Swede. Kexholm - "cuckoo island"] - administrative center Priozersk district of the Leningrad region. The city is located on the Karelian Isthmus, along the banks of the northern branch of the Vuoksa River, between Lake Ladoga and Lake Vuoksa. Until the beginning of the 17th century, it was the center of the Korelsky land, the Korelsky district of the Vodskaya pyatina. From the XIV century to 1611 the city is known as Korela. From 1580 to 1595 and from 1611 to 1918 the city was called Kexholm. Since 1918, the city, as part of the newly independent Finland, began to be called Käkisalmi. In 1940, after the Soviet-Finnish war, the city was transferred to The Soviet Union, the name Kexholm was returned. In 1941-1944, during the Soviet-Finnish war, the city was occupied by the troops of Finland and was called Käkisalmi. In 1944, after the Moscow armistice, the city was transferred to the Soviet Union for the second time. In 1948 it was renamed into Priozersk.)

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rice. 32 Fortress Oreshek - Orekhovy Island (Finn. Pähkinäsaari) is a small island in the source of the Neva. The main attraction is the ancient Novgorod fortress of the XIV century Oreshek.

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fig 33 Map of the Brockhaus and Efron encyclopedia. Ladoga lake. (clickable)

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Europe is renowned for its beauty and appeal. Its nature has more than once become the property of songs and legends, fairy tales and poems, compositions and stories. Among all the diversity, water spaces stand out. Lake Ladoga is a striking representative. Its main difference from other water bodies is its rich flora and fauna.

general characteristics

Lake Ladoga is called the largest in all of Europe. Its area exceeds 18 thousand square kilometers. It is interesting that 457 kilometers of water area is occupied by the islands of Lake Ladoga, which in themselves are not so large. For example, the area of ​​the largest land plots located in the middle of the lake surface does not exceed one hectare. And there are more than 650 of them. Nature has arranged the islets so that over 500 of them are located in the northwestern part of the lake.

The rocky islands are distinguished by their bizarre shape and unusual outlines. Their height is 60-70 meters. It is especially interesting to observe the harmonious combination of coastline and island lines. The islands are separated by numerous bays that cut into land areas.

Mother Nature has been working for more than one millennium on the artistic and aesthetic design of this corner of the globe. Lake Ladoga is one of the oldest water bodies. In its lifetime, it has seen a lot, experienced amazing events, which can be judged by the numerous remains and remains on its shores and bottom.

New research has made it possible to find out more accurate parameters of the water body. Lake Ladoga is 83 kilometers wide and 219 kilometers long. Without an island territory, it occupies a total of 17578 square kilometers, which allows us to call it the largest European lake.

Length coastline exceeds one and a half thousand kilometers. Scientists managed to calculate the coefficient of its irregularity. It is 2.1, which suggests the presence of multiple bays. The bowl of the lake has an impressive capacity, which is 908 cubic kilometers.

Depth of the lake

The depth of Lake Ladoga is 51 meters on average. However, if we talk about the largest, then the figure already rises to 230 meters. The map of the depths of Lake Ladoga can be judged about impressive indicators. It usually marks the areas that are considered the deepest.

The bottom topography is not uniform. Therefore, it is not surprising that the depth of Lake Ladoga is different throughout its water area. For example, in the southern part, the bottom is even and smooth. This contributes to a decrease in depth. The decrease is observed from north to south. In the northern part, the depth reaches 10-100 meters, and in the southern part, this value is an order of magnitude lower and varies in the range from 3 to 7 meters. The bottom is distinguished by rocky spits and shoals; you can even find clusters of boulders.

Bottom relief

In general, such differences in depth are explained by the peculiarities of the geological structure of the bottom. Which, in turn, is due to its impressive length. Geological structure also leaves its mark on the lake basin and its appearance. Interestingly, the bottom topography seems to resemble islands. He copies them exactly. Thus, at the bottom of the lake one can observe mountains and plains, depressions and potholes, hills and slopes.

Most often, depressions up to 100 meters deep prevail. There are more than 500 of them in the northwestern part of the lake. It is interesting that such formations are concentrated in groups. And they, in turn, create a kind of labyrinth of bays. This phenomenon is called skerries. The map of the depths of Lake Ladoga makes it possible to verify this.

The slope of the lake has an average of 0.0105, and the angle averages 0.35 degrees. This value near the northern coast is already equal to 1.52 degrees, and on the eastern coast - 0.03. This is also considered a fairly important indicator.

Animal world

In a country like Russia, Lake Ladoga plays a huge role. They call him a supplier drinking water for the Northern capital of the state - St. Petersburg. However, in addition to this, a huge number of a wide variety of animals live in Ladoga. The main place among them, of course, is occupied by fish.

To date, more than 58 species and species of fish are known to exist in the waves of Lake Ladoga. It is interesting that there are those who are "guests" in Ladoga. These include conger eel, Baltic salmon and sturgeon. They only occasionally swim into the waters of the lake. Their permanent habitat is the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic.

Unfortunately, because of the massive fish catching today, not all of its former inhabitants are left to live in Ladoga. Sometimes representatives of the fish kingdom disappear for no apparent reason. For example, sterlet. In Ladoga waters, it is no longer found, and the researchers have not found the reasons for this.

New species

But new inhabitants appeared in the lake. They are represented by peled and carp. The latter appeared in Ladoga relatively recently - in 1952-1953. The reason for this was that it was bred in the nearby Lake Ilmen. The fate of the peled was similar. She "wandered" to Ladoga from the Karelian Isthmus, where she was actively cultivated in the late 50s of the last century.

In addition, fish such as char, salmon, pike perch, whitefish, bream, trout, ripus and vendace can be found in the waters. They are distinguished by their value in the field of industry. These species are called commercial. There are also less valuable inhabitants of the lake. Among them are roach, smelt, pike, ruff, blue bream, bleak and silver bream. They are considered no less tasty, but their use in food is represented in smaller volumes.

Probably, it is impossible to name really all the fish that are found in the waters of Lake Ladoga. There are so many inhabitants there that work on their discovery and study continues now.

On the verge of extinction

Some fish of Lake Ladoga are now on the verge of extinction. Among them there are those that are considered valuable in the industrial field. The clearest example is salmon. In Ladoga, there are individuals weighing more than 10 kilograms. They are real giants. It is interesting that fish go to spawn in late spring and summer. Young animals live there for no more than a couple of years, and then return to the lake.

Now the rivers are littered with lumber, so spawning of salmon has become difficult. In this regard, it was decided to suspend the massive fish catch. The corresponding law was passed back in 1960.

Palia is another valuable fish. She lives in the northern part of the lake. In winter, it can be found at a depth of more than 70 meters, and in warmer months, it rises to 20-30. Reproduction takes place in mid-autumn.

Live in Ladoga and whitefish. Now there are seven varieties in the lake. Four of them, namely lake Ladoga, Ludog, black and Valaam, are considered exclusively river, and three others - Svir, Vuoksinsky and Volkhov - can live both in the lake and in the river. On average, during the breeding season, each individual lays about nine thousand eggs in October and November.

Until recently, people were massively engaged in catching whitefish, and now this species is on the verge of extinction. A peculiar reason for this can be called the construction of the Volkhovskaya HPP dam. Pisces could not overcome such an obstacle, and the measures taken by people for this did not save the situation.

Rivers of Lake Ladoga

Now let's talk about waterways.

The rivers of Lake Ladoga are very numerous. This allows us to speak about its wide drainage basin. Its area exceeds 250 thousand square kilometers. Not every lake can boast of such figures.

Finland and Karelia, located nearby, share water resources with Ladoga; rivers also carry their waves from Novgorod, Pskov and Vologda lands. Water bodies of the Arkhangelsk and Leningrad regions make their contribution.

In total, about 45 thousand streams and rivers flow into Lake Ladoga. It is interesting that before becoming a part of Ladoga, river waters accumulate in the nearest lakes, including Saime, Onezhskoe and Ilmen. They, in turn, allow the formation of such tributaries of the main Ladoga as the Volkhova, Vuokse and Svir. In total, they bring more than 57 cubic kilometers of water into the lake per year. This accounts for approximately 85 percent of the total water mass that accumulates in the considered by us geographic location in a year.

All other tributaries are called small. There is no explanation for this, because among them there are also such impressive deep rivers as Janisjoki, Syas and Tulemajoki.

It should be understood that the tributaries of the Ladoga are quite young - by river standards - in age. They are only 10-12 thousand years old. That is why most of them have not yet formed wide valleys. They flow among rocky terrain and steep banks.

From the northeastern part of the lake lies the Baltic crystalline shield. That is why the deepest and loudest tributaries flow into Ladoga from the other side. Very often they turn into full-flowing stormy streams, meeting on their way rocks that are difficult to wash out.

Svir tributary

Lake Ladoga is located in Russia, and the Svir is called its most full-flowing stream. This river flows out of the Svirskaya Bay of Lake Onega, and flows into Ladoga from the southeast.

Its length is about 224 kilometers. The river includes two large tributaries called Pasha and Oyat. It is interesting that the origin of this object is still shrouded in secrets and riddles.

The Svir River itself and its banks are not distinguished by the picturesque nature inherent in Ladoga. The description of Lake Ladoga tells about the amazing beauty of its shores, which Svir cannot boast of. Its coastline is covered with alder bushes and boggy plants, there are coniferous forests. Basically, the banks of the Svir River are accumulations of stones and boulders.

In ancient times Svir was famous for its numerous rapids. They could not be called tall, but the heaps of boulders presented a serious obstacle to navigation. Locals very often rescued sailors, helping them to cope with the crossings. Very often, residents of coastal villages and cities themselves served as sailors, pilots and even captains. The proximity to the deep river has left its mark on the character and way of life of people.

But if we talk about the animal world, then it is large enough. It is in the waters of this river that salmon spawn is often observed. In the spring you can meet schools of these fish, which go to the mouth of the Svir. The Oyat and Pasha tributaries play the main role in spawning. Ichthyologists believe that it is these rivers that can contribute to the revival of salmon in Lake Ladoga.

When to visit

Over its centuries-old history, Lake Ladoga has been shrouded in secrets, riddles and legends. All this, of course, attracts numerous tourists. People also go to Ladoga to admire the amazing beauty of nature, to see firsthand one of the largest lakes in the world.

In order not to miscalculate, you should know when it is better to go, what time to give preference.

A trip here in May and June will be hazy in the truest sense of the word. At the end of May and the beginning of June, thick fogs descend on Ladoga, and it is quite easy to get lost in them. In such cases, it is very important to take experienced guides with you who will help you get on the right path and see all the surrounding beauty.

This time is considered cold enough for those places. In the evening, the skerries can be covered with a thin crust of ice, and the wind brings dampness. A few hours after sunny weather are of particular interest. At such moments, the lake shines with tranquility and attractiveness. However, in the next instant a breeze comes. It causes meter waves in the bays, although the lake off the coast continues to be peaceful.

One of the most striking advantages of this time, of course, after the attractive appearance of the coastal area, is the complete absence of mosquitoes. The extraordinary purity of the lake is also called a virtue. The bottom, even at a depth of several meters, can be seen very clearly. It is believed that if you drink water at such a moment, then happiness will not be long in coming. The water itself is clean and tasty.

Those people who value comfort and coziness should visit Ladoga in the last two months of summer. It is this period that is considered the best for a good rest. In this case, the air and water temperature exceeds the optimal mark, allowing you to swim in the waves of the lake and sunbathe on the shore. On the islands, you can pick berries and mushrooms, which are abundant there.

Those people who travel to Ladoga in order to admire the local beauties should choose the autumn months, when literally the entire coast is cast in gold and bronze. In October, the weather deteriorates, accompanied by fogs and storms. At times like these, many painters and landscape painters can be found here. They try to capture the exuberant beauty of Ladoga.

Lake Ladoga in winter is also an interesting sight. However, it is quite cold here at this time of the year. But the middle of the lake does not freeze even in severe frosts due to the impressive depth.

Those people who want to visit this corner of our vast Motherland should look for Lake Ladoga on the map. Many travel companies offer entire routes. If you wish, you can choose one of the proposed ones or create your own.

A trip to the shores of Lake Ladoga will surely be remembered by everyone. This area is distinguished by the amazing beauty of nature at any time of the year, the variety of flora and fauna, as well as the opportunity to have a great rest.

Lake Ladoga is the largest freshwater lake in Europe, located in the Leningrad Region and Karelia. The length from north to south is 219 km, the maximum width is 138 km, the depth is from 70 to 260 m in the northern part and from 20 to 70 m in the southern part of the lake. In the northern part of the lake, depths of more than 100 m prevail. The greatest depth is 260 m. Through the Svir River, Ladoga Lake connects with Onega, and across the Volkhov River - with Lake Ilmen. The Neva River is the only one that flows out of Lake Ladoga. 32 rivers flow into it. The higher and steeper the lake shore, the great depths near them. The northern coast is considered the deepest, where great depths are located directly at the skerries. On the shores of Lake Ladoga are the Karelian cities of Sortavala, Pitkyaranta and Lakhdenpohja.

In the ancient Russian chronicles, the present Ladoga Lake is referred to as “Lake Great Nevo” - from the Finnish word nevo, which means “sea”. In the ancient Scandinavian sagas, the lake was called Aldoga - from the Finnish aalto, which means "wave". The name Ladoga Lake has come into use since the beginning of the 18th century.

The water supply in Ladoga is 908 cubic kilometers. This value changes periodically. In the old days, the low water level in Ladoga was often explained by the influence of supernatural forces. According to legend, the water level in Ladoga has been growing for 7 years and it has been falling for 7 years.

The temper of Ladoga is rather harsh, and the waves that arise at the depths and on the surface, for all their seeming harmlessness, are very dangerous. So shipping along Ladoga is a very difficult business. A relatively calm area of ​​Ladoga is the southern lips, where a 2.5-meter wave occurs only with very strong winds. The quietest month on Ladoga is July. At this time, the lake is mostly calm.

Lake Ladoga is inhabited by trout, salmon, char, whitefish, vendace, pike perch, pike, perch, burbot, bream, roach, smelt, blue bream, silver bream. There are river lamprey, brook lamprey, sterlet, Baltic sturgeon. There are 53 species and varieties of fish in Ladoga. Ladoga salmon weighs 10 kg. Inhabits mainly in the northern, deeper part of Ladoga, spawns in the rivers Svir, Burnaya, Vidlitsa. There is also a palia in the northern part. Whitefish, smelt, perch, roach, pike perch, vendace, bream, pike, salmon, trout, ruff are of commercial importance. The most commercial fish on Ladoga is pike perch. It lives mainly in the southern, shallower part of the lake. Reaches 8 kg of weight.

Ladoga is home to the only representative of marine mammals that lives in a freshwater lake - Ladoga seal... It is listed in the Red Book of Russia. The average lifespan of the Ladoga seal is 30–35 years. In February-March, seals give birth to 4-kg cubs - one for each female. They dig the "maternity hospital" in the snow hummocks on the ice. When Ladoga is free of ice, animals go out to rest on land and bask in the sun on the coast of the islands of the Valaam archipelago (islands Goliy, Svyatoy, Black, Big Bayonnoy, Pine, Vostochny Pine, Lembos, Extreme, Krestovy, Lisy). I must say that these islands belong to a specially protected area - natural park"Valaam Archipelago". So you need to get permission to visit them.

Since the 9th century, a waterway “from the Varangians to the Greeks” passed through Lake Ladoga.

During the Great Patriotic War in 1941-1944, most of the coast of Lake Ladoga was occupied by German-Finnish troops. From September 1941 to March 1943, the Road of Life ran along the southwestern part of the lake, linking besieged Leningrad with the "mainland". On the Road of Life, the necessary products and things were delivered to the city and people were evacuated.

Since 2002, the participants in the "Secrets of Sunken Ships" project have been compiling a register of sunken ships and aircraft in Lake Ladoga and Gulf of Finland... Many sunken objects are fairly well preserved at the bottom of the lake thanks to the cold fresh water.

There are a lot of islands on Ladoga - 500, large and small. And almost all of them are located in the north of the lake. The biggest - Valaam Islands or Valaam archipelago, with coastal slopes steeply descending into the water. The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery is located there. At one time, it was his monks who were sent by the Russian Orthodox Church to spread the Christian faith among the peoples of Alaska. Other large islands- Konevets, Vossinansaari, Heinasensaari, Mantinsaari, Lunkulansaari. The nature of the islands is incredibly beautiful. Small islands are separated from each other by the famous Ladoga skerries - small straits.

On the Konevets island situated Konevsky Nativity-Theotokos monastery... The name of the island comes from the boulder located here weighing more than 750 tons - the so-called Horse-stone, which until the end of the XIV century was a place of pagan sacrifices. The monastery was founded in 1393 by the Monk Arseny. There is a church in the name of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the first half of the 19th century. The relics of the Monk Arseny Konevsky rest in it.

There is a city on the Karelian coast of Ladoga Priozersk... There was a Karelian settlement at this place back in the XII century. In 1310 Novgorodians built the Korelu fortress at the mouth of the Vuoksa river. In 1580, the Swedes took it and renamed it Kexholm. However, in 1710 the fortress passed into the possession of Russia. The town is home to the Korela fortress with Round tower Built in 1364, a low defensive wall and earthen ramparts, old and new arsenals, fortress gates. There is also the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Church of All Saints, the Lutheran church of 1930.

Town New Ladoga founded in 1704 by Emperor Peter I and is located on the left bank of the Volkhov River, at its confluence with Lake Ladoga. The city houses the Nikolo-Medvedsky monastery, the building of the Gostiny Dvor in 1841, the barracks of the former Suzdal regiment (18th century), a monument to A.V. Suvorov, the Staroladozhsky canal (first half of the 18th century).

Famous Shlisselburg, known since Peter's times as Oreshek, is located on the left bank at the sources of the Neva River near Lake Ladoga. The city was founded by the Novgorod prince Yuri Danilovich in 1323, who laid a wooden fortress on the Oreshek island. In 1613, the fortress captured by the Swedes was renamed Noteburg. In 1702 he was recaptured from the Swedes by Peter I, who gave the city his current name... Among the sights of the city are the Oreshek fortress, the monument to Peter I by the architect M.M. Antokolsky, the Staroladozhsky canal, the Annunciation Cathedral, the Nikolskaya Church.

Near the lighthouse Osinovets there is a museum "The Road of Life", dedicated to the path along which, during the siege of Leningrad, food was brought into the city, and from there people were taken out.

The complex of memorial structures in "Green Belt of Glory of Leningrad" on the borders of the Leningrad battle of 1941-1944 on the Route of Life route that connected Leningrad with the country. The complex includes 7 monuments, 46 memorial pillars along the highway and 56 pillars along the railroad... Among them: the memorial complex "Flower of Life" at 3 km of the Road of Life, a monument-steam locomotive at railway station Lake Ladoga, “Broken Ring” memorial complex at 40 km of the Road of Life highway, etc.

Important

Rocky terrain and deep water require increased attention and caution, as well as swimming skills. When traveling around Ladoga, it is better to wear life jackets... Here, as in all of Karelia (except for large water), blood-sucking are found. Therefore, open clothing can cause a lot of trouble. Be sure to examine yourself after the excursion for ticks. Anti-mosquito and anti-mite agents can help. Vipers are found here, so you need to carefully look at your step. Windproof clothing will come in handy. Shoes must be waterproof.

In addition, any independent tourist group arriving in Karelia for the purpose of active rest must register and receive a safety briefing at the Karelian Republican Water Rescue Service, which is located in Petrozavodsk on Onega Flotilla Street, 43-A. The phone number of this service is (814-2) 73-35-16.

Registration can also be carried out in the administrations of the districts of Karelia, as well as in the search and rescue teams of the rescue service, which are located in Kondopoga - (814-51) 5-10-85, Medvezhyegorsk - (814-34) 2-13-01, Kem - (814-58) 5-68-90 and Sortavala - (814-30) 2-29-13. During the movement along the chosen route, the leader of the group at least once a day must contact the rescuers by phone and report their location. The Unified Rescue Service can be contacted by phone 01 or cell 112-1.

On the island of Heinäsenmaa, after the end of World War II, experiments were carried out with military radioactive substances, the storage of which served as a captured destroyer. Until 1996, similar experiments were carried out on the island of Konevets. As a result, some of the islands were exposed to radioactive contamination, the permissible concentration of heavy metals in the water was exceeded. The situation is also not improved by large industrial enterprises located on the banks of Ladoga and often lacking treatment facilities.

Local features

Excursions around Ladoga or Ladoga can be ordered in any more or less large city on the lake. Good vacation, fishing and hunting is offered by the recreation center "13th cordon", named after the popular film "Peculiarities of the national hunting". There are water, walking and cycling routes.

The climate here is mild, rather humid, closer to the sea. The winters are cool, but without severe frosts. Summer is not hot at all. average temperature January -12 °, July + 15 °. Ice binds Ladoga usually from late October to early May, while the central part of the lake is covered with ice only in severe winters. Due to the long and strong winter cooling, the water in the lake remains very cold in summer, warming up only in the upper layer and near the coast. The quietest month on Ladoga is July. At this time, the lake is mostly calm. You can come to Ladoga at any time of the year - depending on the purpose of your trip.

Events and Holidays

For more than 10 years, the Ladoga trophy-raid off-road race has been held around Lake Ladoga every year. This international sports and tourism event starts and finishes in St. Petersburg. The length of the raid is about 1200 kilometers

Lake Ladoga (has the second name Ladoga, previously referred to as Nevo) is considered the largest freshwater reservoir in Russia. Ladozhskoe in its popularity is only slightly inferior to Lake Baikal, known all over the world. Hundreds of tourists come to its coast every year to enjoy the wonderful views and capture the beauty of this place.

In this article, you will learn the main features of this reservoir - where it is located, what characteristics it has, what surrounds the lake, what flora and fauna is, what it is like in winter and summer.

Lake Ladoga belongs to two territories - the eastern and northern shores are located in the Republic of Karelia, and the southern and western shores please the residents of the Leningrad region. The lake belongs to the basins of the Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea.

Specifications

Lake area

If we take the total area of ​​Ladoga, then we get an impressive figure - 17 870 km², and if we also take into account the islands, then we get 18 320 km². The volume of water in the lake is 838 km³. The maximum recorded width is 125 kilometers, and the total coastal length is as much as 1,570 kilometers.

The height above sea level is small - only 4.8 meters, but the depth is dozens more. It is impossible to accurately measure the depth throughout the lake, it is uneven - in the northern part the range in numbers is from 70 to 220 meters, in the southern part - from 19 to 70 meters. But we managed to measure the greatest depth, in Lake Ladoga it is 230 meters.

Water temperature

Like the entire Leningrad region, Lake Ladoga is in a cold-rainy haze all year round... The average water temperature in warm periods of the year is about +19. In autumn it drops to +10 degrees, and in winter frosts it drops to -3 degrees. In August, if the year turned out to be successful, on the surface of the lake you can catch a temperature of +24 degrees, but closer to the bottom it will be only +17 degrees. At a depth of more than 200 meters, the water temperature is almost always equal to +3, +4.

Ladoga nature

Northern and east coast(Karelia) belongs to the middle taiga zone, and part of the lake in the Leningrad region belongs to the southern taiga subzone. The northern subzone is characterized by the appearance of mosses and shrubs (mainly bilberries, blueberries), an abundance of spruce forests; dark coniferous forests are inherent in the southern part, linden and maple are sometimes found, but the moss cover is less developed.

In Ladoga, scientists have more than 110 species of aquatic plants. There are more than 76 subspecies of blue-green algae alone, and there are also green algae and diatoms. Together with the violent underwater world planktonic animals also found refuge. The lake is home to cladocera copepods, rotifers, daphnia, cyclops, water mites, big variety worms, molluscs and other crustaceans.

The waters of Ladoga are rich not only in mites and single-celled organisms, there are more than 50 species of fish. For example, Ladoga slingshot, trout, whitefish, salmon, bream, smelt, rudd, pike perch, catfish, syrt, asp, palia, roach, perch, pike, sturgeon, silver bream, burbot and many others. The richest in seafood area of ​​the lake is the shallow southern zone, where the depth is only 20 meters. But in the northern deep-water area, the catch will be less diverse.

In addition to fish, this reservoir can show tourists more than 200 species of birds. The most attractive place for birds to live is the southern zone, however, many birds can be seen in Karelia as well. On the territory of Lake Ladoga there are: gulls, river ducks, geese, swans, cranes and sandpipers, eagle owls, toadstools, short-eared owls, osprey, red-breasted birds, herbalists, golden plovers and even a white-tailed eagle.

Lake Ladoga has become a habitat for the world's only pinniped representative - the Ladoga ringed seal (a special subspecies of the ringed seal). In total, there are about 4,000 of them in the world, so these animals are listed in the Red Book and are strictly protected by law.

Cities

The following cities are located on the shores of the lake itself: Priozersk, Novaya Ladoga, Sortavala, Shlisselburg, Pitkyaranta and Lakhdenpohja. The largest of them are Priozersk and Novaya Ladoga, although the number of people there does not exceed 50 thousand.

Larger cities are located near Lake Ladoga, for example, St. Petersburg. From the northern capital of Russia, you can get to Lake Ladoga in various ways, ranging from public transport(electric trains, buses, trains, ferries) and ending with the movement by car. At the same time, the travel time will be no more than three hours, and if you use a car and plot the correct route on the map, then you can manage it in one and a half.

From the northern part, the closest city to Ladoga is Petrozavodsk. It can also be reached from there by car or public transport. However, the road will take a little more than 4 hours.

Climate and seasons of Lake Ladoga

It is no secret for avid tourists that Ladoga looks extremely inhospitable during the autumn and winter months. Even in Karelia, where all around there are picturesque rocks and wildflowers wading among thick grass, Lake Ladoga is inhospitable.

In cold periods, an arctic anticyclone operates on the lake, which carries strong gusts of wind, a storm, prolonged rains and freezing temperatures. In October, the season of storms begins, it becomes damp and wet, and frequent fog appears on the lake. The only outlet for lovers of autumn recreation is September, this month Ladoga is more or less ready to share its beauty - heavy rains do not come often, the water surface is calm and clean, the air retains a piece of summer.

In summer, the reservoir graciously welcomes guests with a southern anticyclone, delighting with picturesque places and clear water. Only seasoned people will be able to swim here, but everyone will be able to enjoy the beauty. The average air temperature in July and August exceeds +20 degrees, so tourists will definitely be able to capture the sun glare playing on the surface of Ladoga.

Lake Ladoga is located in the northwest of Russia.

Lake Ladoga has ancient history, a peculiar nature and a rich natural world.

Its shores, islands and waters have essential for the development of the economy and tourism of the region. It is the largest freshwater lake in Europe.

How the lake came into being

It is believed that for hundreds of millions of years there was a sea on the site of modern Ladoga Lake. Its modern appearance is the result of the movement of the glacial cover.

Researchers believe that the basin, on which the lake arose, began to free itself from ice about 14 thousand years ago. First, a periglacial lake appeared, which had a runoff into a glacial lake, in the place of which the Baltic Sea later arose.

Over the next several thousand years, the water level in the lake and the area of ​​its mirror changed several times. Later, as a result of a change in the bottom profile, the basin of the lake was oriented southward.

Gradually, the channel of the Neva was formed into its modern form... After the formation of this river, the water level in the reservoir, which belongs to the Baltic basin, dropped by 12-13 meters.

Historical events

On the southern part of its coast in the VIII century the city of Ladoga was founded, which gave the name to the lake. It played an important role on the Varangian waterway from Scandinavia to Byzantium opened in the next century. In the XIII century, the name Ladoga Lake becomes common. In 1617, after the defeat of Russia in the war with the Swedes, most of the coast of the lake and coastal fortresses and settlements were transferred to the Swedes.

At the beginning of the 18th century, as a result of the Northern War, victorious for Russia, the shores of the lake became completely Russian. After that, shipping channels were built. During the Great Patriotic War, most Ladoga coast occupied by German and Finnish troops. To maintain contact between Leningrad, blockaded by the Nazis, and the unoccupied part of the Soviet state, from the fall of 1941 to the spring of 1943, the "Road of Life" was organized.

For navigation, ships and cars on hard ice on it brought over one and a half million tons of food and other goods to the city, and over 1.3 million residents of the city were evacuated. An important role here was played by the ships of the Ladoga military flotilla, created at the beginning of the Soviet-Finnish war.

Ladoga lake. road of life photo

The islands located on the lake left a big mark in the history of Ladoga. The island of Valaam with its Spaso-Preobrazhensky monastery, founded in the 10th-11th centuries, gained worldwide fame. According to legend, the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called covered the path from Kiev and Novgorod. When he reached the island, he blessed him with a cross. Prominent Russian architects took part in the construction of the monastery buildings.

On the small island of Konevets in the XIV century, the Monk Arseny founded the Nativity of the Theotokos monastery.

Characteristics and natural conditions

Together with the islands, the area of ​​Lake Ladoga is 18.3 thousand square meters. km. It stretches from north to south for 219 km, with a width of 125 km. The lake is located 4, 84 m above sea level. The shores of the lake, stretching for more than a thousand kilometers, have a varied and rich relief. On the southern coast, they are not high, they have many shallows, interspersed with rock reefs and small bays. There are three large bays on this side of the lake.

Lake Ladoga Valaam island, Valaam monastery photo

Its northern shores are predominantly rocky and high. There are many peninsulas, fjords and skerries, separated by straits of small islands. From the east side, two bays protrude into the coast, fenced off big island... The coastal strip is relatively flat, with wide sandy beaches. Even more shallow is West Coast Lake Ladoga. It is distinguished by a dense forest that fits right to the water, formed by coniferous and deciduous trees, and a variety of shrubs. There are frequent accumulations of boulders along the coast, which can form ridges into the water, posing a hazard to navigation.

The lake has a huge number of islands, of which 660 have an area of ​​more than a hectare and occupy about 435 square meters. km. More than half a thousand are located in the region of skerries in the north of the lake. Dozens of islands form archipelagos, the largest of which is Valaam with 50 islands. Most of the islands are different high cliffs and steep banks. They can be richly forested or sparsely vegetated.

The region of Lake Ladoga has a specific climate with signs of moderate continental and temperate marine. This is due to the peculiarities of the area, expressed in. relatively small amount of heat from the sun entering the earth and into the atmosphere. In total, only two months are sunny during the year. During the year, cloudy days with cloudy and diffused light prevail.

The average annual air temperature here is + 3.3 degrees. In February, it is - 8.8, and in warm July +16.3. From December to February, the lake freezes over. Its middle is covered with ice only at extremely low temperatures. In April-May, it is freed from ice. Due to constant unrest, Lake Ladoga is not a calm one. Storms are not uncommon here, characterized by waves covered with foam, reaching six meters in height. Sometimes the phenomena of surge and surge of water mass occur, leading to changes in the water level.

Flowing rivers, cities, ecology

The high flow of Lake Ladoga is provided by the many rivers flowing into it, which provide about 85% of its water balance. The largest of them are Svir, which flows from Lake Onega, Volkhov, which originates in Lake Ilmen, Vuoksa, which connects Ladoga with Lake Saima. In total, 35 rivers and many streams carry their waters into the lake. Only the Neva, flowing out of it, flows into the Baltic Sea. It accounts for about 92% of the water discharge from the lake.

town Priozersk Fortress Korela photo

On the shores of the lake there are such cities with Russian and Karelian names:

• Lahdenpohja
• New Ladoga
• Pitkyaranta
• Priozersk
• Sortavala
• Shlisselburg.

These settlements are the centers of coastal economic life. The activities of their industrial enterprises are largely supported by lake shipping. A waterway from the Volga to the Baltic Sea passes through Ladoga. Millions of tons of cargo are transported across the lake every year. These are oil products and oil, building materials, chemical raw materials, etc. Tens of thousands of passengers are transported, including as part of tourist cruises.

Economic activities on the shores of the lake have led to environmental pollution. Many enterprises, instead of efficient cleaning of industrial waste, dump them into the lake and rivers flowing into it. Radiation and nuclear hazardous enterprises and test sites for radioactive components operate near the lake. As a result, contaminated sites have formed on some islands.

Ladoga skerries photos

In some parts of the water area, the content of dissolved heavy metals is seriously exceeded. Some coastal areas have a high level of toxicological and microbial pollution.

Animal world

Over 250 bird species are found in the Ladoga Lake region. A fifth of them annually in spring and autumn fly here in transit. According to ornithologists, the Ladoga birds fly to Novaya Zemlya and Iceland, South Africa and India. Among them:

• geese
• ducks
• swans
• seagulls
• waders
• cranes and others.

Many other birds, including those belonging to rare species, arrange their nests on the shores. On the southern coast, waterfowl nest in reed thickets. There are many freshwater fish in the lake. During the spawning period, she goes to spawn in the rivers flowing into it. In total, there are over fifty species of various fish, including such as:

• trout
• salmon
• zander
• perch
• pike and others.

About ten fish species are hunted, among which ripus, vendace and smelt prevail. The most effective fishery is in the south of the lake at depths of up to 20 m. For spawning in the Volkhov and other rivers flowing into the lake, sturgeon comes from the Baltic across Ladoga along the Neva. Here they catch pike perch by south coast... In Volkhov and near the coast of the lake there are fish farmers for Siberian sturgeon, whitefish, trout, and other valuable fish.

Ladoga lake and seagulls photo

However, the negative impact on nature reduces the population of valuable commercial fish, such as whitefish, trout, salmon, etc. The Volkhov whitefish and Atlantic sturgeon are included in the Russian Red Book. In addition, this book contains a unique seal, which is called the Ladoga ringed seal. The number of these animals in the lake does not exceed five thousand individuals.

• annually on May 25-26 over the lake one can observe "white nights", which last more than fifty days and end on July 16-17;
• in 2002, with the participation of domestic and foreign experts, an atlas of Lake Ladoga was published;
• the lake was first marked in 1544 on a map made by the German scientist S. Münster;
• Since 2002, the state register of ships, aircraft and other underwater objects at the bottom of the lake has been compiled;
• after the war on some islands, experiments were made with chemical warfare and radioactive substances, new types of weapons and explosives were developed
• in the 1970s, according to the standards of that time, the lake waters were the cleanest and were marked with the I class of quality, while today the moderately polluted lake water was assigned only the III class;
• among the deepest Russian lakes, Ladoga takes eighth place.