Following the New Lara Croft's Steps to Kizhi Island

300 year-old wooden churches from a distant island in the Russian north are not that easy to get to, but those who have seen them swear they are impossible to forget. Hollywood stars and thousands of tourists from all over the world confirm! Sputnik has picked up the poster-images of Russia's architectural wonder.

The open-air museum of Kizhi Island in Lake Onega in Karelia has made it not only into the UNESCO list of world Heritage sites but also into the hearts of tourists from all over the world who were not afraid of a long and complicated journey. Two churches, a bell tower and a fence, built without a single nail in the 17th century, have become a poster-image of the Russian north and a shooting sight for a hit Hollywood movie. Take a look at the breathtaking view of Kizhi in winter.

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© Sputnik / Ilya Timin

The iconic view of Kizhi with the Church of the Intercession of Holy Mary, the bell-tower and the Church of the Transfiguration of Our Savior

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© Sputnik / Ilya Timin

Before the island became world renowned for its churches, Kizhi gained its fame as a handcraft center, known for its knives across Russia.

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© Sputnik / Ilya Timin

Alicia Vikander, the new Lara Croft, told the Russian movie site Kinopoisk that she was overwhelmed by the site where she went to shoot the Anna Karenina movie together with Golden Globe-nominated director Joe Wright.

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© Sputnik / Ilya Timin

Despite the religious landscapes the name of the island comes from an old word for "merrymaking."

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© Sputnik / Ilya Timin

There are 68 buildings made completely out of wood on the island on Lake Onega. One of the most famous is Oshevnev's House.

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© Sputnik / Ilya Timin

The chapel with a two-level icon-stand was brought to the site from the village of Lelikozero.

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© Sputnik / Ilya Timin

The bell tower remained silent for more than 60 years, not because it was out of order, but due to a Soviet ban.

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© Sputnik / Ilya Timin

Most of the buildings apart from the three main churches were brought to the open air museum from the neighboring villages and islands.

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© Sputnik / Ilya Timin

The Church of the Transfiguration of Our Savior with its 25 domes has scored the lucky 13th place in the Telegraph's rating of the world's most beautiful churches.

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© Sputnik / Ilya Timin

The massive reconstruction of the most famous church began in the mid-2000s and has nearly reached its completion. The uniquely complicated project will preserve 70% of the original building.

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© Sputnik / Ilya Timin

The oldest is the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus, which was brought to Kizhi Murom's monastery.

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© Sputnik / Ilya Timin

The way to Kizhi isn't that easy: pilgrims first need to get to the city of Petrozavodsk in Karelia, then take a boat or a helicopter to the island.