Russky Sever National Park

Monasteries, glacial hills and forest around Kirillov in Vologda Oblast, northern Russia

Two medieval monasteries, Kirillo-Belozersky and Ferapontov, stand within a hilly landscape of glacial origin where woods cover 69.8% of the area. Unusually for a national park, the town of Kirillov and working farmland lie inside its limits.

1Kirillo-Belozersky MonasteryFounded in 1397 on Lake Siverskoye; once among the most influential monasteries in Russia.

2Ferapontov MonasteryFounded after 1398 by St. Therapont; recognised as a World Heritage site in 2000.

Things to do

HeritageVisit the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery on the shore of Lake Siverskoye in Kirillov
On footWalk to the Ferapontov Monastery, a World Heritage site since 2000
Try thisDrive the paved road from Vologda to Kirillov, which crosses the park
Try thisLook for the protected hills of Maura, Sandyreva and Tsypina, and the pine woods of Sokolsky Bor on the Sheksna Reservoir

Russia · Vologda Est. 1992 Size 1,664 km² Protected area category: IUCN II

Also worth seeing

3
Shalgo-Bodunovsky Les
Limited-access forest protecting remains of spruce and pine forest almost extinct in Vologda Oblast.

Where it is

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