Annino brings together a landscape feature, an unusual recent building history and two places of remembrance. The reservoir, the Church of St. John the Theologian and the memorials offer different perspectives on recreation, architecture and history. This can help you decide what to focus on when planning a trip or looking for a holiday apartment in Annino.

Reservoir and Church Building

Annino is home to an 8.5-hectare reservoir. It is a popular place for residents to relax and fish. This landscape feature sits alongside the area’s history, though the two have different points of focus.

The Church of St. John the Theologian has a distinctive building history: from 2000 onwards, it was built in an abandoned, single-storey kindergarten building that was repurposed for this use. A bell tower was added to the building, and a small dome was installed on the roof above the altar. On the night of April 12–13, 2008, parts of the interior and the roof were destroyed by fire. The church was subsequently restored, its interior improved and the grounds landscaped. This sequence—from repurposed building to fire damage and restoration—makes the church’s recent development easy to trace.

Memorials

The monument “Slava voinam-pobeditelyam” (“Glory to the Victorious Warriors”) is a four-sided, dark-red granite stele with a metal sculpture of St. George the Victorious. It is dedicated to Russian warriors who, throughout history, united and defended the homeland—to the dead and the living alike. The sculpture was created by sculptor A. S. Kharkin. Its form and dedication give the monument a distinct focus alongside the church’s building history.

Another place of remembrance is the bust of Pavel Fyodorovich Semyonov in Victory Park in Annino. It was unveiled on June 22, 2022, the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow. Semyonov was a holder of all degrees of the Order of Glory and took part in breaking through the Siege of Leningrad. The bust thus connects local remembrance with a specific chapter of wartime history.

More to Explore in Leningrad Oblast

The wider destination of Leningrad Oblast offers distinct natural and cultural themes beyond Annino’s local history. In the far east of the oblast lies the Vepsian Forest Nature Park, with seven reserves subject to particularly strict protection regulations. Numerous lakes define the park; the largest is Lake Lerinskoye, in the reserve of the same name. Notable features include old spruce and pine forests in the “Vepsskiy les” and “Ashchozyorskiy” reserves. These forests are important for organisms that can survive only in forests undisturbed by commercial use. The Veps, a small people of Russia, traditionally live in the nature park and have their own culture and traditions. Brown bears are found there in greater numbers; the wolverine, extremely rare in the region, has also been recorded. These occurrences do not guarantee a sighting.

Another regional cultural attraction is Koporye Fortress, a museum and a monument to Old Russian stone architecture. It has survived in its present form since the 16th century, while parts of its masonry date from the 13th century. Visitors can explore without a guide using the “Koporskaya krepost 2.0” multimedia guide; check its availability when planning your visit. Climbing the walls and towers is prohibited because they are in a state of emergency.

Discover more destinations: Nurma, Ivangorod, Podporozhye, Zaporozhskoye, Mistolovo, Vistino, Gatchina, Slavyanka.

See the wider travel guide: Leningrad Oblast.