The monument in Vilga was erected on the 50th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941 to 1945. It commemorates 88 Vilga residents who lost their lives between 1941 and 1945.
A monument in Vilga: remembrance and inscription
The names of 41 airmen from the 5th Air Defence Division are engraved on slabs of stone gabbro-diabase. They lost their lives defending the airspace over the Onega region. The figures refer to different details: 88 represents the Vilga residents being remembered; 41 is the number of airmen named on the slabs. This second reference is associated with the 5th Air Defence Division and the airspace over the Onega region.
More topics in the wider destination of the Republic of Karelia
In the wider destination of the Republic of Karelia, nature and cultural topics complement Vilga’s local history. For trip planning, three themes can be distinguished: a waterfall and forest trail in Kivach, traditional wooden architecture in “Kizhi”, and prehistoric rock art. This lets you consider the themes according to your interests without equating them with the memorial in Vilga.
Waterfall and excursion in Kivach
A general excursion in the Kivach Nature Reserve includes an outdoor walk to Kivach Waterfall, as well as visits to the dendrological collection and the nature museum. The waterfall is on the Suna River in the central part of Karelia, and its drop is 10.7 metres. After the Rhine Falls, it is Europe’s second-largest lowland waterfall. A 1,000-metre circular trail through a wooded area along the banks of the Suna also runs near the excursion area. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours for the excursion along the banks of the Suna. Check conditions and booking arrangements with the operator in advance.
Wooden architecture at the “Kizhi” Museum Reserve
The “Kizhi” Museum Reserve features 89 monuments of traditional wooden architecture in the open air. These include old chapels and houses, mills, granaries, threshing barns and drying racks. Visitors can explore the interior of the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God and peasant houses; traditional peasant crafts are demonstrated in the houses. The Kizhi Pogost is an architectural ensemble featuring the world’s only multi-domed wooden Church of the Transfiguration. The architecture theme thus ranges from individual building types to a named ensemble.
Petroglyphs of the White Sea and Lake Onega
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Petroglyphs of Lake Onega and the White Sea comprises 4,500 Neolithic rock carvings in the Republic of Karelia. The Lake Onega petroglyphs include more than 1,200 figures in the Pudozhsky District; most are located on the three central capes of Pery Nos, Besov Nos and Kladovets. The White Sea petroglyphs mainly depict hunting and sailing scenes, along with associated equipment, as well as animal and human footprints. The Belomorsk petroglyphs are located in the lower reaches of the Vyg near its mouth at the White Sea, 6–8 kilometres from Belomorsk, and include more than 2,000 different carvings.
In terms of subject matter, you can distinguish between the memorial in the town and the nature, architecture or rock art themes of the wider destination of the Republic of Karelia.
Discover more destinations: Kostomuksha, Spasskaya Guba, Mikli, Vyartsilya, Yushkozero, Meyeri, Derevyannoye, Kotkozero.
Back to the wider travel guide: Republic of Karelia.
