Lake Ladoga sea or river basin. Lake Ladoga: facts

Lake Ladoga is one of the largest fresh water reservoirs in Europe. In our article, we want to talk about where nature and climate are located on its coast. It has some interesting features. Nature here is of particular beauty.

Location of the lake

Where is Lake Ladoga located? It is partly located in Karelia (eastern and northern coast) and in the Leningrad region (southern, southeastern, western). On its banks there are such cities as Novaya Ladoga, Priozersk, Shlisselburg, Sortavala, Lakhdenpokhya, Pitkyaranta.

Lake Ladoga on the map is located simultaneously in the Leningrad region and in Karelia. It is large enough. In addition, it also has islands. The area of ​​Lake Ladoga is 17.9 square kilometers, excluding island areas. It stretches from north to south for two hundred and nineteen kilometers. Its widest point is one hundred and thirty-eight kilometers. Agree, the size is impressive. These parameters can be used to estimate the area of ​​Lake Ladoga.

The depth of the reservoir in the northern region ranges from seventy to two hundred and thirty meters, and in the southern part from twenty to seventy meters. As you can see, the depth of Lake Ladoga is very heterogeneous, and is of the greatest importance in the northern part of the reservoir. And the volume of the mass of water is nine hundred and eight cubic meters.

Rivers of Lake Ladoga and islands

Thirty-five rivers flow into the reservoir. But only one originates from it - the Neva. There are three large bays on the southern coast of the lake: Volkhovskaya, Svirskaya and Shlisselburgskaya bays.

The largest river flowing into Ladoga is the Svir. She brings the waters of Lake Onega into it. Even such rivers as Avloga, Morie, Burnaya, Airajoki, Vidlitsa, Obzhanka, Syas, Olonka and others flow into the reservoir.

It must be said that in Lake Ladoga the water level is not a constant value. It constantly oscillates, and this is remarkably visible from the white stripes on the rocks that go under the water.

The islands of Lake Ladoga are quite numerous. There are about 660 of them. Their total area is four hundred and thirty-five square kilometers. I must say that more than five hundred islands are located in the northern part of the reservoir. This is the Skerry region.

The largest islands:

1. Riekkalansari - 55.3 km. sq.
2. Mantsinsaari - 39.4 km. sq.
3. Kilpola - 32.1 km. sq.
4. Tulolansari - 30.3 km. sq.
5. Vaalaam - 27.8 km. sq.

The most famous on the lake are the Valaam Islands. They are an archipelago of fifty islands with a total area of ​​about thirty-six square kilometers. They became famous thanks to the Valaam Monastery, located on the main island, and the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery on the island of Konevets.

The history of the lake

Lake Ladoga is located in a basin, which has a glacial tectonic origin. Three hundred to four hundred million years ago, the entire territory of the lake and its basin was covered by the sea.

The modern relief was formed as a result of the activity of the glacier. The main factor was a change in the level of the ocean, there was a rise in land. After the glacier retreated, the Baltic fresh glacial lake was formed. Later, the waters of this reservoir went to the territory of modern Switzerland. And there the Yoldian Sea was formed.

Nine and a half thousand years ago, due to the rise of the land, Lake Ancylus appeared. On the Karelian Isthmus, it was connected by a strait to Lake Ladoga. And eight and a half thousand years ago, ongoing tectonic processes opened the Danish straits, and the Litorin Sea was formed. This, in turn, led to the emergence of the Karelian Isthmus and, in fact, the formation of Lake Ladoga. Over the past two and a half thousand years, the relief in these places has not changed much.

The northern part of the lake is located on the southern part - on the East European platform. It is at the junction of these surfaces that the greatest depth of Lake Ladoga is observed.

Climatic conditions

Lake Ladoga has a temperate climate, as if a transitional form from temperate maritime to temperate continental. Such climatic conditions are explained very simply. The geographical position of Lake Ladoga and the atmospheric circulation of this region determined such a climate.

I must say that in these places there are not so many sunny days a year. This means that the amount of solar heat entering the earth is not so great. Therefore, moisture evaporates extremely slowly. In 12 months there can be only sixty-two sunny days here. Most of the year in this region days with overcast, cloudy weather and diffused lighting prevail.

It is better to plan a vacation on Lake Ladoga from the twenty-fifth of May to the seventeenth of July, then white nights can be observed here. These days the sun does not fall below the horizon, morning and evening twilight merge into a single whole. In general, the white nights last about fifty days.

It should be noted that Lake Ladoga itself also has an impact on the local climate, smoothing out extreme characteristics. Throughout the year, southwestern and western winds dominate here. Quiet and calm weather is extremely rare. Sometimes the winds have storm indicators.

Breezes are observed along the entire coast during summer days and nights. They start around 9 am and continue until 8 pm. The breezes penetrate inland for fifteen kilometers. Fogs are observed here most often in spring, autumn and summer.

Lake coastline

The coastline of Ladoga is more than a thousand kilometers. The northern shores are rocks, strongly indented, forming many peninsulas and narrow bays, as well as small islands separated by straits.

The southern coastline is low. It is less indented and is often flooded by waters. The coast is entirely rocky reefs, banks, shallows. Volkhovskaya, Svirskaya and Shlisselburgskaya bays are the largest bays of Lake Ladoga.

The eastern shores are very little indented. There are two bays here: Uksunlahti and Lunkulanlahti. It is in this part that wide beautiful beaches of sand are found.

The western shore of the reservoir is even less indented. It is completely overgrown with dense mixed forests and shrubs that come close to the water. The coast is strewn with boulders. Stone ridges sometimes go deep into the lake from the cape, thus forming dangerous shoals.

Relief of the bottom of the lake

As we noted earlier, the topography of the lake bottom is heterogeneous and has a clear increase in depth from south to north. We can say that the average depth of the reservoir is about fifty meters, and the largest is two hundred and thirty-three meters (towards the north of the island of Valaam). Lake Ladoga in the northern part has a very uneven bottom. It is full of cavities. And in the southern region, the bottom is smoother and more even. Lake Ladoga is the eighth deepest lake in Russia.

The transparency of lake water is different for different shores. Its lowest indicators are observed in the Volkhov Bay, and the highest - in the western direction from the Valaam Islands.

During a strong storm, the water in the lake, as they say, boils and boils, it is completely covered with foam.

Only the central part of the reservoir can be covered with ice, and only in very severe winters. A long cold period leads to a strong cooling of the water, for this reason the water in the lake remains cold even in summer. It has time to warm up only in a thin upper layer and a narrow coastal strip. The maximum surface water temperature is in August, when it is twenty-four degrees. The water in the lake is fresh and, in principle, quite clean, except for those areas where there is runoff pollution from industrial waste.

Economic importance of the lake

The place where Lake Ladoga is located determined its serious economic importance for the country. The fact is that the lake is navigable, which is important for the region. It is considered one of the parts of the waterway that is part of the Volga-Baltic route, as well as the White Sea-Baltic Canal.

The most navigable is the southern part of Ladoga from the Neva to the Svir. Since the reservoir has a serious size, there are often storms here, especially in autumn. During such periods, all navigation stops for the safety of passenger ships.

Since the founding of St. Petersburg, the lake has become part of the unified water transport system of northern Russia. For safe navigation along the southern coast, the Staraya Ladoga Canal was laid. As soon as it became insufficient, the Novoladozhsky Canal was also laid, one hundred and sixty-nine kilometers long.

The Staraya Ladoga Canal is now almost completely dried up and overgrown. And the second channel is navigable to this day. Up to eight million tons of cargo is transported across the lake per year. Oil products, chemical raw materials, building materials, timber are transported to the Baltic from the Volga. In addition, tens of thousands of passengers are transported annually along Ladoga.

Cruises (tourist) to the islands of Konevets and Valaam are made from Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities. Vessels enter and pass through the central water area of ​​the lake, where the shores are not visible. And in strong winds, you can feel a significant pitching.

There are no regular passenger traffic on Ladoga. However, motor ships of a tourist destination go twice a day in certain directions during navigation periods.

Fish that live in the waters of the lake

The fish of Lake Ladoga is of industrial importance. Ten species are caught, among which the most popular are vendace, smelt, ripus. Quite a lot of pike perch and whitefish are found in the lake.

Rest on Ladoga

Despite the fact that the water in Lake Ladoga remains cold even in summer, it attracts a large number of tourists. As we said earlier, there are beautiful sandy beaches on the coast. The northern islands are especially popular among tourists. The best period for kayaking on the lake is June and July. A little closer to autumn, storms begin, in which the excitement of the water is like in the sea.

Here on the lake there is the Nizhnesvirsky nature reserve. It is located on the right bank of the Protected area - wetlands of international importance. They are interesting because they are a nesting place for water and migratory birds. 256 different bird species have been recorded in this area.

Of particular interest to tourists is the island of Valaam. It is completely covered with coniferous forest. There is an old monastery on the island, which was founded in the ninth-eleventh centuries.

Vacationers also like to visit Konevsky Island, where there is a monastery. The island got its name from the Horse-Stone boulder located here. Until the end of the nineteenth century, this stone was a place of sacrifice. The main attraction is the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, located on the territory of the monastery.

Historical digression

Novgorodians for several centuries had a military and merchant fleet on Lake Ladoga. Geographical information fell to Western cartographers in those days. Lake Ladoga appeared on the map of the Moscow State as early as 1544. It was made by the German scientist Sebastian Munster.

And in 1600, a drawing of Rus' was drawn up by Fyodor Godunov. On it, the lake was plotted with fairly high accuracy. In the middle of the eighteenth century, a map was made not only of Lake Ladoga itself, but also of an artificial canal.

Novaya Ladoga

Novaya Ladoga is one of the towns on the banks of Ladoga. It is located on the left side of the Volkhov River in the place where it flows into the lake. The city was founded in 1704 by Emperor Peter the Great himself. A large number of historical architectural monuments have been preserved here, which may be of interest to guests and tourists.

Shlisselburg

The city is located on the banks of Ladoga. It was founded by the Prince of Novgorod in 1323, who founded a wooden fortress on Oreshek Island. Later it was captured by the Swedes, who renamed it Noteburg. And in 1702 the fortress was recaptured by Peter the Great. He then gave it its current name. The city also has its sights: the Staraya Ladoga Canal, the Oreshek fortress, the monument to Peter the Great, the Cathedral of the Annunciation, St. Nicholas Church.

Priozersk

In this place, the Karelian settlement lived already in the twelfth century. And in 1310, a capital fortress called Korela was built by the Novgorodians at the mouth. Later it was conquered by the Swedes. But in 1710 it again passed to the Russian Empire.

Lake Ladoga and its environs are quite interesting places for tourists. Here you can not only admire the beauties of nature, take boat trips, visit the islands, but also see historical monuments that have survived to our time.

And meridians 29°48 and 32°58` east longitude from Greenwich. With an oval shape, somewhat pointed to the north, the lake stretches almost along the meridian, in the direction of which it has the greatest length of 196.5 kilometers. The greatest width of the lake is almost in the middle of its length, at the parallel of 61 ° north latitude, and between the mouths of the Vuoksa and Olonka, 124 kilometers.

To the north, the shores of the lake quickly narrow and end with the Hien-Selke Bay, and to the south, the shores narrow slowly and end with the vast bays of Shlisselburg and Volkhov, separated by a wide ledge. The length of the coastline is 1071 km., Of which 460 km., Occupying part of the western coast, from the border from the Polutorny stream to the source of the Neva, the entire southern coast and part of the eastern coast to the village of Pogranichnye Konduzhi belong to Russia, the rest 610 km. belong to Finland.

The surface of the lake, including the islands, is 15923 km2, of which 8881.1 km2 in Russia and in Finland 7041.6 km2 five times larger and ten times larger than the Saimaa, not to mention the rest of Western European lakes.

Lake Ladoga serves as a receiver of a huge amount of water, the only one of which is the high-water Neva, flowing from the southwestern corner of the lake with two branches, separated by Orekhov Island, and flowing into St. Petersburg. Of the tributaries directly flowing into Lake Ladoga, the following are remarkable: in the western part of the lake: the Vuoksa River, flowing from Lake Saimaa and forming the famous Imatra waterfall, flows into Lake Ladoga partly directly at Kexholm, partly through Lake Suvanto by the Taipala River; in the northern part: Gellyulya, Laskila, Uksu, Tuloma, and Minola; in the eastern part: Vidlitsa, Tuloks, Olonka, Obzha, Svir with Oyat and Pasha and Voronega; in the southern part: Connecting with Tikhvinka, Volkhov, Kobona, Lava, Scheldikha and Naziya. The tributaries of the Volkhov, Syas and Svir serve as the beginning of three water systems: Vyshnevolotskaya, Tikhvinskaya and Mariinskaya, connecting Lake Ladoga with the Volga basin, and each of these rivers, together with the rest of the southern rivers, when it flows into the lake, is connected or crossed by old and new bypasses the Ladoga canals, which stretch along the entire southern and often eastern shore of the lake, from the source of the Neva to the mouth of the Svir.

With the help of its numerous tributaries, Lake Ladoga captures, in addition to part of Finland, St. Petersburg and Olonets, almost the entire Novgorod and some parts of the Pskov, Vitebsk, Tver and Arkhangelsk regions. The Ladoga basin includes a space of 250280.3 km2 Although Lake Ladoga, being between the basin and and, occupies a very advantageous position, and in terms of vastness, depth and excellent navigation conditions it itself constitutes an inland sea, but its navigation and trade and economic importance are extremely insignificant, due to the Ladoga bypass canals, which made the construction of sea-type ships necessary for navigation in the lake completely redundant.

Bay, Lake Ladoga and rocks (photo by Oleg Semenenko)

Shores of Lake Ladoga. From the mouth of the Vuoksa to the source of the Neva, the coast consists of clayey and loamy deposits, bordered by sandy soil, with numerous boulders. Up to the mouth of Taipala, the coast is still quite elevated, but further to the south, a low-lying desert coast extends, partly sandy, partly covered with thick. The southern coast of the lake, between the source of the Neva and the mouth of the Svir, is low-lying, almost treeless and consists of clay and swampy; formed by sediments of the rivers flowing into the lake, it is limited from the south by an elevated ridge of limestones of the Silurian system, which, in all likelihood, was once the shore of Lake Ladoga. At present, they are located at a distance of 3 to 30 kilometers from it, and only near the mouth of the Svir, limestones with their rocky cliffs cut into a wedge into the shore of the lake, to Cape Storozhensky, forming the outskirts of the peninsula, which protrudes far into the lake.

Eastern coast, from the mouth of the Svir to the lake. Karkun-lamba, at first low-lying and partly swampy, gradually rises and consists of clay and loamy soil, which turns into pure sand on the very coastline. The coast of the northwestern part of the lake is the complete opposite from the southeastern one. Here, the shores and adjacent to them are elevated, rocky and consist mainly of granite, partly gneiss, syenite and other crystalline rocks, as well as various kinds of marbles.

From Kexholm to the north and further east to Impilax, the granite gradually changes from light gray and coarse-grained to bluish-gray and fine-grained, very strong and hard, further, to Pitkerando, it turns into reddish, to the south of Pitkerando, the granite is completely hidden from the surface. land, and the soil is sandy-clay, filled with boulders of various types, and granite is found only in low-lying capes protruding into the lake, consisting of fine-grained red granite.

Islands according to their composition and height they correspond to the coast near which they are located. Almost all the islands in the northern part of the lake are elevated, consisting mainly of granite and hard stone rocks, while the islands in the southern part are low-lying, partly swampy and surrounded by shoals and reefs. Due to the many islands and the significant indentation of the shores, the northern part of the lake is very rich in bays and bays closed from the winds, which are very convenient places for a quiet mooring of ships, while in the southern part of the lake there are almost no such places, as a result of which ships here, with strong winds, forced to settle in an open lake, mainly in the open and dangerous Koshkinsky roadstead.

Of the islands in the northern part of the lake, near the shores, the most remarkable are: the island of Kuko-sari, lying at the mouth of the Vuoksa River. In Kronober Bay: Kilpodan, Korpan and Teposari, the last two of which form the entrance to the bay, representing a vast bay, completely calm for ships. Sarolin Island, which is the left bank of the Yakimvar Bay, 12 km. sunk into the mainland and representing a safe bay in all sorts of ways.

Of the islands in the middle of the northern part of the lake stand out: Valaam group, consisting of 40 islands, which stretch along the parallel, at a distance of about 20 km. from the extreme islands of the northern skerries. The main and largest of this group is Valaam Island (26.2 km2), which has a very irregular shape, but with the closely adjacent Skitsky, Predtechensky and Nikonovsky islands, it appears as an equilateral triangle. In its northwestern part, on a rock, is the Valaam-Preobrazhensky Monastery, deep in the bay, with a convenient pier. To the east of Valaam stretch the islands: Baiovye and Krestovye. To the south-west of the island: Gange-pa with a lighthouse, Muarka, Yalaya and Rahma-sari, lying almost on the same parallel. To the south are the islands: Suri Verko-sari and Voschaty or Vasiya-sari. To the south of this last island lies Konevets (6.5 km2), on which the Konevsky-Rozhdestvensky Monastery is located.

Lake Ladoga (photo by Dmitry Savin)

Depth Lake Ladoga is generally very significant; distributed unevenly, depending on the height of the banks: the steeper and higher the banks adjacent to the water's edge, the greater the depth and vice versa. From the southern low-lying coast, the depth, starting from half a meter, slowly and gradually increases; having passed the reefs and shallows protruding from this coast, it begins to increase rapidly, so that in the middle of the lake it is from 60 to 110 m, further to the north it increases to 140, and in some places reaches 200 meters. Thus, the Ladoga bottom has a very significant slope from south to north, and it consists of a series of more or less irregular ledges, on which in places there are significant hillocks and hills, in places there are depressions and depressions. So, between lines of equal depths of 60 and 80 m, there are bottom elevations, at which the depth is only 32 m, and in the northwestern part of the lake, between lines of equal depths of 10 and 140 m, there are depths of 200 or more m.

Water level and currents. The water level of Lake Ladoga is subject to constant fluctuations, depending on the totality of all meteorological circumstances in the entire lake basin, as a result of which the height of lake water, not only in different years, but also at different times of the same year, is very different. From time immemorial, there was a belief about the seven-year periodicity of changes in the water level of the lake, according to which the horizon of lake water constantly, as it were, rises for 7 years, and constantly decreases over the next 7 years, was completely refuted by 14-year observations, which were produced on the island of Valaam and from which there was no correctness in changing the position of the water level.

Opening and freezing. First of all, the shallow southern part of the lake is covered with thin ice, usually at the beginning of November, sometimes at the end of October, at a temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius. This thin ice or fat is carried by the current into the Neva, on which the autumn ice drift begins, which does not last long. In the lake itself, with increasing frost, the entire southern part of the lake is covered with ice, both near the coast itself and in the space between reefs and shoals protruding from it. Further, to the north of the parallel of the Sukhsky lighthouse, under the influence of winds that easily break the ice that forms, the lake does not freeze for a long time, and at great depths of the northern part it freezes only in December, often in January, in other years the middle of the lake remains unfrozen all winter. .

In general, the lake is covered with solid ice only in the most severe winters, with ordinary frosts, only the outskirts, 20-30 kilometers from the coast, are covered with ice. It is quite difficult to determine whether the middle of the lake is frozen or not, due to the remoteness of the middle of the lake from the shore. Fishermen performing under-ice seine fishing determine this with great accuracy by the current in the holes: if a current is observed in the holes corresponding to the direction of the wind, then the middle of the lake remains unfrozen, while the absence of a current shows that the entire lake is covered with solid ice.

The opening of Lake Ladoga, like freezing, also begins at the southern shore of the lake, usually at the end of March - the first half of April, simultaneously with the opening of the southern tributaries and warm water, which has a direct impact on the opening of the Neva, which always starts from the source, near Shlisselburg , moreover, two ice drifts occur on it: the river proper, which does not last long, and the very long Ladoga ice drift, which almost never passes immediately.

Lake Ladoga - the largest freshwater lake in Europe - is located in the north-west of Russia, in a harsh region with majestic nature and rich history. It was here that Russian statehood was born, the first Russian cities appeared.

The history of the lake, the unique and rich nature - all this makes Lake Ladoga a valuable cultural object and a beautiful corner of Russia.

Origin of the lake

The lake was formed by the melting of the glacier, and this process lasted several millennia. Several times the giant lake either merged with the waters of the ancient ocean, or again found itself surrounded by firmament. Finally, about three thousand years ago, a body of water squeezed by the banks broke through to the Baltic Sea by the Neva River.

The gradual formation of the lake was reflected in the unique topography of the bottom: if in the northern part of the lake the depth reaches 230 m, then in the “shallow” southern part it is 20-70 m. The difference in landscape is also explained by the fact that the reservoir belongs to different natural zones. The Karelian (northern) coast lies on the Baltic crystalline shield, it is steep and rocky. The southern coast, located in the Leningrad region, consists of sedimentary rocks. The coast gently goes under water, forming sandy shoals and beaches.

Lake Ladoga on the map looks like the footprint of some giant beast. The length of the reservoir from north to south is 219 km, and from west to east - 138 km. The huge area of ​​​​the lake - over 18,000 square meters. km - holds about 900 cubic meters. km of water. More than 40 rivers and streams fill it with their waters, and only one - the full-flowing Neva - flows out. Some rivers connect Lake Ladoga with other lakes - with Onega, Ilmen, Saimaa.

There are many islands on the lake - more than 660. In the north of the lake there are the famous Ladoga skerries - a magnificent necklace of a series of rocky islands separated by narrow straits. The main diamond of this stunning natural phenomenon of unique beauty is the holy island of Valaam with the famous Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery.

History of the lake

Lake Ladoga occupies a special place in the history of our country. The name of the reservoir comes from the name of the ancient Russian city of Ladoga, but there is another version: on the contrary, the city is named after the lake. Until the 13th century, the lake was called "great lake Nebo". In Finnish, the word "nevo" means: "swamp", "quagmire".

Fateful events that are reflected in culture and history are associated with Lake Ladoga:

• the famous route from the Varangians to the Greeks passed through Ladoga;
• in the 14th century, Oreshek, the oldest Russian fortress, was built at the source of the Neva;
• at the end of the XIV century, the largest Orthodox monasteries were built on the islands - Valaam and Konevsky, famous for their missionary activities;
• Novgorodians kept a navy here;
• battles of the Northern War of 1701-1721 took place on the lake and its shores;
• Road of life during the Second World War.

Since 1721, the coast of Lake Ladoga has become completely Russian. Even then, Peter I appreciated the harsh nature of the lake, its deceit: a complete calm in a few tens of minutes can be replaced by a real storm, and the waves rise to a height of 4-5 meters. Such inconstancy of the lake made the Russian emperor say the famous words that only one who walked along Ladoga can be considered a real sailor.

The road of life

There are tragic pages in the history of the lake that cause tears of joy and grief at the same time - this is a heroic chronicle of saving hundreds of thousands of human lives from besieged Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War.

The road of life through Lake Ladoga connected the dying city with the country and saved it from death. In the period from September 1941 to March 1944, 1,600 thousand tons of various cargoes were transported through the water and ice of the lake and more than 1,300 thousand people were evacuated.

In winter, goods and people were transported on the famous "lorries" - GAZ-AA. With the melting of the ice, navigation on the water began. In addition to 15 barges, metal ships, which were built in Leningrad, took part in navigation.

The road of life passed near the front line and needed protection. It was defended by anti-aircraft artillery divisions and fighter regiments, but thin ice and bombing destroyed about a thousand trucks.

In memory of the feat of the Soviet people on the Road of Life, 7 monuments, 112 commemorative pillars along the highway and railway were erected on the territory from Leningrad to Ladoga. The most famous of the monuments is the "Broken Ring" by architect V. G. Filippov.

Why you should visit Lake Ladoga

Ladoga is one of the many water bodies in our country, a visit to which will bring great pleasure. From year to year, in any season, thousands of fishermen, pilgrims and just vacationers flock to the shores of the lake. Each of them has their own interests, but the stunning beauty of the water surface, bizarre islands, majestic shores and, of course, the harsh nature of the lake leave no one indifferent. You need to make friends with him, and then the relationship with the lake will last for many years, bringing a lot of impressions.

So why is it worth visiting the shores of a wonderful lake? Here are the main reasons:

1. . More than 50 species of fish live in the lake, the most famous of which are salmon, whitefish, Ladoga smelt, pike perch. You can fish at any time of the year with consistently great results.
2. Rich flora and fauna. The nature of Lake Ladoga is unique and diverse: here you can find southern plant species and tundra flora; hares, wolves, bears, elk and other species of animals live in the forests, and the Ladoga seal lives in the north of the lake.
3. Diving. Thanks to fresh and clean water, its low temperature, the artifacts of bygone times lying at the bottom are perfectly preserved and are of scientific and research interest.
4. Curious natural phenomena: mirages, brontides (underground rumble).
5. Visiting holy places.
6. Developed tourist infrastructure.
7. Rest on sandy beaches.
8. Complete absence of mosquitoes.

Lake Ladoga - mysterious, majestic and beautiful, will always attract thousands of tourists seeking to join its harsh beauty. The wealth of waters and shores, the bizarre landscape and the history of the lake stagger the imagination and fill hearts with love for Russia, its nature and culture.

In the European part of Russia, in the Republic of Karelia and the Leningrad region.

The ancient name of the lake is Lake Nevo (Nestor's chronicle of the 12th century), and in the old Scandinavian sagas and agreements with the Hanseatic cities, the lake is called Aldoga. The modern name of the lake appeared at the beginning of the 13th century, there are several versions of its origin, but none of them has been unambiguously confirmed.

Ladoga is the largest freshwater lake in Europe, the largest lake in Karelia and the Leningrad Region, and the 3rd lake in Russia (after the Caspian Sea and Baikal) in terms of water surface area. The area of ​​Lake Ladoga with islands is 18.3 thousand km 2, the water surface is 17.9 thousand km 2, the volume is 838 km 3, the length is 219 km, the maximum width is 125 km, the length of the coastline is 1570 km, the maximum depth is 230 m in the northern part basins between the Valaam and Western archipelagos of the islands, the height of the water surface above sea level is 5.1 m. Lake Ladoga was formed about 10 thousand years ago, after filling the basin elongated from northwest to southeast with water from the melting edge of the ice sheet. Its northern shores are composed of crystalline rocks, high and strongly dissected; peninsulas continue as chains of islands, forming a skerry type of coast. To the south, the coast becomes low and flat, bordered by narrow beaches with boulders, overgrown with near-water vegetation in small bays. The southern part of the coast consists of three large shallow bays: the Svirskaya Bay and the Volkhovskaya Bay, into which the largest tributaries flow, and the Petrokrepost Bay with the source of the Neva. There are more than 660 islands in Lake Ladoga, the largest are Riekkalansari (55 km 2), Mantinsari (39 km 2), Kilpole (32 km 2), Tulolansari (30 km 2) and Valaam (28 km 2). Lake Ladoga is the main reservoir of the European system of great lakes, including lakes Saima (Finland), Onega and Ilmen. The waters of this system flow down the Neva into the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. The catchment area of ​​Lake Ladoga is 282.7 thousand km 2, including the catchment areas of these three lakes and many more small ones, with a small own catchment equal to 48.3 thousand km 2 (17%).

Annually, an average of 83 km 3 of water enters Lake Ladoga, 70% of which is lake water masses flowing along the river. Svir from Lake Onega, along the river. Vuokse from the lake. Saimaa and along the river. Volkhov from the lake. Ilmen. The flow of each of them is regulated by hydropower plants and is about 20 km 3 /year. Another 16% is the inflow of 16 small rivers and 14% is precipitation falling on the reservoir. 9% of the water in the expenditure part of the water balance evaporates, the rest of the water is the runoff of the river. Not you. The water exchange time is about 10 years. The average range of intra-annual changes in the water level in Lake Ladoga is 69 cm (from 21 in the low-water year of 1940 to 126 cm in the high-water year of 1962).

The main tributaries of Lake Ladoga (large and medium rivers)

In the spring, after the south coast bays are cleared of ice in late April - the first half of May, coastal shallow waters are intensively heated by already warm air and solar radiation, as well as by the relatively warm water of the floods of small rivers. The water temperature in the southern region of the water area usually becomes above 4°C by May 15, and on the surface of the deep-water region it is 2.5–3°C. A thermal bar () appears between warm and cold water masses. With further heating of the water, the thermal bar moves to the center slowly along the northern steep slope (0.05–0.1 km/day) and faster over the southern gentle slope at a speed of 1.3–1.5 km/day. It prevents mixing of river water masses with the actual main water mass. Therefore, the Volkhov flood waters and the Svir waters move north along the eastern coast, and the least mineralized Saimaa waters from the mouth of the river. Vuoksy along the western coast to the south and further to the Neva. The thermal bar disappears at the end of June - the first decade of July near the Valaam archipelago, when the surface layer of water 20–40 m thick warms up to 10–15°C. Under the layer of the temperature jump below, the water in summer from a depth of 30–40 m to the bottom heats up only up to 5°С. During autumn cooling, its upper layer cools down, the temperature jump layer sinks until October, and then disappears at a temperature close to 4°C. The time of the disappearance of the thermal bar is variable, because when windy weather sets in in summer, drift currents and waves mix river water masses and the main lake water mass in the upper layer, renewing its chemical composition and leveling the distribution of plankton over the water area. In summer, this water mass dominates in the flow of the Neva, and during the freeze-up period, the most mineralized Volkhov waters are added to it. With a wind of 18 m/s near the Valaam Islands, the wave height reached 5.8 m, surges on the windward sections of the coast raise water by 0.2–0.5 m. Shallow waters freeze in October, and the ice cover edge gradually shifts to the deepest central region until mid-January, when in frosty winters a complete freeze-up occurs, lasting until the end of February. In winters with frequent thaws, the lake partially freezes, and 20–40% of its surface above the greatest depths remains open. In such winters, the heat reserve of the main water mass is minimal, and its spring-summer heating is longer.

The mineralization of the main water mass is small (64 mg/l), the Svir one is even less, the Vuoksa one is half as much, and the Volkhov one is 1.5 times more. Over the last 30 years of the XX century. the salinity of the lake waters increased by 16% due to natural causes and sewage pollution. The composition of the water is hydrocarbonate-sulfate-calcium, the water is transparent, due to which the development of plankton is possible to a depth of 8–12 m. In the Volkhov Bay, the transparency of polluted water is half as much. The oxygen content in the Ladoga water is high, and even supersaturation with oxygen released during the reproduction of microalgae was observed in its surface layer. Self-purification of water masses is facilitated by coastal thickets of higher aquatic vegetation (more than 100 species), mainly reed, occupying about 5% of the area of ​​shallow waters. In total, about 600 species of aquatic plants and 400 species of aquatic animals have been found in Lake Ladoga, many of which feed on phytoplankton, bacteria and other organic particles that pollute the water. The ichthyofauna is very diverse (53 species and varieties), consists of salmon, lake trout, lake whitefish, char, zander, vendace, etc., the total biomass is estimated at 140 kg/ha. Atlantic sturgeon and Volkhov whitefish are listed in the Red Book of Russia. The most fish-producing are shallow waters up to a depth of 10–15 m in the southern region, where fishing is carried out, and the northern skerries are the least fish-producing. Deeper than 40–50 m there are no commercial concentrations of fish.

Lake Ladoga serves as a source of water supply for St. Petersburg, a waterway to the White Sea-Baltic and Volga-Baltic navigable canals. In 1976–1983 the anthropogenic impact on the lake has sharply increased due to the development of industry and agriculture in the territory of its own catchment area of ​​Lake Ladoga and its coast. In order to reduce pollution of lake waters in 1986, north of the mouth of the river. In Vuoksa, a large Priozersky Pulp and Paper Mill was closed, after which there was a tendency to reduce the content of organic pollutants and phosphorus in the water, which causes water blooms - the reproduction of blue-green algae. Started in 1957, regular studies of the water regime, the chemical composition of water and the ecological state of lake water masses are being carried out.

On the shores of Lake Ladoga are the cities of Priozersk, Novaya Ladoga, Shlisselburg in the Leningrad Region, Sortavala, Pitkyaranta, Lahdenpokhya in the Republic of Karelia.

Ladoga lake is the largest freshwater lake on the European continent. For Russia, this lake is of great industrial, ecological and historical importance. Another version of the name - Ladoga.

If you look at the map, you can see that the shores of Lake Ladoga belong to two Russian regions: the Republic of Karelia and the Leningrad Region. That is, located in the European part of the country.
On the north side Ladoga the shores are high, rocky, their relief is quite indented, which explains the presence of a large number of peninsulas, bays, and small islands. From the south of Ladoga, the lake is surrounded by low, gently sloping, more even shores. The largest bays are also located here: Volkhovskaya, Svirskaya, Shlisselburgskaya bays. The eastern coast is also not very indented, there are sandy beaches here. In the west, the coastline is almost flat. Mixed forests, bushes grow here, near the water on land there are many large stones, which also cover the bottom under water for a rather long distance.
Bring their waters into Ladoga lake 35 rivers, and only one flows out. The largest river that brings water is the Svir. What river flows out of Lake Ladoga? This is the famous Neva, on which stands the second most important city of the Russian Federation - St. Petersburg. Some rivers bring water into Ladoga from other lakes, such as Onega or Ilmen.
There are a large number of islands on the lake - at least five hundred. The largest islands Ladoga together they form the Valaam archipelago. The largest single island is Riekkalansari. Also a large island is Konevets, where a famous monastery was built, just like on Valaam.

Dimensions, lengths and depth of Ladoga

The depth of Lake Ladoga is uneven throughout its territory - it increases from south to north. The maximum depth of Lake Ladoga is 233 m. The average figure is much lower - 50 m. In the north of Lake Ladoga, its depth varies from 70 to 230 m, and in the south - from 20 to 70.
The area of ​​Ladoga is 17.87 thousand square meters. km. The volume of water in Lake Ladoga is 838 cubic meters. km. The length from north to south of the lake is 219 km, at its widest point Ladoga stretches for 125 km.

Climatic features of the area

Lake Ladoga has a generally temperate climate. In the geographical area where Lake Ladoga is located, not so much sunlight penetrates during the year. Therefore, the evaporation of water from Ladoga is rather slow. Most of the days of the year it is cloudy and overcast.
Between the end of May and the middle of July, Lake Ladoga you can observe the famous phenomenon of "white nights", when at night the sun practically does not set below the horizon.
Throughout the year, western and southwestern winds blow on Ladoga. In winter, Lake Ladoga freezes until the end of spring, but is completely covered with ice only in the coldest winters. Such a long glaciation affects the water temperature throughout the rest of the year. The average water temperature here is low: at a depth it stays at 4 ° C, and on the surface Lake Ladoga depending on the time of year and the site, it can be in the range from 2 ° C to 24 ° C. The water is not as clear as on Baikal, but this may be due to the fact that many species of algae, small plankton live in it, and constant storms disturb its surface, whipping up foam.

History of Lake Ladoga

Lake Ladoga was formed as a result of the melting of glaciers and over the course of several thousand years its outlines were formed and changed.
Until the 13th century, the lake was called Nevo, which, apparently, was directly related to the name of the Neva River. Then it was named Lake Ladoga, taking over the name from the city of Ladoga located here. Many objects in this area have names originating from the Karelian language. But the most likely explanation for the name "Ladoga" is the Finnish version - from the ancient words for water or the concept of "lower", which are consonant with Ladoga. The name Nevo also has Finnish roots and can mean "swamp". It is possible that in those days the lake gave a reason to call itself that way, in this area there are many traces of swamps.
On Lake Ladoga, starting from the 9th century, from Scandinavia, across Europe to the country of Byzantium, the water part of the route “From the Varangians to the Greeks” passed. In the 8th century, the city of Ladoga was built here, and soon other cities and fortresses began to appear here. At the end of the 14th century, the famous Valaam Monastery was founded on the islands of the same name. Until now, its buildings are the pearl of wooden architecture.
For many years there was a war with the Swedish state for part of the land lying on the lake. Nevertheless, Peter I managed to achieve that Ladoga became Russian. In 1721, according to an agreement with the Swedes concluded after the war, the coast of Lake Ladoga was completely ceded to Russia.
To make navigation on Ladoga more accessible, a canal was built here.
During the difficult war years from 1939 to 1944. the Ladoga flotilla was based in Lake Ladoga, fighting in its waters. In 1941–1944 more than half of the coast of Lake Ladoga was occupied by enemy troops. From September 1941 to March 1943, the “Road of Life” passed along the ice of Ladoga - the only way along which it was possible to deliver provisions and necessary things to besieged Leningrad. The evacuation of people was also organized through it, in total, about 1.3 million people took advantage of the evacuation.
Thus, Ladoga is a lake that has a special significance for Russian history.

Ecology of Lake Ladoga

Basically, the waters of Ladoga are very clean, but there are problem areas. This is largely due to the development of industrial zones near Lake Ladoga as well as the aftermath of World War II. During the war, radioactive weapons were tested in this area and on some islands. Including studied the reaction of animals to the consequences of its use. In addition, a lot of sunken military ships, aircraft with ammunition create an unfavorable radiation background.
The number of contaminated sites is on the rise. Approximately 600 industrial enterprises operate on the banks of Ladoga, which pollute the air, dump production waste into the Ladoga River and others, which then bring them into the lake. By the way, the correct answer to the question - Ladoga - is it a river or a lake, that it is both. There is a river, and also a city with that name. At the same time, historians claim that at first the river got its name, then the city, and only after that Lake Nevo was renamed.
Pollution of Lake Ladoga today is considered to be at a moderate level. In some places, there is an excess of radiation standards - where supplies were previously tested, as well as those closest to nuclear and other industrial enterprises.

Nature and fauna of Lake Ladoga

The nature of Lake Ladoga is very beautiful, this place is very famous among tourists, travelers as a place for recreation and hiking. Majestic rocks, mountains, pine forests - all this creates a unique image of this place. Rare plants and animals are found in various reserves of Ladoga. Despite the difficult climate, even some southern plant species grow here, and in the north - typical representatives of the tundra (saxifrage). Forests on Lake Ladoga are not only coniferous, but also broad-leaved - with maples, elms.
Fauna Lake Ladoga includes representatives of the taiga: foxes, wolves, hares, bears, etc. There is also an original animal, which is found only here - the Ladoga seal. The animal, which is more characteristic of the seas, feels great in the fresh water of Ladoga.
Approximately 50 species of fish live in Lake Ladoga. The most popular among fishermen and industrialists can be called smelt, pike perch.

Rest on Lake Ladoga

Around Lake Ladoga you can find places for recreation for every taste and for any purpose: recreational, hiking, entertaining. Fishing enthusiasts can often be found here. Everything you need for such activities is located at the recreation centers, including almost every one of them has instructors who will teach you the intricacies of this or that type of pastime.
People like to go diving here because of the large number of finds that can be found at the bottom and simply beautiful underwater views. You can also choose to relax on the beach when the weather permits.
Excursions are also organized to the natural and historical sights of Ladoga, for example, structures left after the war, old fortresses or mountain peaks.

Attractions on Lake Ladoga

It is worth talking about the sights of Lake Ladoga separately. Here is, for example, an interesting, with beautiful views of almost untouched nature, the Nizhnesvirsky Reserve. It is home to a huge number of bird species and many animals.
Valaam Island on Ladoga with the monastery of the same name is of historical, cultural and architectural value. Not to mention the fact that pilgrims come here from all over Russia and beyond.
The memorial complex dedicated to the Road of Life tells the story of the heroic feat of people who made trips on the ice of Lake Ladoga in the most dangerous conditions, risking falling through the ice or being fired upon by the enemy. Nevertheless, they went for it in order to save the lives of the inhabitants of the city, who survived the terrible blockade.
Also of historical and cultural interest on Lake Ladoga are the cities of Shlisselburg founded by Peter I, with the fortress Oreshek, Novaya Ladoga.

Lake Ladoga in works of art

Ladoga is a lake, which is reflected in folk legends and examples of folk art of various peoples who lived here. Basically, these are Karelian and Russian epics.
The famous Karelian folk composition "Kalevala", which was once passed from mouth to mouth, describes the events that took place in the north of Lake Ladoga.
Constantine Roerich in his youth made an expedition along the rivers flowing into Lake Ladoga and to the lake itself. Since 1916, he lived in this area for two years, created several paintings, sketches, poems and fairy tales here.
Due to its amazing nature, Lake Ladoga inspired, first of all, painters who admired the local colors and landscapes. Many painted the Valaam Monastery, as its buildings looked especially impressive and mysterious against the backdrop of majestic nature. The lake with the sonorous name Ladoga also evoked fairy tales. Here worked such masters of painting as F. A. Vasiliev, A. I. Kuindzhi, N. K. Roerich, I. I. Shishkin.

industry on the lake

The lake is used for the passage of ships, whose routes along it are segments of the Volga-Baltic route and the White Sea-Baltic Canal. The weather on the lake is very changeable and ships are often threatened by storms, high waves, so navigation is periodically suspended. Once upon a time, there was even a common expression that if a sailor did not sail on Ladoga, then he was not yet a real sailor. Such a phenomenon as complete calm is quite rare on this lake.
Various industrial cargoes and building materials are transported along Lake Ladoga. Passenger ships and cruise liners also go here, for the most part these are tourist routes.
On an industrial scale, about 10 species of fish are caught here, such as smelt, pike perch, and whitefish. Not far from the lake there are industrial enterprises: a paper and pulp plant, aluminum, oil and chemical industries, and so on.

Secrets and secrets that the bottom of Lake Ladoga keeps

At the bottom of the lake there are many interesting researchers and lovers of various mysteries and secrets of things. Of course, the greatest success is considered to find something very ancient, dating back to the Vikings. But most often find artifacts that have remained since the Second World War. They are better preserved and easier to find. For example, the sights of that time that attracted extreme tourists and divers include the so-called "Bay of Death", the bottom of which is practically covered with shell casings, since a fierce battle took place here in 1941.
Amateur divers find sunken ships, wartime planes. Unlike sea water, fresh water does not destroy and spoil sunken things so much, which is why the finds of Lake Ladoga are so attractive.