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Solovetsky Islands

Solovetsky Islands
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The Cultural and Historic Ensemble of the Solovetsky Islands is a medieval Russian Orthodox monastic settlement in an inhospitable environment.

The Solovetsky Islands are an archipelago situated north of St. Petersburg. There are about 100 islands, inhabited by only 1400 people. Greater Solovetsky Island is the biggest, on which the famous medieval monastery and Kremlin is built. Its beginnings as a religious center date to the mid 15th century: in 1436 the monastery was founded.

The complex also includes a monastic village and a number of detached monasteries (on other islands too).

In 1920 Solovetsky Camp became the first Soviet concentration camp, on the grounds of a former monastery. People persecuted by the Soviet government were sent here, and it became a model for the gulag system that later spanned the country. Later it was turned into a naval base. Its monastery function was restored in 1990.


Year Decision Comments
2005Requested by State Party to not be examined at WHC sessionExtension to include adjacent water area withdrawn
1992 Inscribed Reasons for inscription
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Reviews

Prof. Dr. Alexey V. Lebedev (Russia):
New web-site "Solovki-UNESCO On-line" - http://solovki.museum.ru/default_eng.asp
Welcome!
 
Alexey Lebedev (Russia):
Solovky links (Russian only, but you can see many images):

The official site of Solovetsky Museum-Reserve - http://www.solovky.ru

Virtual Solovky (amateur site) - http://www.solovki.net

Solovetsky Islands all about (site for tourists) - http://www.solovki.ru
 


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