(Source: https://www.ufs-online.ru/travelhack/mramornyi-kanon-ruskeala)

Ruskeala Marble Canyon (in the Republic of Karelia) – a part of the Ruskeala Mountain Park - is a true masterpiece of the symbiosis of the man and nature. 

History

A marble mine was opened there by the orders of Empress Catherine at the end of the 18th century, so that to adorn St. Petersburg that was being constructed (finishing of the Mikhailovsky Castle, the Marble Palace, the Hermitage, St. Isaac’s Cathedral).

By the middle of the 19th century, the quarry virtually stopped working and got filled with natural waters over time (according to another version, the quarry was flooded by the Finns).

Ruskeala Marble Canyon 

The quarry’s length is about 450 m, its width ranges from 60 to 100 m. The walls are spotted with underground galleries and roadways connected by vertical grooves. The distance from the highest point of the canyon to its bottom is more than 50 meters, and the transparency of the water reaches 18 meters!

Pedestrian path

You can go along the perimeter of the canyon on the pedestrian path covered with marble chips and equipped with viewing platforms and a descent into the underground tunnel. How many shades of emerald can you think of? This question involuntarily arises as you walk along the edge of the Ruskeala canyon and see the amazingly beautiful lake flickering with various shades and changing colors with your each step, enhancing the sense of unreality of things around.

Boat trip and diving

In order to admire the unusual drawings created by the nature on the marble walls of the canyon, you should travel by water, on a boat rented right there (life jackets are included in the rental price). One can see the openings of underground tunnels and grottoes about half a meter above the water.

If you wish, you can enter the grotto on the boat or order a dive and examine the bottom with a professional diver.

The Ruskeala Mountain Park Tours

The Ruskeala Mountain Park is located at a 30-kilometer distance from the town of Sortavala, closer to the Finnish border. You can buy a tour at the tour office in Sortavala, Petrozavodsk, St. Petersburg or ride by car - there are signs on the road and a parking lot in the park.

The cost of a tour is 1400 roubles for a group of up to 4 people.

An independent visit will cost 200 roubles.

If you decide to spend a night in Ruskeala, then a place at the tourist centre will cost 1000-2100 roubles per person.

Address: Ruskeala, Republic of Karelia.

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