Kizhi Island among the archipelago of islands at the northern end of Lake Onega appears to be today an outdoor, warm-weather village museum.

When the first settlers settled here they did so, because at this northern latitude the surrounding water helped to somewhat modify and warm this harsh and cold climate. These early inhabitants were pagans and the name of the island derives from the Karelo-Finnish word "Kijat" which refers to the games and festivals of those early pagan ceremonies.

As these first settlers became ... (more)