Lake Ladoga

Lake Ladoga is the largest lake in Europe, located in Karelia, Northwestern Russia, near the Finnish border.

The area of the lake is 17,700 km² (approximately 6,800 square miles). The lake drains into the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea via the river Neva.

Ladoga has its own endemic Ringed Seal subspecies.

Border between East and West

1617-1721 the border between Sweden and Russia was drawn through Lake Ladoga, like later
1812-1940 the border between Finland and Russia.

The 10th century Valamo Monastery was founded on the island of Valaam (Finnish: Valamo), the largest in Lake Ladoga, desolated 1611-1715, magnificently restored in the 18th century, and finally evacuated to Finland during the Winter War in 1940. In 1989 the monastic activities were started again.