Sortavala (Сортавала)
Sortavala was known as Serdobol (Сердоболь) until 1918. It is a neglected backwater on lake Ladoga in the Republic of Karelia, not far from the border with Finland. Before WWII it was part of Finland and the typical style of wooden houses is still visible everywhere, although many buildings are in a deteriorated state as a result of a lack of maintenance.
The central part of the city consists mainly of stone buildings that date from the first few decades of the 20th century. They were built in the time the city belonged to Finland. Some of the most interesting buildings include:
- The building of the Bank of Finland was built in 1915.
- The Church of St. John the Apostle dates from 1935.
- A wing of the Evangelical Community house.
- The gymnasium building from 1911.
- The Lyceum building was constructed in 1901.
- The 1935 administration building of the Orthodox Church of Finland.
- The house of the merchant Siitonen.
- The building of the United Bank of the Nordic Countries was built in 1905.
Sortavala is about 760 km northwest of Moscow.
Because of random arrests of foreigners it is not recommended to travel to Sortavala (Сортавала), or any other destination in Russia at this moment.
; "Image 1 - View over the town [108kB]")
; "Image 2 - View over the town [88kB]")
; "Image 3 - View over the town [88kB]")
; "Image 4 - Farmhouse [116kB]")
; "Image 5 - Sortavala [76kB]")
; "Image 6 - Sortavala [77kB]")
; "Image 7 - Sortavala [75kB]")
; "Image 8 - Church
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