Valaam

Valaam, also known as Valamo, is a historic Orthodox monastery on the Valaam archipelago in Lake Ladoga, near Sortavala in the Republic of Karelia, Russia. It is one of the oldest and best-known monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church, renowned for its spiritual tradition, iconography, and scenic setting.

The monastery traces its origins to medieval monastic life in the region and developed into a major center of Orthodox practice, art, and learning. Throughout its history it endured political changes, and in the Soviet era the monastery was closed, its properties confiscated, and its monks dispersed. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, monastic life and worship were restored, and the site reopened to pilgrims.

The monastic complex sits on the main island and includes the Transfiguration Cathedral (Spaso-Preobrazhensky Sobor) and several churches and chapels, as well as hermitages and monastic quarters. The architecture blends traditional wooden churches with masonry structures, set amid pine forests and rocky shores that characterize the Valaam archipelago, which comprises around 50 islands in Lake Ladoga.

Today Valaam remains an active monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church. It hosts pilgrims and visitors, conducts liturgical services and spiritual retreats, and preserves notable religious art and archives. Access is by boat from Sortavala and other nearby towns.