Louhi. Settlements - Guide to Karelia

Loukhi is an urban-type settlement in the north of Karelia, on the St. Petersburg-Murmansk railway line.

The village is the regional center of the Loukhsky district - the largest and northernmost in Karelia (the Arctic Circle passes through its territory). It is believed that the largest number of Karelian lakes is concentrated in the Loukhsky region. Among them is the Keret lake system, which is formed by Lake Keret, White Lake and the Keret River. A huge number of capes and islands divide the lake system into separate lake clusters.

Only in one small Loukhi there are four lakes: Bannoe, Panovo, Belaya Lambina and Gryaznoe. Despite the unattractive name of the latter, local residents enjoy swimming in it. It is almost impossible to count the lakes in the vicinity of Loukha - both the vagueness of the concept of “neighborhood” in the endless Karelian forest and the incredible density of water bodies per square kilometer of land are hampered.

The village itself does not stand out in anything other than the magnificent nature surrounding it. A local history museum, a memorial complex to those who fell in the Great Patriotic War, a prayer house of evangelists and a new Orthodox church - these are all the attractions of the village of Loukhi. There are no large industries, no architectural masterpieces.

But in tourist circles Loukhi is a fairly famous place. This is the launch point for the route. Or the end point of the route: water on kayaks or catamarans, automobile on jeeps or ATVs, on foot. Fishermen also begin their journey through northern Karelian lakes and rivers from Loukha. Local residents, by the way, contribute to this: many are ready to organize a “fishing tour” of the nearest lakes for a fee. You can contact them through Karelian travel agencies or get to know them locally/via the Internet.

It is precisely because tourists use the village of Loukhi as a transit point that there are hotels and cafes here. For such a wilderness as the north of Karelia, this is almost a miracle.

Story

Loukhi is a young village, it was founded together with the railway station of the same name in 1914, during the construction of Murmanskaya (now Oktyabrskaya) railway. The name of the village causes fierce debate among linguists and historians. Some argue that it comes from the Finnish words Louhi/a - “to mine, develop, blast rock” or louhos - “quarry, quarry”. There are many quarries and quarries in the surrounding area, so the version is quite plausible.

Others, including patriotic and romantic local residents, refer researchers to the main Karelian-Finnish poetic epic “Kalevala” and one of its heroines - the sorceress Louhi, the mistress of Pohjola. They say she lived here, on the site of the village, and here she kept the secret of the magic Sampo mill.

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Loukhi (Karelian Louhi) is an urban-type settlement, the administrative center of the Loukhsky district of Karelia.

Population - 5.2 thousand inhabitants (2009).

Located in the north of Karelia. Railroad station on the line St. Petersburg - Murmansk; A 110 km long railway line departs from the village to Pyaozero station, parallel to which runs the A136 Louhi - Pyaozersky - Suoperä - Kusamo highway.

Loukhi is an urban-type settlement in the north of Karelia, located among forest lakes, including the large Keret lake system.

Population

Population

Climate

The climate of the village is moderate, with long winters and very short cool summers. It is formed under the influence of the northern seas and the transfer of air masses from the Atlantic under conditions of low solar radiation. The average temperature in February is 12.2 °C, in July - +14.4 °C.

• Average annual air temperature - 0.2 °C
• Relative humidity - 78.7%
• Average wind speed - 3.2 m/s

Attractions

• Lenin monument
• Orthodox Church
• House of prayer for Christians of the evangelical faith
• Memorial complex to those who fell during the Great Patriotic War.
• Memorial Museum of Local Lore

Districts of the village

• State Farm;
• Railway station;
• Motor depot;
• DRSU;
• Steam turbine;
• SU (RSU);
• Center;
• Military City.
• Cemetery;
• Panovo;

Economy

The following enterprises are located on the territory of the district center:

• housing and communal services enterprises
• trading enterprises - Loukhskoe district trade union, LLC "Les"
• post office
• gas industry
• railway transport company
• electrical grid section
• consumer service enterprise
• road repair site
• branch of Sberbank of Russia
• branch of JSC "Electrosvyaz"
• "Remstroyrekonstruktsiya"
• forestry

Story

The official beginning dates back to 1914, in connection with the construction of the railway (founded as a station).

In 1926, the first agricultural experimental station in the republic was organized in the village of Loukhi.

In 1944, the village of Loukhi received the status of an urban settlement.

The village is related to a monument of world culture - the Kalevala epic - according to legend, Old Woman Louhi, the mistress of Pohjola, lived and worked somewhere in these places.

In recent years, at the beginning of August, the day of the village and the holiday of Old Woman Loukhi - Mistress of the North - Let's return the good name are celebrated.

Culture and education

The village has a cultural center, a children's art center, a library, and a children's library. Educational institutions are represented by primary, secondary, evening and music schools, as well as youth sports schools.

In the center of the cemetery, on the site of the grave mound, there is a stele. On the white marble board there is an inscription:
"To those who fell in the Great Patriotic War dedicated to 1941-1945".

Every year, on memorable dates, the Louhi village administration, the cultural department, schoolchildren, representatives of organizations and institutions, and the public organize events to improve and redecorate the mass grave and the surrounding area.

On the days of celebrations: Victory Day (May 9), Day of Remembrance and Sorrow (June 21), Day of Liberation of the Loukhi District from fascist invaders(September 14) rallies and laying of wreaths and flowers at the graves of fallen soldiers are held here.

In this cemetery lie the ashes of 616 officers and soldiers of the Soviet Army who died in battle defending the Loukhi station.
Here are the remains of 28 partisans from the “Battle Cry” detachment.

A tombstone for the Hero was installed Soviet Union Nikolaenkov Alexander Ignatievich, deputy commander of the air squadron of the 7th Air Army of the Karelian Front On June 15, 1942, 23 German planes went to bomb the city of Kemi and the railway bridge. 4 Soviet fighters took off to meet them. An air battle broke out on the approaches to the city. Three more of our fighters came to the aid of the brave four. But the enemy has more than fourfold superiority. However, during the battle, 7 German bombers and one fighter were shot down. Commander Nikolaenkov shot down two Junkers. In this battle, Alexander Ignatievich died defending the Karelian land. In August 1943, he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Sacred memory to the heroes who gave their lives for their homeland. Their names are assigned to streets, schools, and pioneer detachments.

Name 23rd Guards rifle division, which especially distinguished itself in the battles for the Loukhi station, is named after one of the streets in the village of Loukhi; the name of the first commander of this division, Major General Andrei Ivanovich Zelentsov, was given to the Loukhi secondary school.

Experienced military commander A.I. A memorial plaque was installed on the building of the Louhi secondary school for Zelentsov.

A room of Military Glory was created at the school - the initiator of the creation was teacher Lakhya Fedorovna Bogdanova. Currently the director is Lyudmila Nikolaevna Shcherbina. It presents numerous exhibits that reveal pages of the combat history of the 23rd Guards Rifle Division, about its first commander A.I. Zelentsov, and about the illustrious path of other military units of the Karelian Front.

Excursions in Louhi from private guides and travel agencies.
Online ordering on Pomogator.Travel: no intermediaries or prepayments!

Small Loukhi village with 6.5 thousand inhabitants lost in the north of Karelia. And few would be able to pronounce even the mysterious name, which dates back to the times of the Karelians, if the village was not known for its amazing lakes and lakes located next to the village.

Today Loukhi is quiet and quiet place, where it’s nice to come for long walks through the unsurpassed Karelian lakes and forests, where you can endlessly admire the mountain ranges and deep gorges, listen to local songs in Karelian and Russian, take part in folk festivals or catch fish and wait for it to bake on coals , watch long sunsets.

Video from Loukhov

The village of Louhi is known primarily for the Paanajärvi national park, located near the village. A huge number of truly unique ecosystems and natural areas: from swamp to mountain tundra. One of the largest lakes in the North of Karelia is Loukhskoye...

Loukhi village: excursions and activities

The main excursion from the village of Loukhi is a hike along the trails national park"Paanajärvi." Your guide on the ecological trail will tell you a lot of interesting things about the nature of the North, about complex ecosystems that are easily destroyed even by the slightest changes in temperature conditions, and about the history and culture of these lands.

Among local events, we highly recommend visiting Loukhi in August, when the village hosts the “Restore a Good Name” festival. A fascinating theatrical spectacle, Karelian singing, National costumes and dishes local cuisine make the holiday unforgettable!

History of Loukhov

The village of Loukhi appeared on maps in 1913. During the construction of the Murmansk railway, the Loukhi station was built, and then a settlement began to develop under it, which by 1944 had already received the status of an urban-type settlement. However, with history...

Climate in Louhi polar with long snowy winters and very short summers. The temperature is determined not only by the northern latitude at which the village is located, but also by the strong influence of air masses from the Atlantic, which bring heavy precipitation - snowfalls in winter and long rains in summer.

The average temperature in January is -12 - 16 degrees, while in July the thermometer rarely shows temperatures above 14 degrees Celsius.

Announcements of tourist events

Loukhi village: entertainment and active recreation

The village of Loukhi is famous among winter sports enthusiasts. Snow cover here lasts from November to May, and the rugged terrain allows for activities here alpine skiing, snowboarding, snow scootering, or even try more exotic sports, such as dog sled racing. On the western side of the village there is even a specially laid ski track with designated areas for extreme skiers.

In summer, fishermen mainly flock to Louhi; the local lake offers a good assortment of fish, so if you have a sufficient level of dexterity, you will not return to dinner without fish.

Transport features of Loukhov

The village of Loukhi is a fairly compact settlement that does not have its own route line. Loukhi is connected to the outside world by rail and road transport. IN last years The town of Loukhi has become a favorite place for amateur bicycle races. People come here to travel around the surrounding area and, of course, visit national park"Paanajärvi".

Loukhi (Karelian Louhi) is an urban-type settlement, the administrative center of the Loukhsky district - the largest in Karelia. Located 550 km from Petrozavodsk, in the north of the republic.

The name of the village most likely comes from the Finnish “louhi”, that is, “to develop, extract stone” (term, mining), or “ louhos " - "quarry". However, the residents of the village themselves prefer to “voice” to tourists and guests of the village a much more poetic version of the origin of the name: Louhi allegedly received his name as an inheritance from an evil witch, the mistress of the northern region of Pohjela - one of the main characters of the famous epic “Kalevala”. According to the locals, the territory of the Louhi region is Pokhjela, the dark land in which the foundation of the support of the world is located.

History of Loukhi village

Loukhi is a relatively young village. Its history is connected with the construction of the Murmansk (Oktyabrskaya) railway, which began in 1914. The need for the Murmansk “piece of iron” was beyond doubt. The then Arkhangelsk governor A.P. Engelgardt wrote: “ The Arctic Ocean urgently needs to be connected by rail to internal Russia. Only in this way is it possible to properly exploit the northern fish and animal resources, which could then serve for the local population as a subject not of random, as now, but of constant activity.

<...>In addition, the railway to the Murmansk coast, whose waters all year round open to navigation, making Russia the de facto owner of the Northern Ocean throughout the year, could serve the purposes of our navy and be an important strategic route ».

Construction needed a push, and that push was the outbreak of the First World War.

In 1914, the Loukhi station was created on the newly opened section of the railway. A village of the same name arose near the station, where landless residents of the Kesteng parish moved.

In 1927, the village became the administrative center of the Louhi district.

In 1941, German and Finnish troops attempted an offensive in the Kestenga direction with the aim of cutting the Kirov railway and isolating the Murmansk port from the central part of the USSR. The offensive was stopped a few kilometers from Loukha.

In 1941, construction of a military airfield began in Louhi; Destruction battalions were organized, whose fighters patrolled the villages of the region, checked documents, taking on the functions of the police.

Louhi was repeatedly bombed, the village was practically burned, only a few houses survived.

In 1944, the village received the status of an urban-type settlement.

Modernity

Today the population of the village is about 5 thousand people. There are no large industries in Loukhi. Local residents work on the railway, in a quarry for the extraction of granite blocks (ZAO MKK "Louhi").

Transport in Loukhi

The Loukhi railway station belongs to the Murmansk branch of the Oktyabrskaya Railway. The station passes trains from Murmansk to Anapa, Novorossiysk, Rostov, Adler, St. Petersburg, Vologda, Moscow, Astrakhan. In addition, a local line departs from the Louhi station to the station. Pyaozero (PGT Pyaozersky). The length of the line is about 110 km.

The regional highway A-136 “Louhi - Pyaozersky - Suoperä - Kuusamo” passes through the village towards the state border. The distance from Loukha to the customs post of the Suoperya checkpoint is 170 km. Convenient for those who want to visit the Ruka ski resort or the city of Rovaniemi (the residence of the Finnish Santa Claus).

Attractions Loukhi

Archaeological monuments “Loukhi Site” and “Loukhi II Site” (VII-III millennium BC are located on the northern shore of Lake Ryapuksa), “Loukhi III Site” (VI-III millennium BC, on northern shore of Lake Panovo).

Holidays in Loukhi

Village Day: usually celebrated in late July - early August. Since 2005, it has been combined with the cultural and ethnographic holiday “Day of Loukha - Mistress of the North”. Residents of the village are convinced that Louhi is not an evil witch at all, but a real mistress who cares about the welfare of her region. However, not everyone is happy with this interpretation. For example, I don’t agree with this approach to celebrating the village day Orthodox Church. According to some of its representatives, the desire to “rejuvenate and whitewash” the evil old woman Louhi can be, to say the least, puzzling.