A Journey with PastVu: Exploring the Valaam Archipelago
I was recently introduced to a website called pastvu.com, and I have my wife to thank (or blame) for the countless hours I've since spent completely immersed in it, getting nothing else accomplished. PastVu is a remarkable digital archive of historical photographs from around the world, layered onto an interactive map that lets users visually explore how cities, streets, and landmarks have transformed over time. It's especially rich in Russian archival imagery, making it invaluable to anyone who studies Russian history—like me—or is simply passionate about photography.
This might sound like sponsored content, but I assure you, it's not. I'm just a geek.
The website was created by Russian blogger and urbanist Ilya Varlamov and his partner Alexey Duk as a crowdsourced effort to preserve visual history. Their mission is straightforward yet impactful: geolocate historical images so that anyone, anywhere, can compare past and present—street by street, frame by frame. Varlamov is well-known in Russia for his urban activism and visual storytelling, making this project all the more compelling.
What makes PastVu so engaging is how personal the experience becomes. While digging through my photography archives from various trips across Russia, I matched my photos with historical images taken decades or even a century earlier from the same or similar perspectives. I hadn't intentionally recreated these scenes, it was purely by coincidence. Still, the results added unexpected layers of depth and meaning to my images. There's something profoundly moving about standing exactly where history unfolded, whether in a quiet monastery courtyard, a weathered street corner, or beside a historic structure—places that once witnessed world-shaping events.
In this post, I'll share photographs from my 2015 trip to Valaam, an island archipelago in Northwest Russia rich with cultural and historical significance, alongside historical images discovered through PastVu. Exploring place and time through images separated by decades illuminates a deeper story.
A Brief History
The Valaam Archipelago is located in the Republic of Karelia, situated in the northern portion of Lake Ladoga, Europe's largest freshwater lake. While activity in the archipelago predates the 14th century, the Valaam Monastery itself was officially established during that time, becoming a significant cultural center, especially for Russian Orthodox Christianity. Throughout the centuries, the monastery has experienced numerous periods of growth, conflict, destruction, and subsequent revival, reflecting its resilience and enduring cultural importance.
I will spare you the complete history of the region, but here's an overview starting in the 18th century:
After Russia secured control of Lake Ladoga and surrounding territories from the Kingdom of Sweden in 1721 with the Treaty of Nystad, following the Great Northern War (1700–1721).
In 1809, after the Finnish War (1808-1809) with the Kingdom of Sweden, Russia expanded its control to include all of Finland and Karelia. The Russian Empire then established the Grand Duchy of Finland as an autonomous state within its empire.
The early 20th century brought intense turmoil. Finland declared independence from Russia in 1917, taking advantage of political unrest in Russia and the October Revolution. Finland retained control of the northern portion of Lake Ladoga, including Valaam. Russia's new Soviet leader, Vladimir Lenin, recognized Finland's independence.
In 1939, the Soviet Union, under Joseph Stalin, invaded Finland in what would be called the Winter War (1939-1940). After that brief conflict, the Soviet Union gained control of large portions of Karelia, including Lake Ladoga and, thus, the Valaam Archipelago.
In 1941 (during the Second World War), Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union. Finland fought alongside Germany, invading Karelia and reoccupying the territory they lost in the Winter War of 1939. This brief reoccupation lasted until 1944, which included a large portion of the northern half of Lake Ladoga and Valaam. This would be called the Continuation War (1941-1944). Finnish forces were active in the Valaam Archipelago during this time.
The Soviet Union controlled the entire territory of Lake Ladoga and Karelia from the end of the Second World War to its collapse in 1991. The Russian Federation inherited the territory.
Under Soviet rule, Valaam's monastery was shut down, and its sacred buildings were repurposed as military barracks, boarding schools, storage facilities, and later a tourist destination. This left the historical grounds largely neglected for decades. Only in the late 1980s, during perestroika, was the monastery restored to the Russian Orthodox Church. Monastic life was restored to the Valaam Monastery in 1989.
Today, Valaam is home to a community of Orthodox Christian monks. The islands, now part of a protected nature reserve, attract pilgrims, ecotourists, and history enthusiasts alike. Ferries, cruises, and guided tours run regularly during warmer months, allowing visitors to support the monastery's restoration while exploring the chapels, dense forests, and scattered monastic sketes.
From St. Petersburg to Valaam
The trip from St. Petersburg to Valaam was a profoundly memorable experience and a great adventure. This was part of my overall St. Petersburg trip and my first time traveling outside the United States. I was excited, and specifically for this trip to Russia, I purchased a new camera, a Nikon D600 with a 50mm lens, replacing my old Nikon D3100 with an 18-55mm lens. I made many photography mistakes, especially concerning exposure, on this trip, but it was a learning exercise. Architectural photography was also challenging with tight European streets and a 50mm lens, but I managed. Valaam, in contrast, provided wide-open spaces and landscapes.
The trip to Valaam began with a nine-hour cruise ship voyage from St. Petersburg up the Neva River and into Lake Ladoga. It was cold out on deck, but I stood outside anyway, captivated by the shifting landscapes along the riverbanks. When the chill became too much, I retreated to the ship's café and bar, enjoying espresso and warmth behind large windows overlooking the bow. Sadly, we left port in the evening, so by the time we reached Shlisselburg Fortress and Lake Ladoga, it was dark, and this, of course, made photography difficult from a ship. However, sometimes you must put the camera down and just exist in the moment.
Stepping onto Valaam felt like entering another world. I climbed a hill overlooking Bolshaya Nikonovskaya Bay and paused on a rock, absorbing the serene beauty.
Recently, on PastVu, I discovered a photograph from the 1980s taken from nearly the exact spot overlooking the cruise ship docks. Comparing this historical image with my own from 2015 was fascinating—a visual conversation spanning decades.
These two photographs from Valaam depict vessels belonging to the Rodina-class and the Vladimir Ilyich-class motorships, popular East German-built cruise ships used primarily on inland waterways. These ships, constructed in the mid-1950s and 1980s, have multiple decks, cannot complain-style accommodations, and a dance floor packed with middle-aged Russians partying to the song “American Boy” by Kombinaciya.
The black-and-white image from the early 1980s shows these ships in their original austere appearance, featuring minimal decoration. In contrast, my 2015 image reveals the ships' evolution, boasting brighter paint schemes, prominent banners, and modern equipment reflecting contemporary tourism. Remarkably, despite aesthetic and functional upgrades, their core design remains unchanged, attesting to the longevity and adaptability of these reliable ships. Moreover, the surrounding landscape has remained beautifully preserved, offering a tranquil backdrop decade after decade.
The Islands
The Valaam Archipelago consists of over 50 islands, each uniquely contributing to the region's rich historical and cultural tapestry. Among these are Nikonovsky, Kaurasaari (AKA: Ovsyanyy), and Ruissaari. These islands are situated between Bolshaya Nikonovskaya Bay and the broader expanses of Lake Ladoga, forming a natural gateway to the main island of Valaam’s southwest corner, where the ships dock.
Nikonovsky Island's name suggests a connection to Patriarch Nikon, a prominent 17th-century figure in the Russian Orthodox Church known for ecclesiastical reforms. The bay also shares the Patriarch's name, further emphasizing the archipelago’s religious significance. The name Nikon is perfect for an article about photography.
While comprehensive historical accounts of each island are scarce and many are named for a type of crop or vegetation, these islands play an important collective role in Valaam's cultural heritage. These islands' interconnectedness with the Valaam Monastery reveals a shared history of monastic traditions and a profound connection with Lake Ladoga's serene natural environment.
Although both images depict the same islands—Nikonovsky, Kaurasaari, and Ruissaari—the perspectives differ. The black-and-white photograph from the early 1980s was clearly captured from aboard a ship, conveying movement and immediacy. My 2015 photo, taken from a stable vantage point atop a cliff on Valaam Island, offers a broader view, highlighting the islands' quiet isolation and lush greenery. Despite these viewpoint differences, the landscapes appear strikingly similar, underscoring the unchanging natural beauty and ecological integrity defining this serene corner of Lake Ladoga.
The Plumbing House of the Valaam Monastery
One particularly intriguing structure is the modest Plumbing House perched atop rocky terrain near the waterline. Its simplicity belies its essential function: managing a self-sufficient island community's water supply and sewage. Using PastVu, I visually tracked its transformations from 1944 to my visit in 2015, showcasing the pragmatic continuity of monastic life.
Exploring Mount Eleon (Mount of Olives)
Mount Eleon, one of Valaam Island's highest points, takes its name from Jerusalem's Mount of Olives, associated with Christ's Ascension. Atop Mount Eleon sits a modest but culturally significant chapel dedicated to the Ascension, initially built in the late 19th century and rebuilt following Soviet-era neglect.
Photographs from 1984 and 2015 highlight this chapel's impressive transformation. The 1984 image shows a weathered wooden structure, darkened by age and surrounded by an encroaching forest. In contrast, my 2015 photo reveals meticulous restoration—pale yellow walls and a vibrant blue roof—reflecting renewed spiritual significance and cultural heritage care.
Hiking up Mount Eleon was memorable, offering panoramic views of Lake Ladoga. On PastVu, I discovered another striking historical parallel: a photograph taken between 1972 and 1973, remarkably similar to my shot from nearly the same vantage point. I'm convinced the foreground trees are even the same.
Admittedly, the older photograph is better. For some reason, I disliked the trout farm visible in my original frame, so I cropped it out at the time. Now, that decision feels shortsighted, making my image seem incomplete. Still, the comparison deepened my appreciation for this timeless landscape.
The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
Perhaps one of Valaam's most iconic landmarks is the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on Nikolsky Island. Constructed in 1853 atop an older chapel and lighthouse, this traditional Russian wooden church anchors a small monastic community known as a skete.
Though it retains decorative elements from 1902, the church lost its original icons during Soviet-era abandonment. Today, a few Orthodox monks reside there again.
Using PastVu, I found a photograph dating between 1900 and 1917 and another from 1941. In the oldest image, the monastery's main tower can be seen through the smoke coming from the boat in the foreground. Comparing them with my photos from 2015, these photographs dramatically illustrate how the island's landscape and community evolved through war, peace, neglect, and restoration. These images provided a deeper context for my photos, highlighting the church's resilience over time.
Connecting Past and Present
Exploring Valaam through PastVu added remarkable depth to my experience, allowing me to visualize the island's layered history. Photography, I've learned, is more than capturing a moment—it's participating in a continuous dialogue with history. Valaam's captivating blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and historical complexity makes it endlessly fascinating. With resources like PastVu, connecting past and present becomes possible and profoundly personal.
If, like me, you're drawn to photography as historical exploration, I strongly recommend spending time on PastVu—and perhaps discovering your own compelling visual connections.
While you're at it, explore Ilya Varlamov's work—it's a fascinating look at cities, urban design, and life in Russia and the world.
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