Karelia is a region in the Russian Northwest. Its capital, the city of Petrozavodsk, is located 400 km away from St.Petersburg and 300 km away from the Russian-Finnish border (Vartsilja-Niirala cross border station). Among numerous cultural sights of the area, Kizhi is the most famous. The unique ensemble of wooden churches, chapels and traditional houses is situated there. The region has vast areas covered with forests, tens thousand rivers and lakes, including the biggest European lakes Ladoga and Onego, two National Parks and several Nature Reserves.