Church of the Transfiguration, Kizhi, Wooden Orthodox church in Kizhi, Russia

The Church of the Transfiguration is a wooden Orthodox structure on Kizhi Island in Lake Onega that rises approximately 37 meters tall. Its 22 domes are sheathed in aspen shingles, creating a striking silhouette against the sky.

Built in 1714, the structure replaced an earlier church destroyed by lightning in 1694 when the community needed a new place of worship. Its construction demonstrates traditional timber-joining techniques from northern Russia, using wooden pegs rather than metal fasteners.

The four-tier iconostasis holds 102 icons; the gilded carved structure, 7 m high and 23.5 m long, was reinstalled in December 2019 after 40 years in the museum. Icons follow the order recorded in archival schemas of 1830 and 1867, reopening the Easter cycle to worshippers. Original late-18th-century carved wooden elements are preserved.

The building is accessible both outside and inside following its major restoration, allowing visitors to explore both perspectives of the structure. The warmer months offer the best visiting conditions since reaching the island becomes easier during this season.

The entire structure was built without a single iron nail, relying instead on interlocking wooden joints and pegs for its strength and stability. This carpentry achievement reveals the exceptional skill of northern Russian builders in working with timber.