Ascension Church on Sekirnaya Hill, Orthodox church on Sekirnaya Hill, Solovetsky Island, Russia
The Ascension Church is a building on Sekirnaya Hill on Solovetsky Island featuring two sections: a lower chapel dedicated to Archangel Michael and an upper one commemorating the Ascension of Christ. The structure incorporates a lighthouse mechanism with a French lens installed in 1904, providing maritime visibility of up to 40 kilometers.
The structure was built in 1862 as a religious temple for the monastery settlement. During the Soviet period, it became part of the Solovki camp system where the facility's role changed as the island operated as a prison site.
The church serves as both a place of worship and a memorial site, with the long staircase drawing visitors to contemplate its dual purpose. This combination reflects how the island's residents and pilgrims have come to view the structure as a connection between faith and remembrance.
The site is accessed by climbing a long staircase of 294 steps that rises from the base of the hill. Visitors should wear appropriate footwear and allow time for the uphill walk to reach the church and enjoy the views from above.
The name Sekirnaya comes from the pole-axes that Saints Herman and Savvatiy used to clear land for the monastery's early construction. This detail from the island's founding era is often overlooked by visitors, yet it connects the hill's name directly to the pioneers who first settled there.
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