Early in the 13th century the monks Savvatij, Herman and Zosima travelled to the archipelago of Solovki, on their search for God and a site for their monastery. Here, 150 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle, they found a prosperous flora and wildlife all in friendly climate - harsh winters, but dry and hot summers. And just one and a half century later the enormous monastery was finished roughly as we know it today. A magnificent achievement, considering the building techniques of that day and age - faith did indeed remove mountains.

The walls are massive, more than six meters thick, and run for a kilometer encircling the beautiful domed-topped buildings. In each corner a majestic tower rises high into the air. The monks manufactured salt and tiles, did carpentry, hunted and cultivated the earth. The lakes on the largest island they interconnected in a complicated network of canals enabling them to transport timber, and fodder for their livestock. Their intricate irrigation system ensured reliable water supply. They had reasons to be careful. This fortification withstood not only the tooth of time, but also the attacks from Swedish, Dutch, English and even Russian warlords. One of the sieges lasted seven years - until the defenders had to give in after a deceitful monk had opened the back door for the soldiers outside.

In the 18th century the monastery was the cultural and economic centre of Northern Russia, but Katherine the 2nd reclaimed all property and goods attained by the monks along The White Sea. The monastery once again turned inwards and focused on religion. Houses and churches popped up all over the islands and Solovki soon became a significant place of pilgrimage for thousands from the entire nation. But also, the name of Solovki had a negative ring to it. Already from the 16th century thousands met their destiny in dark and cold dungeons. After the revolution in 1917 all power over the islands was taken from the clergy and in 1923 Lenin signed the documents placing a prisoner camp here.

Later on, Stalin send more than 100.000 people to the island's brutal camp. Here he tried out his ideas «to correct the behaviour of criminal and political enemies by hard work». The convicts were the elite of the Russian society, and soon the island was swarming with political opponents, business people, farmers and landlords who had enough freedom to establish a society based on science and culture on a very high level. Two theatres were established, a history society was born and biological and meteorological science prospered. Not until 1939 were the convicts moved further east to Siberia. With a world war at its gate, the Russian Marine Infantry moved in and established training camps for the Soviet Marines - and decay entered it's most serious period. But monks and others who understand the immense values the place holds are now restoring the misdeeds of this era in the history of Solovki.

In many ways, time has stood still here at Solovki. The monastery and the many churches surrounding it, the fortifications, mazes, and the canals between the lakes are all on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The monastery is about to establish itself as an important religious centre with priests, monks and novices, and once again it experiences an era of Russian pilgrimage. But it has not yet been discovered by commercial Western tourism. You can still come here and undisturbed sense the very peaceful disposition of the monks who once chose Solovki - way back in 1429.