Kem

Kem is one of the oldest towns of Karelia. The first reference to the settlements on the territory of the town goes back to the 14th century. The status of the town was obtained in 1785. A small settlement of fishermen and hunters gradually became an important port and one of the centers for wood cutting down and processing.

Kem ranks among historical towns of the Russian Federation. There are dozens of historical and art monuments on the territory of the town and its surroundings. The Cathedral of the Assumption, one of the oldest monuments of wooden church architecture in the north of Russia, has been preserved here. It was erected in 1717 to honour the victory of Russia in the Northern War. One more historical monument is situated 60 km away from Kem, these are the White Sea petroglyphs embodying the instants of primitive people’s life. And it is of no doubt that the majority of tourists coming to Kem long for seeing the celebrated Solovetsky Islands.