Lake Vygozero

Vygozero is a large lake in the wooded country between Onega and the White Sea. The upper Vyg and the Segezha bring water into its basin, and the lower Vyg carries it towards the sea. In 1694 Old Believers established the Vyg community in the forests of the upper river, seeking refuge from persecution. The community became an important religious and literary centre, and its members held fisheries on Vygozero among other northern waters.