Book excerpt: The Church of the Transfiguration or Tserkva Preobrazhenskaya, located on Kizhi Island, Karelia, Russia, is a unique monument of the 18th century that has no analogs in world architecture. It is included on the UNESCO list of the most significant monuments constituting the World Cultural Heritage. The Kizhi Pogost includes three structures: the Tserkva Preobrazhenskaya (the summer church), the Tserkva Pokrovskaya (the winter church), and the Bell Tower. The Church of the Transfiguation is the focal point of the ensemble and is constructed of a system of log octagons that rise to a height of 34 meters (111.5 ft).