The Kemsky Settlement is a part of Arkhangelsk that is situated just a stone’s throw from Solombala (please note that Solombalskoye settlement was only annexed to Arkhangelsk only in 1863). Several bridges lead to the settlement, one of them is only a motor bridge, others are narrow pedestrian ones, and there is even a suspension bridge. During the Soviet period the Kemsky Settlement was under the control of the “Krasnaya Kuznitsa” dockyard. The fact that shipbuilders and repairers lived here is reflected in names of streets: Liteynaya, Korpusnaya, Frezernaya, Yakornaya, Lodochnaya…Today the Kemsky Settlement is comprised of approximately 40 two-story and numerous private one-story wooden houses. There are no architectural monuments but traditional construction is preserved. Next to almost every house you can find a Russian wood-fired steam bath (a banya) and wood sheds. The owners certainly add something to their houses but still the authenticity and spirit of sea settlement remain preserved. There are little wooden moorings-floats on the river, boats and cutters are tied to them and sometimes girls from Solombala rinse their linens in the old fashion way there. In spring the high water in the Kemsky Settlement sometimes reminds us of Venice – waves are splashing near porches on the embankment…