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The best superyacht beach clubs in the world

Tatiana's multi-level beach club.

Impressive and luxurious, the 80 metre Tatiana was delivered in 2021 by Bilgin Yachts and features a multi-level beach club spanning a total of 110-square metres. One of the yacht’s main attractions, the beach club is directly connected to the main saloon via a dramatic staircase and features two pools. They sit one above the other, one on the upper level and the other on the lower deck right next to the water’s edge.

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Aquijo's sailing yacht beach club.

It’s not often that you find a beach club on a sailing yacht, but then again Aquijo is no ordinary sailing yacht. As the world’s largest ketch , she has more than enough room to accommodate a spacious beach club, complete with a hammam, sauna and a spectacular spa pool that is illuminated by a large skylight. As if all that wasn’t impressive enough, the watertight aft doors mean that Aquijo ’s beach club can still be used when she’s sailing along at her brisk top speed of 20 knots.

O'Pari's on board relaxation beach club

Exuding glamour and relaxation, the huge beach club on board the 95 metre Golden Yachts superyacht O’Pari comes complete with a massage room, dry Finnish sauna and Turkish hammam. This on board getaway is complemented by a pool on the bridge deck, as well as a spa pool on the sun deck, for the full relaxing experience.

Yachts for charter

Dream's 42 square metre dive centre.

A superyacht as big as the breathtaking 106.5 metre Dream needs a beach club to match. In fact, having easy access to the sea for swimming, diving and watersports was one of the key demands of owner George J Prokopiou during the yacht's extensive conversion. The result is no usual beach club. As well as a dive store and space to keep rugged tenders and the overhead cranes to launch them, there is a 42-square-metre, 12-tonne stern door that opens on to the sea.

Calypso's welcoming beach club

A superyacht beach club is more than the place to swim and splash around. Offering bars, lounges and spa access, the best superyacht beach clubs are all-round waterfront entertaining venues that are a must-have on any luxury yacht.

First impressions are everything. And stepping onto the larger-than-average 15 square metre beach club on board the 36 metre Mulder ThirtySix superyacht Calypso is sure to achieve just that . Designed to be welcoming, the beach club is perfectly equipped to relieve the weary traveller with a basin and towels to freshen up as soon as you come on board.

Photography: Olga Dromas/BlueiProd

Silver Fox's family-friendly beach club

The second hull in Baglietto’s 48 series, Silver Fox sports a number of modifications to the first hull Andiamo . Key to this was the decision to do away with Andiamo’s aft tender garage to create a proper beach club, complete with a bar, gym and steam room. All tender and toy storage was moved forward instead, to sit on the upper deck. This arrangement suits the owner family just fine. “We can start playing back on the beach club while the crew are up front pulling off the toys,” says the owner.

Maurizio Paradisi/ Federico Ferretti

O'Ptasia's all-weather beach club

At 85 metres O'Ptasia is certainly spectacular, but there's more to her than sheer size. Her all-weather beach club will impress even the most discerning charter guests, with discreet sliding glass doors that keep the temperature of the beach club cool, even on a hot day. Inside, there's a bar fitted with a juicer for freshly squeezed orange juice and smoothies served to your sunbed, as well as a white marble steam room inspired by Turkish hammams. Plus,  O'Ptasia 's generous swim platform has a additional section that raises and lowers for easy access to the sea.

Yachts for sale

Go's open plan beach club.

With a bright turquoise hull, 77 metre Go certainly stands out from the crowd. Launched in 2018, this flagship from Turquoise Yachts features a 162 metre square beach club that opens on three sides to provide guests direct access to the sea. Inside, there's a onyx bar, 100 inch TV, massage room and steam room. Locating the tender garage amidships allowed for such a vast area, which was a real selling point for the owner.

Harmony's technical store-turned-beach club

A refit in 2017 added three metres to the length Amels ' 55 metre Harmony , allowing her owners to turn a tired technical store into a luxurious teak-clad beach club. The space is a Scandinavian-feeling haven, complete with a wet bar and massage area, plus hammam, shower and dive store. The new stern gives a grand first impression for those stepping off tenders, with a pair of illuminated staircases sweeping down from the main deck. Plus, a lowerable swim platform with steps that descend into the water lets swimmers take a carefree dive into the sea and climb back on board easily.

Aquila's refitted beach club

The largest British refit project to date, Aquila (ex- Cakewalk ) was completely updated and relaunched at Pendennis in 2016. Her beach club was one of the key areas to receive a makeover, with a skylight added to bring more light into this waterside chill-out spot. What's more, the tender garage access was moved to the starboard stairwell, meaning that crewmembers no longer have to interrupt proceedings when the time comes to launch her array of superyacht water toys .

Photo: Rupert Peace

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Arkhangelsk- above the Pomor land

Arkhangelsk is a city of mysteries. Being founded in 1584 by Ivan IV, it is the capital of the Pomor North. The old and the modern live here side by side. Arkhangelsk is the largest city in the Barents Region.

Already from the airplane you get to see a magical breathtaking view of the broad Northern Dvina River winding in between two banks sparkling with lights. The river is cut by various islands covered by forests. The biggest island is Krasnoflotsky, you can easily spot it from the bird’s eye view of the city. It is stuffed with small wooden cottages - here Arkhangelsk citizens escape from the hustling city life during the weekends and holidays.

You arrive to a small local airport, the most interesting feature of which is that you have to get your luggage in a small wooden house near the main airport building. Taking a taxy can save you some time as buses go every 20-30 minutes, though if you want to get real Russian experience, take a bus! On the way to the city you are passing the industrial zone, some deserted valleys, forests and in around 20 minutes you are in the city center.

The center of Arkhangelsk, as foreigners say, reminds of Europe – big shopping malls, hotels, lots of small cafes, where you can have a cup of delicious coffee in its different kinds, and cozy restaurants serving both traditional Russian dishes as well as European cuisine. Definitely, places worth visiting are Blin-House (where you can taste traditional Russian food and crapes with filling from meat and chicken to apples and cottage cheese)  and Italiansky Dvotik (Italian Yard)   (serving Italian food – from pizza to complex fish and meat dishes). Every time when you are planning a trip it is important to choose the right hotel. If you want quality and do not want to pay much the Dvina hotel will be a suitable choice . But if you would like to taste some luxary – Pur-Navolok on the river bank will appeal to you without any doubt . 

Like most of the cities Arkhangelsk has some sights, which are obligatory for you to see. First of all take a walk on the river embankment. Here you are sure to see a huge monument to the soldiers died during the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 and the Eternal fire; the building of the main Regional Scientific Arkhangelsk library named after Nikolai Dobrolubov, a famous Russian writer, poet and philosopher. Next to it is located the River Yacht club ‘Vodnik’, which looks really attractive in summer with its numerous boats and yachts of different sizes and colors. Right on the bank of the river in front of the Yacht club a white cathedral is rising above the water with its golden crosses glittering in the Sun. The cathedral bears the name of the Virgin Assumption and is relatively new (it was built in 2008). If you walk toward the River port you will find another church, which is much older. It was built to St. Nicholas in the XV century. Next to the church you will find several museums, for example the State Northern Marine museum, the Guest yards, the Museum of the Arctic exploration, the House of Plotnicova.

Arkhangelsk is the only city in Russia bearing a name of an angel Arkh-ANGEL. It was named after Arkhangel Michal. Due to this fact, there used to be a lot of churches and cathedrals, today a number is left, some of them are under reconstruction. For example a Cathedral to Arkhangel Michael is being built from scratch on the central square near the River port. Here it must be mentioned that during the reign of Peter the Great Arkhangelsk used to be the trade hub and the main port of Russia. During the history Arkhangelsk had a tight cooperation connection with the Northern Norway, every year huge Norwegian boats loaded with cod would come to Arkhangelsk for the traditional Margaritinskaya fair, which by the way still takes place in Arkhangelsk in September-October.

When you finally reached the River port here you can take a bus-ride to the most popular tourist attraction in Arkhangelsk – Museum of wooden architecture Malie Kareli . Here you will find different wooden monuments brought here from all over the region, taking a nice walk in the forest. Probably you are lucky enough to meet old grannies (babushka) traditionally dressed and speaking on a Pomor dialect. If you ask them who are Pomors (This is the question bothering most of the tourists coming here), they would tell you a long story about the first settlers of Finno-Ugric tribes and their descendants – Pomors, people settling on the coast of the White Sea, engaged in fishing, ship-building and sailing. 

If you got hungry during the walk, you can drop into a café located right on the museum territory and have some Russian traditional crapes with cloudberry, cranberry or raspberry jam.

Arkhangelsk is rich in sights and attractions but your experience will not be complete without traveling around the region. For example visiting the Solovetsky archipelago in the White Sea can change you whole impression of Russia. It is a unique place full of magic and energy. Though the archipelago has dark pages in its history during the Soviet period, religious orthodox reforms and wars, it is a unique combination of things to offer. You can get a lot of knowledge here taking an excursion around the Solovetsky Monastery founded in the XVI century or to the islands of the archipelago, each having its monuments, its unique type of nature and characteristics. Or you can go for a long walk from one coast of the island to the other enjoying fresh air and wild untouched nature. When you get tired just rest on one of the numerous lakes (there are more 600 on the archipelago). You can choose the way to get to the archipelago – by water or by air, both are really exciting. Still, if you are seasick take an airplane and enjoy the green patched view of the islands, lakes, canals and, of course, the White Sea.

If you do not have much time to travel go to one of the towns or villages of the Arkhangelsk region, such as Kargopol, Holmogory or Pinega.

Arkhangelsk is a different world in different seasons. In winter everything is covered in snow, the river gets frozen and becomes a perfect place for skiing, snow-mobiling and kite-surfing. There is no Polar night here, though it gets darker than usual and we still get 3-5 hours of light. Spring and summer bring warm temperatures and a lot of light, coming here in June gives you an unforgettable experience of Northern white nights. During this period of the year you can travel on a boat or a ship along the river enjoying the view of the city covered in green trees and a great amount of people walking on the river embankment. Autumn is colorful, especially if you make up your mind to travel around the region you will be amazed by the calm beauty of the countryside. During this multicolored season many go to the forest to pick mushrooms and berries.

So, choose a season, come to Arkhangelsk and experience the warmth and hospitality of the Russian North!

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ARKHANGELSK AND THE SOLOVETSKY ISLANDS AND THEIR MONASTERY AND GULAG

Arkhangelsk oblast.

Arkhangelsk Oblast is a large region in northeastern Russia that mainly lies south of White Sea but includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya, as well as the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea. Arkhangelsk Oblast borders Kirov Oblast and Vologda Oblast to the south, the Republic of Karelia to the west, the Komi Republic to the east, and the White, Pechora, Barents and Kara seas to the north. It also has administrative jurisdiction over the Nenets Autonomous Okrug.Including Nenetsia. Website: Tourist portal of the Arkhangelsk Region: pomorland.travel

Arkhangelsk (known in English as Archangel and Archangels) Oblast covers an area of 587,400 square kilometers (226,800 square miles), is home to about 1.25 million people (including Nenetsia) and has a population density of only two people per square kilometer. Cape Fligely in Franz Josef Land is the northernmost point of Russia, Europe and Eurasia and Cape Zhelaniya in Novaya Zemlya is the easternmost point of Europe. Both are located within Arkhangelsk Oblast.

Arkhangelsk Oblast is home to deep rivers, clear lakes, northern taiga forests, large expanses of tundra, the icy White Sea, snowy and windy coastal villages, medieval churches and majestic monasteries used a prison labor camps and outstanding examples of Russian wooden architecture with intricate carvings. The Arctic begins on the shores of the White Sea, right where Arkhangelsk is situated. This is the legendary Pomorye. Here it is possible to admire Aurora Borealis and marvel at the sheer power of spring ice breakup. Arkhangelsk was founded by Peter the Great in the estuary of the Northern Dvina River. The shipyards of Severodvinsk, where the country's nuclear submarine fleet is built, maintain sea shipbuilding traditions.

The best time to visit Arkhangelsk is during the White Nights — from the second half of May to the end of July — or in the snowy winter months. Winter here lasts from October to April. In the winter, Aurora Borealis can often be seen in Arkhangelsk Region. This natural phenomenon occurs all year round. All you need to observe it during the corresponding solar activity phases is cloudless night sky. The Northern Light period in Arkhangelsk Region begins as early as August when the nights get dark enough and ends by March.

See Separate Article WESTERN RUSSIAN ARCTIC factsanddetails.com

The White Sea is a southern arm of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. Covering an area of 90,000 square kilometers (34,700 square miles), about the size of Portugal, it is bordered by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of the internal waters of Russia. Administratively, it is divided between Arkhangelsk and Murmansk oblasts and the Republic of Karelia. The Barents Sea connects with the Arctic Ocean.

The White Sea was previously called “Studyonoe”. It has an average depth of 60 meters (197 feet) and a maximum depth 340 meters (1,115 feet). It has recorded the world's lowest surface sea temperature (28 degrees F). It is often covered by ice until mid June. The ice is not stationary; about 90 percent of it is floating and is continuously removed to the Barents Sea. Ice thickness is usually about 40 centimeters but may reach 150 centimeters in cold winters. The weather on the sea gets rough starting in mid-September. The White Sea is navigable more months of the year than you would think because the Gulf Stream ends at Solovetsky Island in the White Sea and keeps the sea relatively ice free. That is why the Soviets selected the area as the location of their largest submarine base.

The White Sea contains a large number of islands, but most of them are small. The main island group is the Solovetsky Islands, located almost in the middle of the sea, near the entrance to Onega Bay. Kiy Island in Onega Bay is significant due to a historic monastery. Velikiy Island, located close to the shore, is the largest island in the Kandalaksha Gulf. The White Sea is one of the four seas named in English after colors. The others are the Black Sea, the Red Sea, and the Yellow Sea.

Getting to and Traveling in Arkhangelsk Oblast

Getting to Arkhangelsk: By Air: : The flight takes 1 hour 45 minutes from Moscow; 1 hour 30 minutes from St. Petersburg; 1 hour 50 minutes from Murmansk and 3 hours 15 minutes from Syktyvkar. Arkhangelsk is served by Arkhangelsk Airport named after Fyodor Abramov, located within 10 kilometers from the city center. Expect a 15–20 minute taxi or regular bus ride.

By Train: :A train journey from Moscow takes 21 hours, 25 hours from St. Petersburg and 30 hours from Murmansk. The railway also connects Arkhangelsk to Syktyvkar, Vorkuta and Salekhard via Kotlas. You can check the journey time on the Russian Railways JSC official website.

By Car: Arkhangelsk can also be reached by the M8 Kholmogory federal road that stretches for 1,241 kilometers from Moscow. It is a modern highway. To reach many places within Arkhangelsk oblast you will need an off-road vehicle or motorboat or both. Arkhangelsk Region has a well-developed road network. Road conditions are often much rougher than those typical in western countries. Be alert for stones and bumpy stretches In the winter, it is enhanced with zimnik (winter tracks) and ice crossing and roads on frozen rivers and lakes.

The Key cities in the northwestern Russia are Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, and Petrozavodsk. The main roads are often in pretty good but some roads are in poor condition. Harsh weather conditions contribute to the difficulty of building and maintaining highways and roads. Distances between cities are great. Fuel may be difficult to find. Take a spare fuel can; unleaded fuel is not available. It is not a bad idea to carry a significant amount of spare fuel. Take spare tires, a tire repair kit, a hand pump and a towing service number. [Source: Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT)]

Northern Railway

Northern Railway (Severnaya Railway) is a railway network that embraces about 6,000 kilometers or track. It covers parts of central Russia and extends far to the north, with lines that running through Yaroslavl, Vologda, Kostroma, Ivanovo, Arkhangelsk, Vladimir, Kirov and Tver region as well the Republic of Komi and Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District. Half of the system operates in Arctic conditions.

The Northern Railway links Moscow with Arkhangelsk, stopping in Yaroslavl and Vologado before heading into the great northern forests.. Its oldest part — The Yaroslavl Railway, owned by Savva Mamontov — was one of the first railways in Russia. It opened in 1872, liking Alexandrov, Yaroslavl and Vologda line was opened in 1872. In 1894, the construction of the railway connecting Vologda with Arkhangelsk started. The decision was taken to construct the line along the shortest route, which at the time ran through a sparsely populated area, and not along one of the existing trading routes.

Many parts of the Northern Railway were built through harsh conditions — in marshes and swamps and over icy rivers — in a relatively short time. One the primary purposes of the North Railway was to connects the industrial areas of central Russia with suppliers of raw materials in the mining regions in the far northern territories.During the war, the railway North made a significant contribution to the victory over Nazi Germany, ensuring the delivery of ammunition, military equipment and food to the front in the front-line area, as well as the evacuation of wounded soldiers, civilians.

The Northern Railway runs through the territories with a unique history and nature, many of which are under the protection of UNESCO, such as Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve and National Park "Yugyd Va" in Komi. In northeastern Russia the railway connects large and small towns, monasteries and churches, beautiful wooded and lowland landscapes alomg with the historic towns of Vladimir, Yaroslavl, Rostov, Kostroma and Ivanovo — the Golden Ring of Russia — and passes through taiga, tundra and the Polar Urals — with their pristine rivers, virgin beauty and vast spaces — and helps to develop and exploit the resource-rich regions in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Komi Republic and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.

Arkhangelsk

Arkhangelsk (1,250 kilometers north of Moscow) is a grim city with 350,000 people located in the White Sea. Known in English as Archangel and Archangels, it sits on a peninsula that just into the Severnaya Dvina River and is ice bound from November to May. Much of beautiful old city of Archangel and all of its old churches, were destroyed in World War II. The port of Arkhangelsk is located on the White Sea. For much of Russia's history this was Russia's main center of international maritime trade, conducted by the Pomors ("seaside settlers") from Kholmogory. In the modern era it became an important Soviet naval and submarine base. The White Sea–Baltic Canal connects the White Sea with the Baltic Sea. Including Nenetsia. Website: Tourist portal of the Arkhangelsk Region: pomorland.travel

Arkhangelsk today is a military town with strong links to the oil, diamonds and timber industries. Many people walking around wear uniforms. The smell of sawdust is in the air; lumber yards and sawmills run for more than kilometers aon the river. The oil companies Conoco, E20thon-Mobile, Texaco and the Australian mineral giant BHP are all developing proven resources in the area and look for ne ones

Arkhangelsk is a true city of the White Nights. The sun hardly leaves the horizon from the middle of May until the end of July; about 77 days. The night is more like twilight, and the day is unusually long. The longest day (21 hours 34 minutes) and the shortest night (2 hours 26 minutes) come on June 21 and 22 every year.

History of Arkhangelsk

Arkhangelsk became Russia’s first real port to the outside world in 1575 when Ivan the Terrible established it a receiving place for good after he set up trade links with Britain. The city was expanded into a navy base by Peter the Great and Catherine the Great and further developed by the tsars that followed them. Foreign mercenaries unloaded here in 1918 to fight for the Whites against the Reds. In World War II, it was a major Allied lend-lease supply port and because of this was heavily bombed by the Germans.

In the 12th century, the Mikhailov Arkhangelsk Monastery was founded on the site of the future Arkhangelsk. A village with a pier grew up near the monastery, as it usually happened in Russia. In the 16th century, when Tsar Ivan the Terrible the Terrible began trading with England through the northern seas, a wooden fortress (1584) was laid near the Mikhailov Arkhangelsk Monastery on the Pur-Navolok island. The unfinished city was called New Kholmogory, New Town and Novokholmory. In 1613, Novoholmogory was renamed into the city of Arkhangelsk, and the name was gradually transformed into the modern one.

The city burned down almost completely in 1667. The first stone building Gostiny Dvor was built there after the fire. According to the plan of the architect Dmitry Startsev, it was a closed complex of three adjacent yards with six towers. The seaside location of Arkhangelsk interested Peter the Great. The shipyard was founded on the island of Solombala by order of the Tsar. In 1694, the solemn launching of the first Russian merchant ship St. Paul took place.In 1762, Arkhangelsk was equalized with St. Petersburg in trade rights. In 1794 regular building began, wide streets and embankments were laid. The city was the starting point for many polar expeditions between the 18th and 19th centuries.

Sights in Arkhangelsk

There isn't much to see in Arkhangelsk, which most visitors use as a jumping off point for the Malye Korely or the Solovetsky Islands. The Fine Arts Museum has a 16th to 18th century religious works as well as period costumes and samovars. The Regional Studies Museums has exhibits on Samis and Afghanistan war veterans. Among the drab concrete buildings, you can still find charming wooden beacons, wooden boats, wooden jetties and wooden houses as well as a "ramshackle tsarist-era yacht club." Many of the old wooden houses have large piles of wood outside to heat the wood stoves inside during the long winter.

An enormous scale model of the old Arkhangelsk lies in the main hall of the Palace of Culture of the Sailors of the North Sea Fleet. The House of Propaganda is located in a fine wooden house and has displays that have little to do with propaganda. Along the wide Severnaya Dvina Embankment you can take a long stroll past old buildings and monuments and the massive walls of Russia's first fort to the local “Arbat”, a pedestrian street referred to as Chumbarovka. There is beach where it is not uncommon to see people taking in the freezing river that flows into the White Sea. It is possible to hire a boat to take you to one of the nearby islands.

Arkhangelsk is called the cultural and historical capital of the Russian North. Architectural attractions, including the Solovetsky Monastery and the oldest Gostiny Dvor building in Russia, one of the few preserved monuments of Russian architecture of the second half of the 17th century. There is the Novodvinsk fortress on the Arkhangelsk territory, the first bastion seaside fortress in Russia. It was built between 1701 and 1721 by decree of Peter the Great to protect Arkhangelsk from attacks from the sea.

The city has three theaters, museums, festivals, concerts, fairs. The International Festival of Street Theaters, which attracts dozens of theaters from different countries, gets special love from the residents and visitors of the city. The city is also the home of the Museum of Russian Superstitions, the Literary-Memorial Museum-house of Joseph Brodsky. On weekends and holidays river tours to the Sea-River Station Arkhangelsk are offered in . "N. Gogol", a wheeled passenger river boat built in 1911. On weekdays, the ship is located in Severodvinsk,

Monument for the Savior Seals thanks seals for the meat and oil they provided which saved many families from starvation during World War II. Those saved were not only from Archangel but also from Leningrad, which received seal rations on the "road of life"to besieged Leningrad. During the Great Patriotic War (World War II), Arkhangelsk mortality rate from starvation was second to that of Leningrad. More than 38,000 people died. According to veterans testimony, the daily bread ration of the military in Arkhangelsk was 125 grams. Meat and fat from seals rescued thousands of people from starvation. The seal monument was made by sculptor and architect Igor Skripkin. Weight It weighs 900 kilograms and is 1.5 meters tall. The monument is located on a pedestal of white-gray granite, which in turn is set on a black base. Light pedestal symbolizes the ice floe, dark base - cold Arctic waters.

Malye Korely

Malye Karely (a half-hour ride from the center of Arkhangelsk) contains an open air wooden architecture museum with 19th-century wooden buildings, water mills, wind mills and an inspiring five-dome cathedral. The architecture is somewhat similar to that found at Kizhi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site at Lake Onega, except there are more buildings. The surroundings are very beautiful. There are churches, chapels, bell towers, peasant farms, mills, and granaries. Particularly charming are the "black cottages," small houses without a full chimney that have smoke-stained walls. An "ecological trail" leads to a small village of peasant houses.

The museum of the traditional wooden architecture and local culture is located on a high bank of the Northern Dvina River. The buildings represent the “wooden civilization” of the entire Arkhangelsk Region, including the typical “villages” of the Kargopol and Onega, the Dvina, the Mezen and the Pinega sectors with izba (log houses), barns, wells and hedgerows. At Malye Korely you will find a giant mechanism of a tent-roof windmill, huge houses-estates of rich Kargopol peasants, a Kholmogory smithy, a fisher's house, a hunter's hut, and a Dvina inn. . The Malye Korely Museum museum was established in 1964 as an open-air preserve for wooden architecture. The 160 hectare property is divided into six sectors, each with a model settlement with a layout and buildings characteristic a certain area. Currently, the Kargopolsko-Onezhskiy, Dvinskiy, Pinezhskiy, and Mezenskiy sectors are open to the public. A total of 120 buildings of various types, from the 16th to the early 20th century, are assembled here: The Novitsia Folk-Ethnographic Theater performs here, There are demonstrations by folk craft masters as well. People come here celebrate folk holidays like Maslenitsa, the Trinity festivities, and even Christmastide. Among the related sites are the shrine complex in Nenoksa village, the Nikolskaya Church in Lyavlya village, the mansion house of M.T. Kunitsyna, and the House of the Commercial Assembly (the so-called Marfin Dom) in Arkhangelsk.

Severodvinsk

Severodvinsk (40 kilometers southwest of Arkhangelsk) is a dumping ground for retired atomic and diesel-powered submarines. Many are parked in the harbor across from the naval base. The area is restricted and leaking radioactive material. Visitors risk arrest and deportation but many come anyway and don’t seem to suffer any problems.

Severodvinsk’s Center for Nuclear Shipbuilding and ship repair is the cradle of the Russian nuclear submarine fleet. It was formally founded in 1936 by the personal order of Stalin, but has a history of shipbuilding that goes back several centuries. The city’s main museum has simulators that allows visitors to try their hand at controlling a submarine. There are also exhibitions devoted to the island Yagry (one of the neighborhoods of Severodvinsk) and the famous Englishman Richard Chancellor, who forged a trade deal with Ivan the Terrible, allow foreigners to trade in Russia.

Within the property of Sevmash defense enterprise is Korelskiy Nicholas Monastery, founded in the 15th century. The building is well preserved, and today the public services are conducted in it. The promenade, the seashore and the pine forest are favorite places for walking.

Lomonosov Diamond Mine

The Lomonosov Diamond Mine (100 kilometers from Arkhangelsk) is the largest diamond mine in Europe. Named after the great Russian scientist Mikhail Lomonosov, the mine has estimated reserves of 220 million carats of diamonds and an annual production capacity of 2 million carats. Including Nenetsia. Website: Tours are generally not offered but you can try contacting pomorland.travel to see what’s up.

The Arkhangelsk diamond deposits is comprised of six tubes, two of which are actively being mined. The total stocks of tubes contains about 20 percent of Russia’s diamond deposits. The Arkhangelsk diamond-bearing area covers about 20,000 square kilometers of the east coast of the White Sea area and has more than 70 tubes.

Today diamonds are mined in the "Arkhangelsk" and "Karpinskaya-1" tubes. The mine is a huge hole. From the bottom, multi-ton dump trucks transport the ore to the processing plant. The diameter of the large pit is 1.13 kilometers and the depth of about 130 meters. The geological age of rocks on the bottom of the quarry comes are about 360 million years old.

Pinega Caves

Pinega Caves (120 kilometers east of Arkhangelsk) are one of the most well-known and mysterious landmarks of Arkhangelsk Region. Halls created by groundwater, bizarre bends of karst corridors, disappearing lakes and streams and ice crystals mysteriously gleaming in cool darkness attract tourists in the winter and in the summer alike.

Going underground is only allowed here as part of an excursion group. Tourists are provided with helmets and headlamps. However, you'd better take care of warm clothes and comfortable shoes yourself, since even in the summer the temperatures here rarely rise above zero, while ice and frost-covered walls can be seen already at the entrance.

The caves look most spectacular from January to March, when the vaults sparkle with hoarfrost and textured karst bends and intricate icings create a new one-of-a-kind interior of the Pinega underground kingdom every year.

Solovetsky Islands

Solovetsky Islands (between Arkhangelsk and Karelia) are a string of islands in Onega Bay in the White Sea near the Arctic Circle. On the largest island is a high-walled, 15th century monastery that was transformed in 1923 into the headquarters of a series of Stalinist labor camps from which few survivors emerged. The islands are called or Solovki for short and there are various ways of spelling them, including Solovetskiye Islands.

Today, People come to the Solovetsky Islands,, to visit the Solovetsky Monastery, founded in the 15th century by Orthodox monks, and worship the holy relics and graves of unknown martyrs. About 1,500 people live on Solovetsky Island in wooden houses and abandoned prison barracks. A dozen or so monks run the monastery, which now contains a museum with a handful or religious items and letters from prison camp victims.

The monastery itself has massive walls between 8 and 11 meters high and four to six meters thick with seven gates and eight towers, Inside the kremlin are a number of 16th-century buildings: St. Nicholas Church, refectory, Assumption Cathedral and Transfiguration cathedral. There are few remains from the gulag.

Solovetsky Islands: UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Cultural and Historic Ensemble of the Solovetsky Islands were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.: According to UNESCO: The site “comprises six islands of the Solovetsky Archipelago situated in the western part of the White Sea, 290 kilometers from Arkhangelsk, the center of Arkhangelsky region. Founded in the 1430s, the Solovetsky complex is an outstanding example of the tenacity, courage and diligence of monks of the Russian Orthodox Church in the inhospitable environment of Northern Europe. The complex is unique in its integrity and safeguarding of its religious, residential, domestic, defence and waterside constructions, its road network and irrigation systems of the Middle Ages harmoniously blended with the surrounding natural and cultural landscapes as well as archeological sites that reflect the ancient and medieval culture of the islands for six thousand years. The Solovetsky complex represents all periods of the history of the archipelago and the Russian North in general.

“The Cultural and Historic Ensemble of the Solovetsky Archipelago comprises a monastery-fortress of 15th to the early 20th centuries, a former monastic village of 16th to the early 20th centuries, cells and hermitages of 16th to the early 20th centuries, insular hydraulic and irrigation systems, sacred sites and dozens of settlements of 6 to the first millennia B.C., groups of memorial constructions of the Solovetsky Special Prison Camp of 1923-1939 and the surrounding natural and cultural landscapes throughout the archipelago.

“The heart of the historic and cultural complex of the archipelago is the architectural ensemble of the Solovetsky Monastery, which is a holistic unique architectural complex. Its constructions are characterized by their monumentality, individuality and integrity of all components resulting from the centuries-old tradition of building. The Solovetsky historic and cultural complex is the only large set of monuments in northern latitudes, built from local boulders in combination with rare brick and forge iron produced on Solovki. The peculiar linear design of the facade and high density of buildings on small areas contribute to the integrity and architectural expression of the ensemble. The fortress is the only Russian fortification complex built with the use of large boulders, which adds greatly to its individuality. The vast variety and uniqueness of the Solovetsky monuments together with the northern wilderness create a rare cultural and natural synthesis. Archeological studies over the last 20 years have identified some interesting new materials that expand the cultural context of the property.

“The Solovetsky complex is an outstanding example of a monastic settlement in the inhospitable environment of northern Europe, which admirably illustrates the faith, tenacity and courage of late medieval religious communities. The subsequent history of the monastery is graphically illustrated by the wealth of remains of all types that have survived. The Solovki is often recognized by the public as one of the first and best known Soviet special purpose camps of the GULAG. The islands have been used as a place of exile since the 17th century.”

History of the Solovetsky Islands

According to UNESCO: The Solovetsky archipelago comprises six islands in the western part of the White Sea, covering about 300 square kilometers . They have been inhabited since the 5th century B.C. and important traces of a human presence from as far back as the 5th millennium B.C. can be found there. The archipelago has been the site of fervent monastic activity since the 15th century, and there are several churches dating from the 16th to the 19th century.” [Source: UNESCO]

Isolated by storms and ice seven months of the year, the monastery was founded in the 1400s by two monks on a remote site to commune with God. Over the next hundred years the site attracted other monks who built a Kremlin, factories and smelters from boulders. Later, the monastery became an important center of Eastern Orthodox tradition.

By the 17th century the fortress ran 50 saltworks, employed 600 workers and was home to 300 monks and was strong enough to repel attacks from the Swedes. In the mid 17th century it declared its independence from Russia and survived for eight years and was finally captured by the tsarist army and everyone inside was slaughtered. For centuries, Solovetsky Monastery served as a tsarist-era a military fortress and prison and then a Soviet “special-purpose” labor camp. In 1992, the monastery and its churches were revived and the monastery’s holy relics of St. Zosima, Savvatiy and Herman — Solovetsky founding monks and miracle workers — were returned.

History of the Gulag at Solovetsky Islands

In 1923, the monastery at the Solovetsky islands was turned into a Stalinist labor camp. The island with the monastery appealed to Stalin as a place to set up a prison camp because it was virtually escape proof: the water that surrounded it was too cold to swim in the summer and the ice wasn't thick enough to walk on in the winter. After it was set up the camp served as a model for other prisoner and forced labor camps. The Russian historian Yuri Brodsky told the Washington Post, "it was the camp on which all future norms were designed: how much food to give, what kind of clothing, how to execute people and get rid of their bodies." Thousands of "class enemies"—aristocrats, artists, scientists, historians, lawyers, officers and writers—were sent there.

At first things weren't so bad. The prisoners were poorly feed and clothed but they were allowed to move freely on the island and even formed study groups, a theater troupe and a newspaper. By the late 1920s things had taken a turn for the worst. Thousands of prisoners arrived every day and they were stuffed into cells already crammed with people.

A colony for children between 12 and 16 was set up; mass executions, where prisoners were shot in their underwear and buried in pits, were commonplace; people were tortured by having water poured on them in the freezing cold and handcuffed in swarms of mosquitos in the summer. Many prisoners were forced to sit on poles and if they fell of they were severely beaten,

The historian Dimitry Likhach told the Washington Post, the prisoners "were shot in the back of their heads. The executioners and others were often drunk, so they did not always manage to shoot people to death right away, but they threw them in the pit all the same. The soil-covered pit sometimes showed signs of movement, even on the day after the shooting."

Golgotha Crucifixion Monastery located on a hill on Anzerskiy Island has a nave where "frozen corpses of political prisoners were stacked to take up less room," one escaped prisoner wrote. "From 1923 to 1939 some 83,00 counter-revolutionaries and common criminals were held here in some of the most brutal conditions, starving and often semi-naked. Every race, creed, and profession was represented: bishops doctors, murderers, princesses and prostitutes. Beatings, drowning, shootings, epidemics, and the 'mosquito treatment.' in which offenders were tied naked to boulders and trees were only part of a litany of terrors that claimed more that 43,000 lives."

In 1939, the labor camp was shut down, because of fears it might be discovered because it was too close to Finland, and survivors were sent to other gulags. The monastery was turned in housing for soldiers, clinics and schools and frescoes. Icons were used for target practice. In 1962, the military moved out and it became a historical and nature center.

Visiting the Solovetsky Islands

The Solovetsky Islands can be reached from Kem and Arkhangelsk. The most inexpensive way to get to them is by sea. Ferry boats leave from the ports of Kem and Belomorsk on the Karelia side of the White Sea not the Arkhangelsk side. The ferries usually runs from at least form early June to late September 20. The time frame can change depending on the weather. Tours can be arranged to the Solovetsky islands in from Kem, Belomorsk, Arkhangelsk, St. Petersburg and Moscow..

Kem from (500 kilometers north of St. Petersburg on the road and railroad to Murmansk), a a small town of 18,000 on the White Sea. There isn't much to do here but see some old wooden houses. It is however the most convenient jumping off point for Solovetsky Island. The boat journey is two hours, much less time than from Arkhangelsk.

Kem can be reached by the R21 road or on one of the Murmansk trains. The journey from Moscow will take one day. Couchettes in open type carriages cost from RUB 2,000. The journey from St. Petersburg will take 13–15 hours.

The Solovki Hospitality Center and Museum-Reserve Information Center on the Solovetsky Islands offers excursions to the islands of the Solovki archipelago. Apart from thematic excursions to Solovki, one can visit Sekirnaya Mountain and the Holy Ascension skete; take a boat ride along Solovki's small circular lake-channel system; or take a boat tour to Bolshoy Zayatsky Island and Bolshaya Muksalma Island. Dozens of excursions are available.

If you have enough time, take a walk along the Boulder Dam. This is a stone bridge that connects the Bolshoy Solovetsky and the Bolshaya Muksalma islands. It was built by monks in the 19th century. Anzersky is the remotest island of the archipelago. It houses hermitages occupied by eremitic monks. A guided tour around the island will take an entire day. Apart from their rich and sometimes tragic history, Solovki are renowned for unspoilt nature, which is best observed from water. Rent a boat and take a tour along the small or the big circle of the vast lake and canal system.

Solovetsky Kremlin

The Solovetskaya fortress (on the Solovetsky Islands) was constructed at the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th century and designed for active defense from all sides with the use of artillery. The battle towers are evenly distributed along the perimeter of the fortress and positioned forward from the walls. The Solovetsky Fortress houses a number of buildings, including ones that contain the Solovetsky State Historical, Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve and the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Monastery.

The total length of the walls of the Solovetsky Kremlin is 1200 meters. They are seven meters thick at their base and up to 10 meters high.. The towers are up to 17 meters high. There are five round towers built of huge boulders: Nikolskaya, Korozhnaya (Storozhevaya), Pryadilnaya (Stratilatovskaya), Belaya (Golovlenkova) and Arkhangelskaya. The towers are topped with tent-like roofs and observation platforms.

Within the fortress walls are churches and monastery buildings. From the mid-16th to the end of the 19th century, the Solovetsky Monastery was a state prison, where prisoners were sent for crimes against the church and the state. Several prisons of the 16th-17th centuries have been preserved: Korozhnaya, Golovlenkova and Sushilennaya. One prison was established at the end of the 18th century in a building with an icon-painting chamber.

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Monastery

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Monastery (on the Solovetsky Islands) is one of the most revered monasteries in Russia. The central ensemble of the monastery includes the unique architectural monuments of 16th-20th centuries that are regularly attended and visited by pilgrims. The history of the monastery begins in the 15th century, with the first Solovki monks and the founders of the monastery: Savvatii and German. In 1429 they arrived in the Big Solovetsky island and set up a cell on the shore of the White Sea. They briefly left the Solovki in 1436 returned with another monk — Zosima — who is also counted among the founders of the monastery. This time they chose to settle on the shore of Prosperity Bay, where monastery stands today.

St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, did a lot for strengthening and bringing prosperity of the monastery. From 1538 to 1565, while he was rector of Solovetsky monastery, the first stone building of the monastery were built. Before that the buildings were made of wood. Between 1552 and 1557, Assumption Refectory complex, the first stone building of the monastery, was built. Between 1558- and 1566, Transfiguration Cathedral, the main church of the monastery, was constructed.

Still-preserved, five-domed St. Nicholas Church was built in 1834 based on the design of single-domed predecessor, one of the first churches in the monastery. St. Nicholas has traditionally been greatly revered in the North. He is regarded as the patron saint of sailors and coast-dwellers and is inextricably linked with sea fishing. The holy trinity Zosimo-Savvatiy Cathedral, built in 1859 and designed by architect A. Arkhangelsk provincial Shahlareva, is one the largest structures in the monastery..

Filippovskiy cages are located to the northwest of the Solovetsky monastery. The cages were built in the 16th century under abbot Philippe and named in his honor. It is believed that the monks constructed the cages for breeding and keeping of fresh cod. This design was used until the 19th century, when the sea level fell due to natural geological processes, and they they became shallow ponds left to stand as a monument to bygone days. The Filippovskiy cages area is a quiet place where tourists usually don’t go. It consists of a complex of dams with two stone fences in the largest of the ponds. A 150-meter-long, 2.5-meter-high dam separates them from the sea cages.

Solovki Museum-Reserve

The Solovki State Historical, Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve (on the Solovetsky Islands) is one of the largest museum reserves in Russia. The museum was created in 1967 as a branch of the Arkhangelsk Regional Museum. In 1974, it became independent. It contains more than 1000 items of cultural heritage ranging in age from the 5th millennium B.C. to the 20th century.

Several museum exhibits are located in the Solovki Kremlin. The Underground Archaeology of Solovki exhibit in the Novobratsky building was created as a result of excavations. The exhibit depicts the construction stages of the buildings in the reserve. On display are ruined remnants of wooden monastic cells from the 16th century. In the water mill building, visitors can see the Solovki Mill exhibition. On the first tier of the Sushila facility, a building for drying and storing grain, there is an exhibit on the monastery prison. The exhibits in the historical barracks building (1929) are dedicated to the history of Solovki Special Purpose Camp of 1923-1939. There are two expositions on the Solovki Sacristy: the historical and cultural heritage of the Solovki Monastery and the Solovki Fortress.

Stone Labyrinths of Bolshoi Zayatsky Island

Bolshoi Zayatsky Island (one of the Solovetsky Islands) is home to a group of 13 or 14 labyrinths. They are believed to be about 2500 years old based on their orientation, their supposed ritual use, and changes in the direction of the zenith on the solstice throughout history. On top of this, there are more than 850 heaps of boulders and numerous other stone construction such as a stone symbol with radial spokes, possibly representing the sun. All the labyrinths are concentrated in an area of about half a square kilometer on the western part of the island. A large complex of stone settings can be found on Sopka Hill, in the eastern part of the island, but there are no labyrinths. The labyrinths at Cape Fireplace were reconstructed by students in 1978 on the site of old structures [Source: Wikipedia, Russian Tourism Official Website]

All together there are 35 labyrinths (known as vavilons – "Babylons" – in the local dialect) in the Solovetsky Islands. All have been made of local boulders. Excavations in the stone heaps have yielded parts of bones. Measuring between 6 and 25.4 meters in diameter, the labyrinths are mostly made of large stones 30–40 centimeters in diameter set in a row. The rows are twisted in the form of a spiral; often there are two spirals set one into another, which has been likened to "two serpents with their heads in the middle looking at each other". Intermittently along the spiral there are thicker or wider heaps of stones; the ends of the spirals are also wider.

The entrances are generally on the southern sides of the labyrinths, but can also be found in the south-western, eastern or western parts. The labyrinths have five types of settings, but each has only one entrance which also serves as an exit. The function of the stone settings is unclear. One suggestion is that they were connected with a cult of the dead and may have symbolised a border between this world and the underworld and the labyrinth may have been used for specific rituals to help the souls of the dead travel to another world. Another hypothesis is that they were complex fishing traps.

Cape Beluzhiy: Beluga Whale Watching Site

Cape Beluzhiy (Bolshoy Solovetsky, Solovetsky Islands) is one of the best places in the world to see white beluga whales. This cape is one of the rare places on the Earth the whales come close to the shore. In other places, you need to go to the open sea, which does not allow approaching the belugas too closely, because these animals are very timid.

At low tide, the belugas swim near Cape Beluzhiy twice a day. But this unique act of nature can be seen during a very short period: from the middle of June until the middle of August, and only in when the sea is relatively calm. At this time, the belugas are breeding and training their young in the shallow water.

A tower was constructed here for watching belugas by scientists of the Institute of Oceanology RAS, which have been studying are carrying out since 1994. You can get to the cape by the road leading to Sekirnaya Mountain or the old monastery road along the seashore. Theoretically, you can get to the cape by boat, but it is not recommended because it would disturb the belugas. Still many people do take boats. One person wrote in Trip Advisor: “Took around 30 minutes one way to the cape where is at the White Sea. We successfully saw some white whales near our boat. The boat ride was pretty windy and cold. Have to be well prepared even in the summer.”

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: Federal Agency for Tourism of the Russian Federation (official Russia tourism website russiatourism.ru ), Russian government websites, UNESCO, Wikipedia, Lonely Planet guides, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, The New Yorker, Bloomberg, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Yomiuri Shimbun and various books and other publications.

Updated in September 2020

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of sexual harassment and assault by producer on his latest album

Sean “Diddy” Combs was sued Monday in federal court by a producer on his most recent album, who accuses the music mogul of sexually harassing, drugging and threatening him over more than a year. The producer, Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, says in the lawsuit that he lived and traveled with Combs from September 2022 to November 2023, during which time he recorded hours of video and audio of Combs, his staff and others “engaging in serious illegal activity.”

Among the allegations is that Combs forced Jones to procure sex workers and pressured him to engage in unwelcomed sex acts with them and others and that Combs gave laced alcoholic beverages to people who attended parties at his homes. 

The lawsuit includes what it says are screenshots from gatherings hosted at Combs’ homes that included underage girls and sex workers, some of whom he said were provided drinks that had been laced with drugs at Combs’ direction.

The suit, filed in U.S District Court for the Southern District of New York, also names Combs’ adult son, Justin; his chief of staff, Kristina Khorram; Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge; and former Motown Records CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam as defendants. Jones says in the lawsuit that Grainge, Habtemariam, Motown Records, Love Records and Universal Music Group effectively worked together with Combs in a “RICO enterprise” that “failed to adequately monitor, warn, or supervise” the actions of Combs, his son and his chief of staff. A RICO enterprise is any individuals or groups that act together to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

Jones is seeking $30 million.

Representatives for Justin Combs, Khorram, Grainge, Motown Records and Love Records did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Habtemariam could not immediately be reached for comment.

An attorney for Combs said Jones’ “reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines.”

“We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies. Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls,” the attorney, Shawn Holley, said in a statement. “We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them.”

The suit is the latest in a series of  damning allegations against Combs .

According to Jones’ lawsuit, in or about August 2022, Combs called Jones and requested that he produce several songs on the R&B album “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” which was released in September 2023 and was nominated for a Grammy.

“Mr. Jones agreed, and his life has been detrimentally impacted ever since,” the lawsuit says.

Jones alleges that Combs sexually harassed and assaulted him while he lived with him at Combs’ homes in Florida, Los Angeles and New York, as well as on a yacht Combs rented in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The harassment and assault included “constant unsolicited and unauthorized groping and touching of his anus,” according to the lawsuit.

Jones says he was forced to work in Combs’ bathroom as Combs showered naked in a glass enclosure, according to the lawsuit.

When he raised concerns about the behavior to Khorram, Combs’ chief of staff, the lawsuit says, she dismissed them as “friendly horseplay, stating that those acts were Mr. Combs way of ‘showing that he likes you.’”

The lawsuit accuses Khoramm of aiding and abetting Combs’ sexual assault of Jones and of working with Combs “to groom him into accepting a homosexual relationship.”

Jones also alleges that he was forced to solicit sex workers and perform sex acts with them to please Combs. 

To aid in the alleged recruitment, Jones said, Combs provided him with “an exclusive Bad Boy baseball cap” and required him to wear it to a Miami establishment “as a signal to any sex worker he approached” that Combs was in town and had sent Jones to recruit them, the lawsuit says.

Jones alleges Combs, whom he describes in the suit as “forceful and demanding” and someone who does not take no for an answer, leveraged his power as one of the most influential people in hip-hop and business to intimidate him, including by threatening to inflict bodily harm if Jones did not comply with his demands.

On one occasion, Jones alleges, Combs forced him to watch as he displayed guns and bragged about getting away with shooting people. In a separate incident, Jones alleges, Combs shared that he was responsible for a shooting in a nightclub in New York City in 1999 with the rapper Shyne, born Jamal Barrow. A jury acquitted Combs of gun possession and bribery charges in connection with that incident, while Barrow was sentenced to 10 years in jail. Jones was terrified of Combs and felt he could not tell him no, according to the suit.

“Mr. Combs consistently made it clear that he has immense power in the music industry and with law enforcement,” the lawsuit says.

Jones says in the lawsuit that he has video and audio evidence to support some of the allegations. The lawsuit says that Combs required Jones to “record him constantly” and that on several occasions, Combs took Jones’ cellphone to record himself. As a result, Jones alleges, he has hundreds of hours of video and audio records of Combs, his staff and his guests “engaging in serious illegal activity.”

Jones says in the suit that he believes Combs also drugged him on Feb. 2, 2023. He alleges he woke up naked, dizzy and confused in bed with Combs and two sex workers.

In response to a request for comment, Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, used a Latin phrase, “res ipsa loquitur,” which loosely translates as “the thing speaks for itself,” referring to the lawsuit.

Jones says in the suit that he was “under an implied work-for-hire agreement” and was not compensated for the songs he produced on “The Love Album.” As a result, the lawsuit says, Combs, Love Records, Motown Records and Universal Music Group were all unjustly enriched at his expense.   The labels did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 

Combs has been sued by four women who have accused him of sexual assault. Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, said Combs physically abused her and forced her to have sex with male prostitutes while he masturbated and recorded the encounters. The lawsuit  was settled the day after it was filed . The settlement was “in no way an admission of wrongdoing,” Combs’ lawyer, Ben Brafman, has said.

Following Cassie’s lawsuit, two other women, Liza Gardner and Joie Dickerson-Neal, have alleged in lawsuits that Combs sexually assaulted them. And a woman identified as Jane Doe in court documents  said Combs and two other men gang-raped her when she was 17  and Combs was 34. 

Those three cases against Combs are still pending. In a statement in December, he denied the allegations, saying “enough is enough,” and called the claims against him “sickening.” 

“Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth,” he said in the statement.

The mounting allegations stand to harm Combs’ legacy and business empire. A day after Ventura filed her suit,  three of Combs’ former artists expressed support for her . The same month, Combs  stepped down as the chairman of Revolt TV . In December,  Hulu scrapped a reality television show  that was to have followed his family. And in January, Combs  withdrew his lawsuit against Diageo as part of a settlement  with the London-based spirits giant, which he had accused of racism.

This article was originally published on  NBCNews.com .

Diana Dasrath is NBC News’ entertainment producer and a senior reporter. 

Janelle Griffith is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.

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Visit the Club Level Concierge to purchase tickets, make dining reservations and more.

Learn more about Resort Concierge services at Walt Disney World Resort.

Disney Signature Services

Guests staying in Club-level rooms and suites are eligible for personalized vacation-planning support.

Spa & Fitness

Get toned at Ship Shape Massage Salon Fitness —a full-service facility featuring equipment, massages and more.

Learn more about Ship Shape Massage Salon Fitness.

View Rooms and Prices

Hotel Address

(407) 934-7000

Check Availability

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