The complex nature monument "Staraya Ladoga" was founded in 1976. It extends on both banks of the Volkhov River not far from the village of Staraya Ladoga and Plekhanovo in Volkhov area. Nature Monument covers an area of ​​220 hectares.

Staroladozhsky reserve was declared a natural monument in order to preserve the geological outcrops, artificial caves, ancient burial mounds on the banks of the Volkhov, as well as to protect the wintering grounds of bats. The territory of the natural monument is used for educational activities in the field of ecology, sightseeing with a visit to the caves, archaeological excavations, museum-reserve "Staraya Ladoga".

The slopes of the banks of the river Volkhov exposed Ordovician rocks. The lower part of the outcrop presents obolovymi shales and sandstones, lie slightly above glauconite sandstones. The upper part consists of limestone with layers of dolomite.

On the territory of the natural monument "Staraya Ladoga" has three artificial caves. The slope of the left bank of the river Volkhov, just opposite the church of St. John the Baptist is Staraya Ladoga cave. The largest is in the area of ​​the cave Tanechkina. It is located on the left bank of the river, about a mile northeast of the location of the Staraya Ladoga cave, 150 meters from the shore, in a ravine. A little downstream on the right bank of the Volkhov is a cave Baby. In 1998, we found another cave near the church of St. George. Staroladozhsky cave is widely known as a major wintering bats in the North-Western part of Russia.

Background types of natural complex - pond and Daubenton's bat, whiskered bat and plecotus. It marked sporadically northern bat.

The most important wintering grounds for a large left-bank cave - Tanechkina cave. In winter shelters in the climatic conditions of the Leningrad Region bats spend about six to eight months a year, from October to June.

Staraya Ladoga is one of the oldest cities in Russia, which arose on the site of the ancient settlements of the Slavs, known since 7. On the territory of Staraya Ladoga hitherto preserved Varangian and Slavic burial mounds, churches, parks, former manors. All sights are now part of the architectural, historical and archaeological museum-reserve "Staraya Ladoga".

Specially protected natural objects on the territory of the complex are the artificial caves, paleontological fossils, geological outcrops on the banks of the Volkhov, parks, former manors, ancient burial mounds, various species of bats that hibernate in caves.

On the territory of the complex can not be made of natural geological surveys, mine minerals, engineering and construction, dumping sewage into the cave, to arrange discharge of domestic and industrial waste, graze cattle, let burns, campfires, dig up mounds.