CULTURE AND HISTORY

Ruokolahti Church Hill is located in a scenic spot on the shores of Lake Saimaa. The values embodied by the buildings and monuments of the Church Hill, along with the natural beauty surrounding the hill, form a memorable ensemble. At the top of the Church Hill stands Ruokolahti's current church, which is the fourth church in the parish. The most famous building on the Church Hill, however, is the shingle-roofed belfry, which has been called a pearl of Finnish church architecture. In addition to these, the hill also features a local history museum and the summer cafe Kaiku, which operates in the Ruokolahti House during the summers.

The Salpa Line is a defensive line built on Finland's eastern border in the 1940s, extending from the Gulf of Finland to Salla. In Syyspohja, Ruokolahti, a small area features ready fortifications belonging to the Salpa Line, as well as unfinished and collapsed bunkers, and water-filled bunker excavations.

Photo: Anne Rasimus / Municipality of Ruokolahti

Sculpture Park is a magnificent art ensemble created by artist Veijo Rönkkönen. In the park, you will find as many as 560 concrete sculptures with diverse expressions and themes, reflecting various types of people and life situations. You can admire the sculptures in Koitsanlahti, Parikkala.

Do stop by!

Photo: Markku "Marsa" Anttonen

Are you looking for a cultural experience in the form of a play? If you answered yes, Rajamaat has the answer for you! Namely, summer theatres! Summer theatres can be found in both Parikkala and Imatra. Explore their offerings from the links below:

Teatteri Parikan Päreet

Imatran Kesäteatteri

From Iivanansaari you will find yourself in the middle of history. Jussi Reinikainen was a Finnish political prisoner who built a burial chamber on Iivanansaari. The burial chamber is a copy of a prison cell in Spalernaya, where Reinikainen awaited the execution of his death sentence in 1916.

Have you heard of Simo Häyhä? Do you know why he was called the White Death? You can learn about the lives of Simo Häyhä and other veterans of the Kollaa battles at the Kollaa and Simo Häyhä Museum!