Where is Lappeenranta. What to see in the vicinity. Natural attractions of the city

Lappeenranta is called the most Russian city in Finland. But not everyone knows that the prosperous border city deserved this title not only because of the love of Russian tourists for local shopping.

Christina on Saimaa

If at any holiday in Lappeenranta you meet an overgrown man with a green wreath on his head and a club in his hand, do not be surprised, this is Willimies, an ancient resident whose image adorns the coat of arms of the city. The word "ancient" in this case is not an exaggeration at all. The history of the place today called Lappeenranta began centuries ago. Excavations at Kauskila, 10 km from the center of Lappeenranta, showed that a settlement on the southern coast of Saimaa existed another 400 years before our era. Later, at the place where the modern port is now located, a marketplace with a marina grew up, where tar and tar, which were the main commodities in the local market, were brought from different regions. At that time, this place was called Lapvesi, which can be translated as Lapland water.

The new history of the settlement began in 1649, when the Swedish Queen Kristina (and the Finnish lands at that time were part of Sweden) granted him city rights, name and coat of arms. This was done on the advice of the governor in Finland, General Peter Brahe, who was worried about protecting the eastern borders of the kingdom and saw Lapvesi as a good point for both trade and border protection. However, formally, the city’s rights were only confirmed in 1652, when the city’s construction plan was approved by Eric Aspergen, the first topographer of Lappeenranta. Thus, the settlement on the coast of Saimaa, where then two hundred people lived, received the right to internal trade and began to grow. Foreign goods were brought here from Vyborg and Helsinki. Most of the warehouses belonged to Vyborg merchants at that time.

A common view is that the Finnish name Lappeenranta translates literally as “Sami shore”. The first part of the word indicates that Laplanders once lived here, ranta in Finnish - the shore. And the first name - Lapvesi - says the same thing. However, there is no consensus on the etymology of the name of the city today. The Swedish version of the name is Wilmanstrand, which means “wild coast”. Both the name and the emblem speak in favor of the version that Queen Christina considered the people who lived in these parts to be wild, and therefore gave the city such a name, but there is no documentary evidence of this version.

The city was created to protect the borders, and soon he had to carry out this task. During the Northern War (1700 - 1721) in 1710, Vyborg was surrendered to the Russians, and Wilmastrand had to be evacuated. As soon as possible, the Swedes began to strengthen the border city. The first plan of the fortress was created by the German fortification engineer Johann Faber. In 1720, the first earthen bastions began to be built.

Bloody massacre in Wilmanstrand

In 1721, the Nishtad Peace Treaty was signed between Russia and Sweden. Vyborg and a significant part of Karelia became part of Russia. The military importance of Wilmanstrand (Lappeenranta) has increased many times, and therefore began to build defenses. The Lappeenranta fortress, along with the fortresses of Olavinlinna (Savonlinna) and Friedrichshamn (Hamina) was to become one of the outposts of the new defensive system in Finland. The fortress was an irregular geometric figure, fortified by powerful bastions with earthen ramparts. Inside was a garrison town. The construction of the fortress was somewhat delayed due to lack of funds and continued in 1730. Then from the south side they poured a rampart and built a gate.

In 1741, the so-called “hat war” began: the Swedes sought to regain the territories lost after the Northern War. The battle of Wilmanstrand, which took place on August 23, 1741, is called one of the most brutal battles in a series of Russian-Swedish wars.

This is how various sources describe the battle. An infantry regiment with artillery, led by Colonel Gustav Willebrandt, came to the aid of the main garrison of the fortress. On the hill of Myllymäki (where large shopping centers are now located), there were Swedish units led by General Karl Gustav Wrangel. Russian troops in the amount of 10 thousand people (2 times more than the Swedish) were commanded by Field Marshal Petr Petrovich Lassi. The Russians appeared from the east (from around now tourists enter Lappeenranta), but were caught in crossfire from Mullyumäki Hill and the garrison. Having retreated with losses for a while, after a short respite, the wards of Lassi went on the assault on Myllyumyaki. For three hours, the battle continued with varying success. Finally the hill was taken. The surviving Swedes fled to the garrison.

The Russians attacked the fortress using cannons taken from the Swedes. When the enemy realized that his situation was hopeless, a white flag was thrown. However, when Lassi sent parliamentarians to the fortress, they were shot. A fierce battle began, during which blood from the fortress flowed like water. In memory of this terrible massacre at the Vyborg Gate of the fortress in the Old Park, an unusual monument was erected - a log in the portico on a granite pedestal under the cover of two guns. They say that this is a log from the fortress gate, which was carried out from the fortress in a bloody stream. Where it stopped, a monument was erected there.

The inscription on the plate reads: “There was a battle between the Finnish defensive army and superior enemy forces. The fortress was defended by a garrison formed from the Finnish Karelian dragoon regiments of Hämö and Savo, the Swedish regiments of the North-West and the battalion under the command of Colonel Willebrand. Upon capture, the city of Lappeenranta was looted and burned. The spirits of our ancestors cry out to us: "Keep this land, saturated with sweat and blood of past generations, from misfortunes"

A remarkable fact: after returning to his homeland, he was awarded, but the commander-in-chief of the Swedish troops, Lieutenant General von Buddenbrock (1685-1743) was found guilty of defeat and executed in Stockholm in 1743.

The post-war fate of Lappeenranta was unenviable: in the plundered and burnt city, several dozen former residents remained. People from Vyborg and Vyborg province began to be resettled here. Many years passed before the military wounds healed.

Russian fortress

In 1743, the Russian-Swedish war ended with the Abos Peace Treaty, according to which the Russian-Swedish border moved west and passed along the Kumijoki River. Lappeenranta, Hamina, Savonlinna and other cities in Southern Finland became Russian. In 1750, the Russian border regiment settled in Lappeenranta. In 1791, Catherine II instructed Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov to strengthen the borders with a potential rival - Sweden. Suvorov created a fortification system of three chains of fortifications in the territory of old Finland to protect St. Petersburg, combining large fortresses in Petrozavodsk, Vyborg, Savonlinna, Kronstadt and several small fortifications. At the same time, several channels were dug through which the Saimaa fleet, which had been in Lappeenranta since 1788, could maneuver. The canals connecting Savonlinna and Lappeenranta are still called Suvorov.

In Lappeenranta itself, the bastions that looked towards Russia were torn down at the direction of Suovrov, the ramparts around the fortress were raised and fortified with gray stone. Several new bastions were erected. However, despite all the reliability, the Suvorov system was not useful, because 10 years after its completion, in 1809, all of Finland was annexed to Russia.

Under a peaceful sky

The military page of Lappeenranta’s history ended, but the fortress continued to play an important role in the life of the city. There was still a garrison, all the structures created during the time of Suvorov were used. On the territory of the fortress were houses where civilians lived. Here was and is now the Orthodox Church of the Protection of the Holy Virgin. Built in the 18th century, this temple is the oldest building in the city. On the territory of the fortress there was a women's prison, where women were convicted of infanticide, and spinning workshops in which they   worked. In May 2015, a cultural center was opened in the building of these workshops. Later, the women's prison was transferred to Hämeenlinna, and a three-story brick men's prison was built on the territory of the fortress. In 1918, there were "red" Finns, many of whom were shot on the northern slope of the fortress.

Today Lappeenranta is a successfully developing industrial and university center of South Karelia, but the fortress is still the dominant feature of the city - architectural and historical. In the names of her streets - the Swedish Queen Christina and the great Russian commander Suvorov - a story is intertwined from which it is impossible to cross out a single page, no matter how bitter it may be.

Lappeenranta is a small city on the shores of Saimaa, the closest to the Russian border, daily hundreds of residents of St. Petersburg come here mainly for shopping and rent a visa. And we did this more than once. On the same trip, it was decided to abandon shopping and finally see the sights of Lappa, as the Russians abbreviated as this Finnish town, forgive us the Finns for this, the original name is very difficult to pronounce.

Lappeenranta is the Finnish name of the city, like many Finnish cities it has the Swedish name - Wilmanstrand. The Swedish name is almost never used, since the Swedish rule ended back in 1743, but the Finns honor their Swedish past and the Swedish language is considered the second state language and all inscriptions in public places and even on road signs are made in Swedish and Finnish. Currently, only 5% of the Swedish-speaking population lives in Finland.

And in the vicinity of the Russian border, many inscriptions are also written in Russian, in many stores Russian saleswomen greet you, even native Finns know a certain set of words in Russian. This is a common situation for border cities; in the Vyborg market, Russian merchants also know a few words in Finnish.

In the city of Finland closest to St. Petersburg, there are many buses and minibuses. As a rule, transportation services are provided by small travel companies of St. Petersburg, such as Eurotour (). Eurotour buses start from the OZERKI and Moskovskaya metro stations. You definitely need to have medical insurance with you, which you can also buy on the Eurotour website.

If you drive your own car, you will have to purchase a Green Card, an analogue of our third-party liability insurance for foreign countries, for medical insurance. The cost of such a card is the same everywhere, it depends on the euro exchange rate and the type of car, the minimum validity period is 15 days, with home delivery in St. Petersburg and Moscow on the website of the same Eurotour.

To minimize your expenses for a trip to Finland with your car, you can register on the site, find travel companions and share the cost of gasoline or the Green Card with them.

Where to stay in Lappeenranta

In general, to visit Lappeenranta it’s not necessary to spend the night there, you can turn around in one day, but if you plan to go shopping and visit Lappeenranta and the nearby museums, it’s better to spend the night in Finland, so that the next day you can go home without any haste, with sense and arrangement. to St. Petersburg. Overnight in Finland can also promise other pleasures: from throwing fishing rods into the lake to relaxing in the SPA hotel.

The cheapest way to spend the night in Lapp is if you can stop in your tent in the summer or rent a camping cabin. It is important to understand that camping is not a hotel, bed linen and towels need to be taken with you, amenities are in a separate building, but only 50 € for 4 people, 2 km to the city center, a lake nearby, you can go fishing, barbecue.

From budget hotels you can distinguish, this is budget accommodation, Finnish minimalism and self-service in full, breakfast and sauna are included. The cost of such pleasure is from 70 € for two.

For lovers of spa relaxation on the shores of Lake Saimaa is absolutely wonderful. The hotel is located in an old well-renovated building, access to the spa is included in the price. At Lappeenranta Spa everyone likes everything except the price, but sometimes you can afford such a pleasure.

For those who have not found anything suitable for booking, I recommend taking a closer look at the service of renting apartments from the owners of Airbnb. There you can find yourself, as an apartment, and only a room, as well as a nice Finnish house on the lake. from me for the first reservation on the Airbnb website in the amount of about 1,500 rubles.

Lappeenranta Market Square

We visited the market on Thursday 12.06.2014, there was a working day in Finland and there were few traders on the square. The main assortment consists of flowers in pots, berries - strawberries and blueberries, smoked fish - a traditional Finnish product, beloved by Russians and handicrafts of folk craftsmen.

Flowers abound in the market square

Parking at Lappeenranta Market Square

Parking on the market square is paid - 2-20 euros per hour, not cheap at all, but it is a popular tourist destination. Parking on the principle of first you have to pay, then put a check under the glass. This is not the most convenient form of parking, you need to keep track of time all the time.

A large number of the most diverse stores adjoins the market square, but if you go shopping, it is better to surrender to shopping centers on the outskirts of the city, the assortment is no less there and parking is free.

The neat cemetery of the fallen during the last two wars from 1939-1944 adjoins the market square. Nearby is a monument to soldiers buried in Russian territory.

For Finnish settlements, unlike the Russian ones, the location of cemeteries in the city center near a former or existing church is typical. The famous bell tower of Lappeenranta is closed for restoration and all wrapped in polyethylene.

All the sights of the city are located very compactly, it will not be difficult to get around them all on foot. But you can use the services of an excursion train - the route and ticket prices, everything is in Finnish, Google translator will help you understand.

In the pedestrian zone, the sculpture of the Saimaa seal attracts attention.

This rare animal is a subspecies of ringed seal that lives in fresh water. Today, there are only 310 individuals of this species, so the Finns are very careful about the conservation of this animal.

In also there is a monument to the seal, only it is installed in the waters of the lake near the bridge.

Linneutus - Lappeenranta Fortress

Lappeenranta fortress somewhat undermines the concept of what can be called a fortress, there are no walls, towers, towers, ditches filled with water and a drawbridge - Lappeenranta fortress is a bastion type fortress, but even what we can see now is the result of lengthy restoration work . “Linneutus” is translated from Finnish and means “fortress”.

The fortress is located on a natural hill on the banks of Saimaa, we began a tour from the side of the city and walked towards the harbor.

There are several museums on the territory of the fortress, all of them can be visited on a single ticket - 9 euros for an adult and 6 euros for a child. A single ticket allows you to visit Cavalry Museum (Cavalry Museum), Art Museum of South Kaleria, Museum of South Karelia.   Museum tickets are cheaper in winter, but opening hours are shorter in winter. These are small Finnish museums, you should not expect the St. Petersburg scale, each of these museums consists of only a few rooms.

Now the fortress has been restored in the form in which it was under the rule of the Russian Empire in the 18th and 19th centuries. The study of the sights of Lappeeranta to some extent refers to the study of the history of the native land.

The monument in the photo above recalls the bloody battle that took place here during the Northern War between the troops of Sweden and Russia. The battle killed more than 4,000 people on both sides and more than 1,000 Swedes were captured. The massacre in the city took on such a cruel character that blood flowed like a river, according to legend, it was this piece of log that carried the streams of blood out of the fortress and now the monument is called the “Log Monument”.

Immediately after the monument, the Vyborg Gate leads to the fortress. True, they can be called gates conditionally, since they represent a narrow passage in the ramparts. From the gate begins Queen Christina Street. This is the Swedish queen, who in 1649 signed a decree granting the city status to the settlement and approved its coat of arms. The savage is depicted on the coat of arms, so this place was seen from Stockholm in the 17th century.

Cavalry Museum

Right behind the gate on the left side is the former guardhouse, which now houses the Cavalry Museum. Cavalry played a large role in the establishment of Finland's independence. The museum was opened in 1973. His building is considered the oldest existing in the fortress.

  Art Museum of South Karelia

This museum first opened its doors in 1965. The neoclassical buildings that served as the cantonment of military units were built in 1798.

Not only Russians love bears, Finns also give them their due.

Finns, in addition to bears, also respect lions, since the lion is depicted on the coat of arms of Finland.

Behind the art museum is Katarina Square and Christina's workshops, housed in a red wooden building of the 19th century. There, you can not only buy the works of masters, but also look at their work.

The Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built by Russian soldiers in the distant 1744, when the Russian garrison was located in Lappeenranta. This is the first Orthodox church in Finland. Now we can see the stone church, which was built on a wooden site in 1782-1785. Just at that time, the city was watching over the fortification A.V. Suvorovthey say he personally participated in the construction of the church.

Orthodoxy, along with Lutheranism, is still considered the second official state religion of Finland, thus the Finns honor their past under the leadership of the Russian Empire.

Museum of South Karelia

This structure differs from other local brick and wooden buildings in that limestone was used as building material. The main exhibition of the museum tells about the ancient and modern history of Southern Kaleria, the center of which is considered the city of Lappeenranta. South Karelia is also located on the territory of Russia, for example, the cities of Vyborg and Priozersk used to be Finnish. The museum has their layouts.

In the square in front of the museum are two French cannons of the 1877 model. The guns were quite common during the First World War. One hundred similar cannons in Finland received as a gift from France during the war in 1939.

These guns were equipped with the Salpa defensive line, and some of them participated in battles on the Svir and on the island of Hanko. The guns were used for direct fire. The flight range of an eight-kilogram projectile was up to 9.7 km.

  Sand sculpture festival on the embankment of Lake Saimaa

The sculpture festival has already been held 12 times, every year a new theme is chosen for the construction of a sand castle. Builders come from all over Finland to build the largest sand castle in all of Scandinavia.

Passage for the fence costs 3 euros, but the fence is very small and transparent, and there are not so many sculptures, everything is visible because of the fence. The sand castle was opened only on 06/08/2014, not all sculptures are still built, on the periphery lay a huge pile of sand.

I once saw a similar festival near the walls of the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, but our organizers surrounded the sculptures with a high opaque fence so that no one could see anything for free.

Lappeenranta is a vibrant multinational tourist town on the banks of Saimaa, the fourth largest lake in Europe. The city is the second most visited tourist destination among other Finnish cities. Now Lappeenranta is a popular center for tourism and trade, an innovator in the field of renewable energy, as well as a center for research and innovation. Now the population of the city has reached 72,000 inhabitants.

Lappeenranta. Photo: pinterest.com

History of the city

The city of Lappeenranta or Wilmanstrand was founded in 1649 by Queen Christina of Sweden. In August 1741, the Swedes were defeated near Lappeenranta by Russian troops, and according to the Abo Peace Treaty concluded in 1743, the territory went to Russia along the Kumi River (Kumene) with the fortification cities of Lappeenranta (Wilmanstrand) and Hamina (Friedrichshamn).

In the XIX century, with the opening of the resort and the Saimaa Canal, tourism began to develop in the city. In 1885, the Russian imperial family visited Lappeenranta. Wars destroyed the idyll of a small town three more times in the 20th century: during the Civil War of 1918, the Soviet-Finnish "Winter War" of 1939-1940, and World War II. In subsequent years, Lappeenranta turned into a vibrant industrial, commercial and university city, a kind of development locomotive for the entire region of Southern Finland.

Attractions Lappeenranta

The fortress was once part of a system of defensive fortifications, which also included the Suomenlinna fortress in Helsinki and Hamina. It was built as a border fortress, which became part of the chain of fortifications between Finland and northwestern Russia. For many centuries, the fortress was alternately occupied by either Swedes or Russians. Life is still in full swing in this fortress to this day, but now it’s peaceful.

Address: Kristiinankatu.

South Karelian Museum

The museum is located in the old part of the city, in the massive gray stone buildings of the early 19th century, which used to house artillery warehouses. The basis of the museum’s exposition is a model of Vyborg 1939 with an area of \u200b\u200b24 square meters. The museum expositions present the history of South Karelia, the Karelian Isthmus and the vicinity of Vyborg. The main exposition tells the history of the region and the ancient fortress during the period of Swedish and Russian rule. The exhibition is divided into two parts: the exposition “Three Karelian cities” about the history of Lappeenranta, Vyborg and Priozersk and “The Roots of South Karelia” about archaeological finds and the ancient history of Finland.

Address: Kristiinankatu 15.

The museum was opened in the fall of 1965. The museum's collection consists of works of Finnish folk art from the 18th century to the present.
The Art Museum pays special attention to works of art in the southern and eastern parts of Finland, and the contemporary works of Finnish artists occupy a place of honor. Here are the works of such famous artists as Kaskipuro Pentti, Lehtinen Tula, Levo Einari, Anna Vertanen.

Address: Kristiinankatu 8-10.

Cavalry Museum

The museum was opened in 1973 through the efforts of city authorities. It is located in the fortress, the oldest building in Lappeenranta. Here are collected exhibits telling about the war, which lasted from 1618 to 1648. Paintings and engravings of that time tell the story of the battles of all of Europe. The 18th century flintlock gun is the oldest weapon kept in the museum.

Address: Kristiinankatu 2.

Orthodox Church

The oldest Orthodox church in Finland - the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary was founded in 1785. Every evening in the church you can hear the evening ringing “Karelian hills”.

In the alleys of the fortress there are shelters for artists and folk craftsmen from whom you can buy truly unique works: graphics, household ceramics in the national style, glass in the Tiffany style.

Address: Kristiinankatu 3.

The museum is located near the lock "Myalka". It was founded in 1980 and consists of several branches. The exposition in Lappeenranta has been operating since 1995. She talks about the different stages of development of the Saimaa Canal. The museum presents clothing for employees of the channel, models of locks, the office of the head of the channel is equipped here.

Address: Sulkuvartijankatu 16.

House Museum Volkova

The merchant house in the city center is the oldest wooden building in Lappeenranta, preserved to this day. Its individual parts were built in 1826-1905. The oldest part was built by merchant Claudelin. The land passed from hand to hand until it was acquired by merchant Ivan Volkov in 1872. From then until 1983, four generations of the Volkovs lived in this house. The case of the founder of the dynasty, the former serf peasant Ivan Volkov, was continued by his heirs. It was they who gave the house to the city in 1983. As a museum, the house has been open for visits since 1993.

Address: Kauppakatu 26.

Karelian Museum of Aeronautics

The Aviation Museum was opened for visitors in 2000. Its content is handled by the K-SIMY Association of Southeast Finland Air Museums, founded in 1996. The museum consists of two halls, in which, in addition to aircraft, exhibits related to aviation are presented. Here you will see the Mig-21BIS MG-127, SAAB 355 Draken, SAAB-91D SAFIR, as well as aircraft components and parts.

Address: Lappeenranta airfield.

Already 40 minutes after crossing the border you find yourself in the city of Lappeenranta. And, of course, you can’t wait to go shopping, which is plentiful.

In addition to well-known hypermarket chains, such as K-Citymarket (Toikansuontie 4) or Prism (Puhakankatu, 9-11), where you can buy both products and household appliances, a huge number of shopping complexes have been built in this city. All of them are located next to each other, which, of course, makes your shopping productive and comfortable:

• Galleria Shopping Center at Kauppakatu 40.
• shopping center Iso Kristiina. At Brahenkatu 3-7.
• Armada Shopping Center at Kauppakatu 29-31.

For those who want to purchase quality products for home and gardening, we advise you to stop by the Biltema store located on Viipurintie 131. And for groceries you can go to the Lidl store, popular among Russian tourists, at 36 Myllymaenkatu.

On a note:

Lappeenranta is the most popular city in Finland among Russian tourists. In about a year, Russian tourists spend about 200 million euros in Lappeenranta.

Related Material

Unexplored places Lappeenranta

Lauritsala Church

In Finland, there are a large number of churches, and some of them are very original in the form of construction. These churches include the Lauritsala Church. Indeed, the shape of the church is unusual: a triangle that resembles all kinds of things, but not the church, at least in the traditional view. But this form has a simple explanation ─ the triangle symbolizes the Holy Trinity. The people often call this church "Heavenly Light." Like most churches in Finland, Lauritsala is Lutheran; it is located just four kilometers from the city center. It is worth noting that the church is also notable for its interior, for example, the benches are located in an amphitheater. Many tourists say that this is an unexpected attraction for the city, which leaves a strong impression.

Address: Kauppalankatu 1.

Hinkanranta Beach

After many places of interest are examined, as a rule, you want to relax a bit. To do this, you should go to the city beach of Hinkanranta, where you can swim in the lake and bask in the sauna. Finns treat saunas with special trepidation and respect, therefore they are present not only in every house, but also on some city beaches, relaxing in the city is a great opportunity not to be missed.

Address: Rantatie 540.

Opening hours: Tue-Thu.: From 15:00 to 20:00, Fri-Sat: from 15:00 to 21:00, Sun: from 15:00 to 20:00.

Luukkaansalmi Bridge

Most of the popular cycling routes pass through this bridge. The bridge rises 25 meters above the lake. You can observe an amazing panorama from it: on the one hand a rather dull industrial picture, and on the other hand, a view of the limitless nature and barges that go along the lake, it is definitely worth seeing.

Address: Vehkataipaleentie.

Every summer, a magnificent sand castle is erected on the shores of Lake Saimaa. The castle is considered the largest in Scandinavia. The sand castle opens around mid-June and runs until the end of August. Every year a new theme is selected, children take an active part in this event, the theme of this year was music.

Address: Linnoitusniemi.

• The city was founded in 1649 and bore the Swedish name Wilmanstrad, which translates as "savage coast" or "wild coast", so the savage is depicted on the city’s coat of arms.
• Every summer, sand sculptures of amazing beauty on various subjects are erected on the shores of Lake Saimaa.
• Have you ever heard folk finnish songs? If not yet, then it is worth fixing, but not in the usual way: for this you need to come to Lappeenranta. Finnish folk song sounds from the bell tower of the Orthodox Church, which is located in the Fortress. You can enjoy the sound of the song only in the summer, at nine in the evening.
• In many cities around the world there is such a tradition: to hang "locks of love" on bridges. Lappeenranta also has a place where you can perpetuate your love. You can hang the "lock of love" on the observation tower, which is located in the port of the city.

Lappeenranta (Finland) is a small town by Russian standards near the border. It is two hundred and twenty kilometers from St. Petersburg, sixty from Vyborg, and even less than 25 km from the Brusnichnoye checkpoint. Therefore, from the city on the Neva, you can go to Lappeenranta and return home within one day.

Most of our compatriots consider a trip to Finland exclusively through the prism of shopping tours. But in vain. You can significantly your spiritual world by visiting this city with an educational tour. However, to relax on the shores of the wonderful Lake Saimaa in the summer and ride on a real ski slope in winter is also quite possible. Let's see how to get there and how to spend time in the wonderful and characteristic town of Lappeenranta. After all, he is so interesting.

In Lappeenranta by minibus

Private carriers of St. Petersburg literally fight for customers. The package of services often includes collecting and transporting to the addresses of passengers, as well as paying them money by invoice. But the main purpose of such trips to the Finnish city is purely commercial. In addition to brief information about Lappeenranta, you will not hear anything more from the guide. But there will be long stops at Lidl, Prism stores, and shopping malls. Some carriers promise free time for their sightseers.

Here's what a regular shopping tour in Lappeenranta looks like. Departure from St. Petersburg around seven to nine in the morning, passing the border without visiting the duty-free store. Then, before reaching the city, the group for an hour drops anchor near the Lapland store. Then you are given “free time” for sightseeing. It varies from two to three hours. It is usually used by tourists to plunder the central boutiques of the city. Then the group goes on an excursion to the shopping centers "Lidl", "Disa" s Fish ", the wholesale warehouse" Kespro "and returns to St. Petersburg late at night.

By bus

Tourist minivans are good because they take you home with numerous purchases. You can also negotiate with the driver about transportation to Lappeenranta Airport - the easternmost in the European Union. From there, the Air Baltic, Blue1 and Ryanair low-cost flights fly to Germany, Italy, Spain and the capital of the country, Helsinki.

Of course, the regular bus to Lappeenranta is not as convenient as the minibus provided by the travel agency. But you are not constrained in time and can spend it on what you want to do. This type of transport leaves from the city bus station, as well as daily from the Gallery shopping center (near the Pulkovskaya hotel. Using regular buses, it is quite possible to make independent one-day tours to Lappeenranta.

By train

If your goal is Helsinki, then the Pendolino high-speed train will take you from the border city to the capital of Finland in two hours. Bus and train stations are located nearby. But you are unlikely to be able to plan a Lappeenranta 1-day train tour. Unfortunately, there is no direct rail link between St. Petersburg and Lappeenranta. The authorities promised to introduce such a train in 2014. But so far, by rail, this Finnish city can only be reached with a change in Vainikkale. From there go minibuses to Lappeenranta. By the way, the old building of the Imperial Station, which was one of the sights of the city, burned down in a fire last year.

Lappeenranta 1 Day Cruise

From mid-May to the first decade of September, you can take an exciting journey to this Finnish city by ship. The motor ships “Karelia” and “Camila” depart from Vyborg, Russia and sail along the picturesque Saimaa Canal with the entrance to the city of Lappeenranta, whose sights - the castle and the church - are perfectly visible from the side of the boat. Passengers are given several hours of free time, so the trip, if desired, will be very informative. From June 16 to August 9, lovers of boat trips are given another opportunity: take a ride on the motor ship "Brahe" from Lappeenranta to Savonlinna along the surface of the beautiful Lake Saimaa.

What you can see on your own in Lappeenranta

In this small city, whose population is only seventy-two thousand people, a map is practically not needed. Lappeenranta, as well as the expanse of the lake will open to your eyes if you climb the fortifications of Linnoitus Lappeenranta or the local bastion. The fortress was erected in 1649 on an outstanding promontory. The Swedes began to build it, and the Russians already finished.

Here you can familiarize yourself with the most interesting history of the city. He also has another, Swedish name - Wilmanstrand, which means “Savage Coast”. This name is also displayed in the coat of arms of the city, on which a man in green with a club flaunts. For a long time Lappeenranta was a Russian outpost guarding the country's borders from the Swedes. Here the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary - the oldest Orthodox church in Finland (the year of consecration - 1785). The cathedral is located on the territory of the fortress, as well as the museums of the Horse Guards and Art of South Karelia, an exhibition of crafts.

Walking

To enjoy the calm, pacifying atmosphere of this resort, just walk along the streets of a city like Lappeenranta. Its sights are not limited to the fortress complex alone. Be sure to take a look at the country's oldest wooden town hall (1829), the monument to the battle of Wilmanstrand, visit the Lutheran churches of the Virgin Mary and Samonlahti, the house-museum of the merchant Volkov, an art gallery. You will not feel in this city because local residents have long been accustomed to Russian tourists and, if they behave in a civilized manner, show them cordiality and hospitality.

Events

When planning a trip to the city of Lappeenranta for 1 day, you can guess in such a way as to get to one of the many festivals. For example, on May 17th there will be held the “Night of Museums”. The entire complex of the fortress at this time is working around the clock, but they do not charge money for entering it. In addition, fire and dance shows, tours in Russian, firing from cannons and a performance of a puppet theater are expected.

Summer is especially eventful. An excursion train works, a competition of sand castles is held, exhibitions of aviation, precious stones, paintings are held, fairs are held. On June 13th, a jazz festival will be held at this resort, and on July 12-13, a festival of music. On August 22 and 23, a gala concert of European ballet will take place.

Autumn here is off season. The fun begins again with the advent of the Christmas holidays, which are marked by the opening of the winter fair. On December 23, the city solemnly meets Joulupukki at the railway station.

Leisure

Arriving in the city of Lappeenranta for 1 day, you can have a great time in nature. If the weather spoils you on a hot summer day, the beautiful sandy Mullusaari beach with a water slide is at your service. This resort has a racetrack, golf courses, and a stadium with pools. From May 1 to the end of September, the “Flow Park” is open for outdoor enthusiasts. On the shore of the lake, on the beach, there is also a sauna. You can also enjoy the baths at the Lappeenrannan Kilpilya SPA Hotel.

In summer, the local tour desk organizes hiking and cycling excursions. Tracks and tracks are perfectly marked, so you can go hiking yourself. You can rent a boat or the huge expanse of the lake and the constant winds allow you to surf here.

Winter is not a barrier to outdoor activities in Lappeenranta. Any alpine resort can envy the abundance of snow entertainment in this city. Instead of a sand castle, an ice palace is being erected. There is a skating rink in the center of winter entertainments “Kisapuisto” and a real ski resort Khukhtiniemi with ski jumps, slopes, slalom, toboggan and snowboard tracks.

Useful information for tourists about Lappeenranta in Finland - geographical location, tourist infrastructure, map, architectural features and attractions.

The city of Lappeenranta was founded as a fortified fortress on the shore of the largest in the region of Lake Saimaa by the Swedish Queen Christina in 1649. In the XIX century. thanks to the construction of the Saimaa Canal, which connected the city with the Gulf of Finland, Lappeenranta turned into the industrial, commercial, cultural and tourist center of South Karelia.

Due to its proximity to Vyborg and St. Petersburg, as well as the abundance of shops and shopping centers, it constantly attracts Russian tourists for leisure and shopping. Especially for them in Lappeenranta built such huge department stores as “Citymarket” and “Euromarket”, welcoming our tourists with information in Russian.

In addition to a fascinating and profitable shopping in this wonderful city, you can visit the ancient fortress, the passenger port, the hippodrome, see churches and museum exhibits, and relax on the city beach. Walking along the small clean streets and well-kept parks will leave you with an unforgettable pleasant experience.

An airport has been built in the city and high-quality road communication has been established between the cities of Finland and Russia, which allows tourists to choose this city.

The main attraction of Lappeenranta is the ancient fortress of Linnoytus, which has retained its original appearance thanks to the restoration. From the height of the fortress walls, a magnificent view of the beautiful lake Saimaa opens from here.

There are several museums on the territory of the fortress: Museum of Art of South Karelia, Art and Cavalry Museums. Tourists can also visit the ceramic workshop, which sells souvenirs. In the summer, all museums located inside the fortress can be bypassed with a single ticket.

The oldest Orthodox church of the Protection of the Holy Virgin was built by Russians in 1785 on the territory of the fortress.

The house-museum of the merchant Volkov keeps the life story of four generations of one merchant family, furnishings of that time and is part of the cultural heritage of Lappeenranta.

The wonderful climate and natural landscape, forming mountain ranges of sand and gravel - Sallausselkä - create excellent conditions for outdoor activities, especially in the summer.

From the berths of the city port, ships go on a cruise along the Saimaa Canal and pleasure excursion vessels on Lake Saimaa and other lakes. You can travel on your own by renting a yacht, boat, boat or kayak.

In winter, Lappeenranta has a large number of well-lit ski slopes for amateur skiing. For professionals, there are ski jumps and slalom slides.

There is also a Sports Palace for those who wish to improve their health and several pools.

The historical places of Lappeenranta and the city itself with a measured and calm life of its inhabitants attract tourists with the prospect of a relaxing holiday. The central part of the old city, which houses several museums, churches, the Linnoytus fortress and port, is a traditional venue for various events and music concerts.

Another annual spectacle is the festival of sand figures, dedicated to the marine theme, bringing joy to adults and children. For small visitors there is a small amusement park.