Snomannen: Bigfoot from Lapland. Snow and cold
"Where is Lapland?" - the kids are interested when they hear what it is mysterious place- the birthplace of Santa Claus and the habitat of the Snow Queen.
One region in four countries
It is impossible to say unambiguously where Lapland is located, in which country. And not because the area is enchanted - it simply does not exist, because Lapland was called the territory beyond the Arctic Circle. 400 thousand kilometers of Lapland are included in the northwestern part of Russia, Norway and Sweden, but a large share of the land belongs to Finland.
In this country, there is officially a region of Lapland with the capital Rovaniemi. It is inhabited by Laplanders, or Sami. And therefore we can assume that Finland is the correct answer to the question: “Where is Lapland, in what state?”
Snow and cold
Reviews from tourists note that Lapland is a truly fabulous country. After all, even the harsh Arctic climate is surprisingly softened in the places where Lapland is located. Thanks to the warm influence of the Gulf Stream, summer temperatures in Lapland are no different from average European ones.
From June to the end of October, the sun often shines here, a fresh wind blows, and in addition you can observe the wonderful northern phenomenon - white nights. Autumn in Lapland is elegant, with golden foliage, rich in mushrooms and berries.
The snow finally falls in October and remains until the end of May. For Christmas and New Year The polar night, decorated with the northern lights, descends on Lapland.
Natural features
An amazing place, Lapland, where there is everything that a traveler could wish for, escaping from the crowded city. In reviews, tourists write that comfortable Yulles is a paradise for those who prefer On the hills, rising to a height of 500-700 meters, there are many trails of varying degrees of difficulty, jumps, slides and other entertainment for snowboarders and skiers.
Countless bodies of water, among which the Kemijoki River is the most famous, allow for interesting rafting trips and plenty of fishing. In their reviews, tourists share their impressions of excellent fishing on sea coast, cut by fiords. The fishing here is excellent for cod, mackerel and herring.
By visiting one of the 8 national parks of Lapland, you can better get to know the nature of this part of the planet. People move around the parks by dogs, skis and motor sleighs. During a leisurely walk on foot, it is easy to spot the indigenous inhabitants of Lapland forests - foxes, hares, arctic foxes, who hide under low birch trees or huge spruce trees.
Sights of Lapland
Reviews from tourists say that Lapland has something to do for both adults and children. Popular tourist spots in the capital Rovaniemi (Lapland), where you can find:
- amusement park "Arktikum";
- ice palace Lumilinna;
- Siida Sami Museum;
- Aine Art Museum and much more.
Under the glass dome of the Arktikum amusement park in the Museum of Lapland you can study the life and customs of the Sami people and see a unique exhibition dedicated to shamans. It’s interesting to know how they cast spells and summoned spirits! Arktikum is also an interesting museum of the Arctic.
In the town of Kemi there is a truly magical Lumilinna ice palace, where the cheerful spirits Arttu and Terttu live. Everything in the building is made of snow, even the beds, and average temperature indoors is +5. equipped with an ice restaurant, a children's playground, there is even a jewelry museum and a chapel - all made of snow and ice.
Saariselki is another ice village, where Sami igloos with a cold transparent ceiling are visible through which sparkles are visible. The village has an ice church, a bar and an ice sculpture gallery.
Entertainment in Lapland
Where Lapland is located, you can have a great time riding reindeer sleds. True, for this you need to complete a short driving course, and then boldly hit the road. Reindeer feel at ease in Lapland, because the largest number of them live here on earth.
Dog lovers will appreciate the opportunity to fly with the breeze in a husky sled. Blue-eyed dogs are not as easy to command as it seems, but if everything works out, how much pleasure does the tourist experience!
A visitor to the Sami land will experience a unique experience when he goes to explore the Gulf of Bothnia on a real icebreaker, and the bravest can even try swimming in the frozen water.
The birthplace of Santa Claus
Many tourists know that where Lapland is located, Santa Claus lives. The gray-haired wizard in Rovaniemi has everything: his own airport where tourists fly, and a whole village where Santa Claus lives and works.
Together with the elves, he prepares gifts for good children all year and answers their letters. At Christmas in Santa Claus Village, festive events do not stop for a minute. Santa Claus shows visitors his and his flying reindeer and gives them a diploma certifying their visit. Arctic Circle.
Finnish Lapland or Santa Claus Village is the birthplace of Santa Claus, his local residents called Joulupukki. Finnish Santa looks the same as the well-known Santa Claus - in a red fur coat, hat, and white beard. In the 19th century, he was dressed in goat skin and had goat horns (in Finnish Joulu - Christmas, pukki - goat), hence the name Joulupukki. His wife Muori is the personification of winter. According to legend, gnomes help him. They live in the “Echo Caves” throughout the year. There they monitor the children's behavior by listening to them. Before Christmas begins, gnomes sort through the mail to help prepare gifts. Today Santa Claus Village is popular tourist place Finland, where people come from all over the world to see the real Santa.
Santa Claus's apartment in the vicinity of Rovaniemi opened in 1985, but its history began in 1950. Then a small wooden hut was built, and in the 60s a kind of office was built. Over time, a whole village appeared, workshops, a puppet theater, an amusement park, a sales office and a Santa Claus post office, where letters from the children arrive.
People come to Rovaniemi from all over the world, so thousands of guest languages can be heard here. The atmosphere of Christmas in Lapland is all year round. Therefore, Christmas events are constantly held in the town. At any time you can watch international concerts, puppet theater performances, scenes with gnomes and elves. Ambassadors of goodwill and thousands of guests began to traditionally gather in Santa's Workshop. Santa Park will be able to give all tourists a fairy tale; here you can plunge into your childhood and have a carefree time.
The Santa Park entertainment center was built in 1998 in the Syväsenvaara cave at the level of the Arctic Circle. It's a fabulous Christmas at any time. To enter the park, guests must walk 200 meters along a passage from the outer entrance of the cave to its center. The cave contains galleries where four attractions are located. They are divided into several categories: large (where children can ride with their parents or only adults), children's (only for kids), family (for everyone). Among the attractions, the amazing Carousel - Sleigh Ride stands out. She will be able to “fly” through northern landscapes, through dark winter days to the sunny nights of the solstice. Also unique are: Santa's Helicopters - they look like a cabin with pedals in it, and Rudolph's Ride - a very fast adrenaline-pumping ride.
IN Lapland they come to see Santa Claus, real Christmas and take part in interesting fun events. But Lapland is not just a Christmas holiday. Here you can see the most beautiful nature of the North, taste amazingly delicious Sami food, visit year-round nature reserves and national parks. IN summer time Amateurs holiday in Lapland active recreation and pristine nature. They participate in hiking, rafting on small forest rivers, fishing in local lakes and rivers. In winter, tourists ride sleds, sleighs, and run around the slopes ski resorts. Some travelers want to be away from the hustle and bustle, take a break from the outside world, and be alone with beautiful untouched nature.
Lapland traditionally considered the home of Santa Claus. This frosty country occupies an area in northern Sweden, Finland, Norway and the west Kola Peninsula. This is the homeland of the Lapps or Sami. The heraldic symbol of Lapland is Wild Man- a huge, red and hairy man with a club on his shoulder, wearing a loincloth made of leaves. His name is in Swedish Snomannen.
The Sami believe that this creature lives in inaccessible forests beyond the Arctic Circle. In Sweden and Finland you can find sculptures, signs and posters depicting the popular character. Sometimes his statues stand at the forks of the road, images of the red Snomannen with a snow-white beard are painted on the walls of buildings. This large, monkey-like, dirty, bearded creature has been featured in Sami legends since the Middle Ages.
Its body is covered with fur, reminiscent of matting or bast, and emits a terrible stench. The ancient Sami depicted him with horns and a huge club in euki. Snomannen has a wild, furious disposition, he is intemperate and rude, lustful and depraved. His vices are gluttony and drunkenness. Snomannen lives in the northern chess in a cave or den. It feeds mainly on reindeer meat.
In different areas of Lapland, the Wild Man has different names - Stallo, Klous, Div, Jadek, Jass, Klapperbok, Kinderfresser (which means “baby eater”), Tomasniklo. He is sometimes called Red Satan. Over the centuries, the brutal figure of the Wild Man has changed and began to resemble a clown or a fairground fool; it is this character that is the forerunner of the modern Santa Claus.
Santa Claus' helpers before he got the elves were devilish creatures covered in soot - the Dark Helper, Krampus, Julgubben, Black Peter, Peltz Nickel and Ru Klass. They are very reminiscent of the Wild Man.
One cannot help but notice how much Snomannen's descriptions resemble those of Bigfoot or Yeti. The latter looks like a monkey, covered with coarse, dirty fur. His broad face has prominent brow ridges, a flattened nose and a square jaw. The monster's upper limbs are much longer than a person's arms. His feet are huge, and there is no hair on the soles.
In mountainous regions, the Yeti molts and becomes covered with white fur in winter. Bigfoot lives mainly in the polar regions, his favorite food is cranberries, and his home is a cave or den. Bigfoot hunts deer, eats its meat raw, and tears off its skin to sleep on. Interestingly, the word “Yeti” itself is similar to the Swedish word “jatte”, which means “giant”.
In January 2010, reports appeared in Norwegian newspapers of several teenagers encountering Bigfoot. They were picking cranberries in a remote area of Norway when they noticed a huge ape-like creature in the distance. It deftly picked berries with both paws and put them into its mouth. The creature sniffled and grumbled. The guys were afraid to come closer. The berry pickers spent the night in a light, collapsible house. At night, some animal came to the house and scratched itself on the corners, emitting a wild roar and almost toppling the building.
In the morning, the teenagers saw rumpled bushes and excrement. They decided that it was Bigfoot who was coming. It is significant that one of the notes talking about this incident was called “Snomannen’s Visit.”
Everyone recognizes that Santa Claus's home is in Lapland, but several countries are fighting for the right to be considered his homeland. In Sweden, Tompteland is declared the headquarters of Santa Claus. Here, 360 million years ago, a meteorite hit the surface of the Earth with a force equal to the explosion of a thousand atomic bombs. A crater formed at the site of the impact, which eventually filled with water, and Lake Silyan appeared. It is in these places that, according to legend, the Wild Man, Snomannen, or, as the Sami call him, Stallo, lives in the dense forest.
In Tomptelend, the Swedish Santa Claus lives with his helpers, trolls, Snomannen and the Snow Queen.
Tourists visiting Tompteland during the Christmas holidays, in addition to Santa Claus, can also see our friend Snomannen. His face is black, and his body is dressed in animal skins, he holds a club in his hand, and a red cap is on his head.
Sometimes Stallo, which means "metal man" in Sami, is dressed entirely in black or a shiny suit. This tradition probably came from Viking warriors who wore chain mail. According to Sami legends, Stallo especially loves to get into mischief around Christmas. He rides around on a sleigh and steals food supplies from barns and cellars. He raises a wind that lifts up the hem of young girls, and can climb into the bed of young widows or faithful wives whose husbands have gone hunting.
To appease Stallo and discourage the libertine from the marital bedrooms, on Christmas Eve the Sami leave porridge, beer and tobacco on his doorstep. Near the wells, the Sami drive a pole into the ground. It serves so that Stallo can tie the sleigh to the pole. The Sami believe that if the monster does not find water and drink, he will break the child's skull, suck out the brain and drink the blood. That is why it is called the baby eater.
Stallo's sleigh (pulka in Sami) is pulled by lemmings, wild rodents native to the Arctic Circle. These animals were mentioned by the Catholic missionary priest Olaus Magnus, who visited Sweden in 1555. He claimed that in Lapland, lemmings fall from the sky. According to the clergyman, God was thus punishing the pagans because they did not want to accept Catholicism.
Sergey MIKHAILOV
The city of Rovaniemi is best visited on the eve of the New Year. The whole point is that the most famous place in the world - the village of that same Santa Claus. And coming here during the holidays would be very opportune. The village has something to see for both children and adults.
The birthplace of Santa Claus
The Finns themselves believe that the New Year's wizard, who is called Elopukki in these parts, lives on the Korvatunturi hill, near the Russian border, and his main residence is in Rovaniemi. The village is not very big in size. The main place in the village of Santa Claus is his office and post office, where more than half a million letters from children from different corners land. By the way, they say that everything that is wished for, fortunately for adults and children, almost always comes true, if it does not concern financial issues.
On the territory of Rovaniemi there is a deer farm, a complex of residential cottages, shops, restaurants, slides and attractions. On main square In the village of Santa Claus, every tourist will see a dazzlingly beautiful Christmas tree - a symbol of the New Year.
Before the New Year and Christmas, Santa Claus comes to the village large number tourists. Mostly these are families with children. All kids dream of meeting Santa Claus in person. This can be done just during the holidays. You just need to get to the city of Rovaniemi. In the famous village, travelers will be met by elves - Santa's assistants. They will take you to the wizard’s office, but you will have to wait there, because there will be many people willing. Tourists will spend their waiting minutes in a luxurious, warm hall rather than freezing in the cold.
Anyone can visit Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi absolutely free. You will only have to spend money on a snack and buying souvenirs. Photo and video shooting on the territory is prohibited or will cost a lot of money. But in none of the many other villages in Rovaniemi, you will not feel like you are in a fairy tale. Here even an adult will become a child for a while. Santa Claus Village is the most popular place winter holiday among tourists. That is why, when arriving in Finland, the first thing tourists do is rush to visit the popular villages of Rovaniemi.
Opening hours and prices
Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi is open all year round, daily from 10 am to 5 pm. During the winter season before the New Year, the work schedule is extended by several hours. After visiting this amazing place From all the variety of villages in Rovaniemi, you can ride reindeer. Price child ticket– maximum 12 euros, adult – 25 euros. Let us remind you that entrance to the village is free. Unlike the nearby underground theme park - Santa Park.
Lapland is located in the northern part of Finland. Its area is 30% of the territory of Finland. You can get here by plane. The roads here are simply excellent.
Lapland is the land of fairy tales. Snow-covered trees look like fantastic sculptures, the skies shimmer with golden-pink hues, and deer walk along the roads. This country is the birthplace of Santa Claus, or, as he is called here, Yellowpook. Here, near the central city of Rovaniemi, his village is located. In the village there is a real Santa office and his post office. In Lapland you can meet gnomes who help Yellowpooks fulfill the wishes of children. And people have never been to Santa Claus's house on the Korvatunturi hill. According to legend, only good spirits can get here.
A little about the Sami
The Sami are the indigenous people of Finland, living in Lapland. They fish, hunt and breed deer. You can still go dog sledding here. Modern Sami youth try to live with the times. Many people leave for Helsinki, but the traditions of this people are very strong and are carefully followed. Many Sami do not know Finnish.
Tourism in Lapland
Lapland has excellent conditions for relaxation at any time of the year. Popular winter activities- snowboarding and skiing. They also offer this interesting entertainment, like snowmobile safaris, dog sledding and reindeer sledding. In Rovaniemi, tourists can even get a “reindeer license” to drive this type of transport. The Arktikum museum, the Santa Park amusement park are located here, and in the suburbs of Rovaniemi there is the Ranua Arctic Zoo.
The Pyhätunturi hill, at a distance of 53 km from the Arctic Circle, deserves special attention. This is popular ski resort. The skiing season starts in November and lasts until May. If natural snow cover is not enough, it is supplemented with artificial snow, thereby maintaining favorable conditions for skiing throughout the season. They also offer snowshoeing through snowy forests and ice fishing.
A truly wonderful sight is the midnight sun, the polar nights, northern lights. Tourists can admire this beauty of glass igloos. In the village of Sodankylä, they opened the “House of Radiance”, in which, using a projector and mirrors, this natural phenomenon is artificially recreated.
In memory of the trip, you can bring products made from leather and deer antlers, as well as from Arctic birch. Traditional Sami hats, costumes, mittens, and handmade shoes are sold.
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