Lappeenranta in brief Lappeenranta is a vibrant shopping destination and summer town on the shores of beautiful Lake Saimaa. Lappeenranta lies between east and west and it is both beautiful and international, small and large. Lappeenranta is a lively university town that can still offer rustic landscapes and the peace and quiet of nature ”A beautiful summer town.” These are the words travellers use to describe Lappeenranta, home to 73 000 people. Of course, the locals may not always see the beauty of their home in the same way, but viewing the town with fresh eyes makes clear how descriptive those words are. By train the distance between Helsinki and Lappeenranta is two hours and St. Petersburg is only an hour and a half away. Direct flights from Lappeenranta International Airport take travellers to Europe. A walking tour of the historic Fortress, where the town’s multiphase story began, paints pictures of the times of Swedish and Russian rule. The walls of the Fortress provide a direct view onto the lake and the vibrant harbour: the passenger ships, mooring docks, terraces and the largest, most incredible sand castle in the country. The boats in the harbour take travellers on tours of the archipelago and the Saimaa Canal. The Fortress is also directly connected to Rakuunamäki, the old garrison area. In the town centre one may find interesting statues and monuments, verdant parks, historically significant buildings and locations as well as restaurants, bars, boutiques and shopping centres. Lappeenranta also has its own signature delicacies, such as the Vety and Atomi mincemeat pies, the Marianne candy and the latest local innovation, Norppa beer made by Hito hyvä. A summer town indeed. The summertime allure of the lake, the sand and bedrock beaches, the Canal and the numerous parks cannot be understated, but the beauty does not fade away with the summer. Come autumn, culture and sports events become more frequent and the student life begins again. As the weather cools people move indoors and the small town might seem quiet on the surface, but it only seems that way.
HISTORy As one rises towards the Fortress from the south, the picturesque cobblestones of Kristiinankatu and the beautiful Pusupuisto park conceal the memory of a bloody battle. Between the street and the park the oldest monument in Lappeenranta stands as an impressive reminder of what took place. Many travellers stop in their tracks to read the plaque and take photos. The plaque tells the tale of the bloody war during the Lesser Wrath where the Russians conquered the town from the Swedish in 1741. The historic centre is the most important and beautiful part of any town, a mustsee for every visitor. In the historic centre of Lappeenranta you can almost hear the town telling its tales. In the Fortress old meets new and you can find apartments, cafes, restaurants, artists’ studios and museums side by side. The fortress grounds also house facilities of YLE, the Finnish Broadcasting Company. Events are held in the historic centre throughout the year. These include the Snow Church, Easter celebrations, St. Petersburgian Fair, Advent celebrations and the Christmas Fair. 4
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The Hats’ War ended with the Treaty of Åbo in 1743 and South Karelia became a part of Russia. The Russians added the so-called Nikolay ramparts and the fortifications of Pallo and Kimpinen. When Finland became a part of the Russian Empire as the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1809, the Fortress was no longer needed in its original role as border fortress.
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The town’s churches – the centuries old wooden St. Mary’s Church of Lappee, the Lappeenranta Church built on fortress grounds and the modern Lauritsala Church made of concrete – are all beautiful and unique in their own way. St. Mary’s Church of Lappee leads visitors to the Valtakatu street in the town centre and on summer Saturdays you may spot children about to be confirmed and beautiful brides in the church’s park.
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Vignettes of the TOWN Lappeenranta is a vibrant shopping destination and summer town on the shores of beautiful Lake Saimaa. In the summer the town’s heart beats with the harbour. People walk down the Kirkkokatu and Kauppakatu streets as they are in a hurry to get to the water. In addition to the boats and cruise ships, the harbour houses the boat terraces Suvi-Saimaa and Princess Armaada, the restaurant Casino Terrace, several cafes and kiosks and a playground. The harbour offers many types of edibles and drinkables from waffles to pies and ice cream. In the busy buzzing of the harbour market the mood is always light and warm. 18
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Lappeenranta is a town of green energy. For the Holiday Home Fair the students of the University of Technology built a power grid for their section using solar panels and a wind turbine that produced even more electricity than they needed. Now solar panels have been installed outside of the University campus as well, in places such as the mooring docks and the sandcastle in the harbour. The children’s mini train at the sandcastle is also powered by solar energy.
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The factory area also houses UPM’s North European research centre and Kaukaan Voima’s biopower plant, which produces electricity and municipal heating also for nearby residents. In January 2015, a biorefinery producing renewable diesel fuel from tall oil, a waste product of the pulp factory, began operations. It is the first facility of its kind in the world.
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Lappeenranta is a sweet place. Fazer’s sugary treats are made at the company’s Lappeenranta factory, which employs approximately 350 people. Since 1993, Chymos candies have also been a part of the Fazer product family. Finnish favourites salmiakki, liquorice, fruit candy and Angry Birds sweets are also made in Lappeenranta. Marianne, the red and white striped candy classic, was invented in Lappeenranta in 1949. 35
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The Saimaa Canal is 43 kilometres long and connects Lake Saimaa to the Gulf of Finland. On the Finnish side of the canal there are three locks: Mustola, M채lki채 and Soskua. There is a park area surrounding the mouth of the canal where people may watch boats as they approach the lock. A few-hourslong canal cruise or a longer trip to Vyborg is great way to spend a summer day. 37
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Sampo, or Saimaa Vocational College, offers youths and adults vocational education and work-related development services. Close co-operation with working life is emphasized and students have the option to also complete upper secondary school together with their vocational training. The college and its students also offer hairdresser, beautician, restaurant and construction services, among others. Sampo has approximately 4 200 students. 45
When summer begins, the town’s guest harbour and mooring docks fill with boats. The view from the shores and terraces of the harbour is breath-taking. One might think they were in Monaco, which is actually what the harbour is sometimes playfully called.
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PEACEFUL NATURE Stretching out from the town centre, the beautiful Lake Saimaa and its islands are what set Lappeenranta apart. The town is also surrounded by numerous beautiful countryside areas, including Yl채maa with its small lakes and the special Gem Village. The bedrock and sand beaches in the region are accessible by boat, car or bicycle. Some are even within walking distance. The town has several terrific beaches and Myllysaari near the town centre is a superb summer oasis and family park with plentiful services and leisure opportunities. 49
A short walk on the beach boulevard can take you from the bustle of the harbour to the peace and quiet of nature. On the Halkosaari island one can enjoy a picnic on grass or rock and watch the ships and boats passing by. The island also has one of the town’s last surviving carpet-washing piers and, indeed, washing carpets in Halkosaari is one of the highlights of the summer for many. 50
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Come autumn the life in the harbour and the beaches slows down, yet they offer great settings for outdoors activities throughout the year. The boating season also extends long into the autumn. The town has dozens of lit running tracks, indoor sports halls and bicycle routes. 55
There is enough Saimaa for everyone, and with over 1 000 kilometres of shoreline there are more than enough private hideouts to go around. Wall Street Journal has placed Lake Saimaa among the five most beautiful lakes in the world. The area also has hundreds of holiday cottages for rent and plenty of boating destinations and canoeing trails. Taipalsaari’s Päihänniemi has lovely long sand beaches and a nature trail. The place is accessible by both car and boat. 64
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LEISURE TIME Lappeenranta is an idyllic small town bursting with activities and offerings! In addition to the many opportunities provided by Lake Saimaa, the town also offers golf on stunning courses, bicycle and hiking trails, a street train that takes travellers to see the sights, sports rentals from boats to water scooters and plenty of events, competitions and happenings to take part in throughout the year.
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The Myllysaari beach in the town centre boasts a parkour course, beach volley court and Flow Park with its adventure trails. Outdoor exercise sessions are also held at the beach free of charge. In the popular children’s traffic town children can cruise around in pedal cars or ride their own bikes and learn traffic signs. Holiday Club Saimaa, situated in the village of Rauha, offers terrific surroundings and plenty of services.
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Annual events spice up the town centre’s calendar. Festival atmosphere may be enjoyed at the annual fashion shows organised by the LaKes association: Fashion by Day in the spring and Fashion by Night in the autumn. The events also bring people to shop in the streets, market squares and stores of the town centre. The traditional street painting event at the harbour market begins the children’s summer while the summer concert season also begins in late May.
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�How is that possible? How is it made?� These are the questions asked each year as an incredible sand castle has once again been built in Linnoitusniemi. This sand castle, the largest in Finland, is made using over three million kilograms of sand and its theme is chosen by locals and changes every year. The area surrounding the sandcastle also has a playhouse village, merry-go-round, mini train and a sandpit. 81
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The two-day Lappeenranta Ballet Gala offers international ballet once a year. The programme contains unforgettable ballet classics as well as modern works and award-winning choreographies. The city theatre holds five to seven premieres each year. In early 2016 the new theatre in the top floor of the IsoKristiina mall will open its doors. The new theatre will be located where the people are, which makes it unique in Finland.
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Lappeenranta has over one hundred sports clubs with plenty of members. The town has national-level teams in ice hockey, floorball, basketball, rinkball and women’s Finnish baseball. In home games the atmosphere at the Kisapuisto ice stadium, Urheilutalo sports hall and old Vanha kenttä is sizzling hot. The hockey club SaiPa is the pride of the Lappeenranta and each game is analysed afterwards all over town. 89
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Lappeenranta’s Christmas Street and Christmas Fair are sure signs that Christmas is just around the corner. If you are having trouble getting into the holiday spirit, a remedy exists. The Christmas Street in the town centre opens the holiday season. There vendors sell handicrafts, foods and pastries in 20 cottages that stay open from early December all the way to Christmas. The Christmas Street brings a breath of Central European holiday atmosphere to the town centre. The traditional Christmas Fair on Katariinantori market square has been held each year for a quarter of a century. For two days people roam the Fair looking for experiences, memories, scents, joy, handicrafts, Christmas decorations and pastries. The Christmas Fair is a place for unique finds and many locals have that certain something they always get from the Fair, something without which Christmas is not complete. 103