Lappeenranta
Encyclopedia
Lappeenranta is a city and municipality that resides on the shore of the lake Saimaa
in South-Eastern Finland
, about 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) from the Russia
n border. It belongs to the region of South Karelia
. With approximately inhabitants Lappeenranta is the largest city in Finland. The neighboring municipality of Joutseno
was consolidated with Lappeenranta on January 1, 2009, and the neighboring municipality of Ylämaa
on January 1, 2010.
The town was chartered in 1649 by Queen Christina of Sweden
, legitimizing the trade in the then popular marketplace of Lapvesi. However, the parliamentary privilege charter and the coat of arms were attested in 1652 after the town layout by Erik Aspegren was affirmed. At the time, Lappeenranta was an important port for tar
.
Between 1721 and 1743, Lappeenranta was the capital of Kymmenegård and Savonlinna province.
In 1741, the battle of Villmanstrand
was fought between the Swedish and Russian armies in the Russo-Swedish War of 1741–1743. The battle ended in a Russian victory. The town was pillaged, wooden structures including the provincial chancellery were burnt and the ecclesiastical archives damaged.
The municipality of Lappee was annexed to Lappeenranta in 1967. Nuijamaa joined in 1989. During the financial downturn of 2009 and 2010, Joutseno
and Ylämaa
respectively merged into Lappeenranta.
". The history of Lappeenranta includes the rural municipality of Lappee and the hundred Lapvesi.
The Swedish name Villmanstrand contains the words vildman meaning "wildman" and strand also meaning "shore". The wildman is depicted on Lappeenranta's coat of arms.
, Saimaa University of Applied Sciences, the Army Academy (branch of the Finnish Defence Forces), South Karelia Vocational College and South Karelia Adult Education Centre.
During the summer, when Lake Saimaa and Saimaa Canal
are accessible by water, there is a connection by ship from Lappeenranta to Vyborg
, Russia.
There is also an international airport
in Lappeenranta. Thanks to scheduled flights between Lappeenranta, Weeze and Riga, the metropolises of Europe are within easy reach. Lappeenranta Airport is Finland's fastest growing international airport with 364% growth in passenger numbers in 2010. Making a business or leisure trip to Brussels or London from Lappeenranta is no problem, especially after a direct route to Brussels-Charleroi opened in November 2010. Traffic Connections: Daily flights between Lappeenranta and Riga. Scheduled flights to Brussels (Charleroi), and Weeze. RyanAir will begin to fly to Milano (Bergamo) on 30 March 2011 and the flights are already being sold.
Express train connections: to Helsinki in about 2 hours, and to St. Petersburg in about 1.5 hours on the new Allegro train.
, Paroc, Nordkalk
, VR Group
, Fazer
, The Armed Forces and Outotec
.
SaiPa
is an ice hockey
team playing in the highest level in Finland, SM-Liiga
.
Lappeenrannan NMKY
is a basketball team playing in the highest level in Korisliiga
and have won two championships in 2005 and 2006.
NST
plays floorball in the Salibandyliiga and Rajaritarit is an American Football team in the Vaahteraliiga
.
In women's sports Catz Lappeenranta plays basketball and Pesä Ysit plays Finnish baseball
, both in the top leagues of the nation. Lappeenrannan Veiterä, or just Veiterä, plays in the highest bandy
division and has been Finnish champion four times. The city hosted the first ever Bandy World Championships
for women in 2004.
. In addition, its inland location means that summers tend to be warmer and winters colder than along the coastal areas.
Lappeenranta, however, does have a healthy winter tourism industry. Various cabins around Lake Saimaa, as well as numerous snowmobile, skiing and sledding tracks draw a fair number of winter visitors.
The proximity of the Russia
n border is increasingly visible in the number of Russian tourists visiting the city. In fact, Lappeenranta is closer (211 km (131.1 mi)) to Saint Petersburg
than Helsinki
, the capital of Finland (383 km (238 mi)). The presence of Russians is noticeable by the many Russian registered cars on the streets and the use of signs in shops with Cyrillic letters.
Places and events
with: Rakvere
, Estonia
Stykkishólmur
, Iceland
Drammen
, Norway
Örebro
, Sweden
Kolding
, Denmark
Klin
, Russia
Vyborg
, Russia
Schwäbisch Hall
, Germany
Szombathely
, Hungary
Lake Worth
, United States
Saimaa
Saimaa is a lake in southeastern Finland. At approximately , it is the largest lake in Finland, and the fourth largest in Europe. It was formed by glacial melting at the end of the Ice Age. Major towns on the lakeshore include Lappeenranta, Imatra, Savonlinna, Mikkeli, Varkaus, and Joensuu. The...
in South-Eastern Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, about 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) from the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n border. It belongs to the region of South Karelia
South Karelia
South Karelia is a region of Finland. It borders to the regions of Kymenlaakso, Southern Savonia, North Karelia and to Russia. The term "South Karelia" might also be used to refer to the southern parts of the entire Karelia — the Region of South Karelia is termed "South" because it is the...
. With approximately inhabitants Lappeenranta is the largest city in Finland. The neighboring municipality of Joutseno
Joutseno
Joutseno is a former town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the South Karelia region. Joutseno had a population of 10,821 and covers an area of 498,8 km² of which 187,7 km² is water. The region shares nine kilometers of...
was consolidated with Lappeenranta on January 1, 2009, and the neighboring municipality of Ylämaa
Ylämaa
Ylämaa is a former municipality of Finland. It was consolidated with Lappeenranta on January 1, 2010.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and was part of the South Karelia region. The municipality had a population of 1,408 and covers an area of of which is water. The population...
on January 1, 2010.
History
Lappeenranta was originally formed around a headland pointing to lake Saimaa. In the 16th century, the market place moved from Lappee's old centre Kauskila to the current fortress headland. The first mention of Lapwes, as it was called, is in a privilege charter from 1542 that subjugated the market place under Viborg's authority.The town was chartered in 1649 by Queen Christina of Sweden
Christina of Sweden
Christina , later adopted the name Christina Alexandra, was Queen regnant of Swedes, Goths and Vandals, Grand Princess of Finland, and Duchess of Ingria, Estonia, Livonia and Karelia, from 1633 to 1654. She was the only surviving legitimate child of King Gustav II Adolph and his wife Maria Eleonora...
, legitimizing the trade in the then popular marketplace of Lapvesi. However, the parliamentary privilege charter and the coat of arms were attested in 1652 after the town layout by Erik Aspegren was affirmed. At the time, Lappeenranta was an important port for tar
Tar
Tar is modified pitch produced primarily from the wood and roots of pine by destructive distillation under pyrolysis. Production and trade in tar was a major contributor in the economies of Northern Europe and Colonial America. Its main use was in preserving wooden vessels against rot. The largest...
.
Between 1721 and 1743, Lappeenranta was the capital of Kymmenegård and Savonlinna province.
In 1741, the battle of Villmanstrand
Battle of Villmanstrand
The battle of Villmanstrand was fought during the Russo-Swedish War on August 23, 1741, when Russian forces, under the command of General Peter von Lacy, assaulted Villmanstrand . Fighting began around 2 pm but the Swedes withdrew already at 5 pm. Swedish casualties amounted to 2,000 men killed or...
was fought between the Swedish and Russian armies in the Russo-Swedish War of 1741–1743. The battle ended in a Russian victory. The town was pillaged, wooden structures including the provincial chancellery were burnt and the ecclesiastical archives damaged.
The municipality of Lappee was annexed to Lappeenranta in 1967. Nuijamaa joined in 1989. During the financial downturn of 2009 and 2010, Joutseno
Joutseno
Joutseno is a former town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the South Karelia region. Joutseno had a population of 10,821 and covers an area of 498,8 km² of which 187,7 km² is water. The region shares nine kilometers of...
and Ylämaa
Ylämaa
Ylämaa is a former municipality of Finland. It was consolidated with Lappeenranta on January 1, 2010.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and was part of the South Karelia region. The municipality had a population of 1,408 and covers an area of of which is water. The population...
respectively merged into Lappeenranta.
Name
The name Lappeenranta consists of the genitive of Lappee and the appellative ranta which means "shoreShore
A shore or shoreline is the fringe of land at the edge of a large body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake. In Physical Oceanography a shore is the wider fringe that is geologically modified by the action of the body of water past and present, while the beach is at the edge of the shore,...
". The history of Lappeenranta includes the rural municipality of Lappee and the hundred Lapvesi.
The Swedish name Villmanstrand contains the words vildman meaning "wildman" and strand also meaning "shore". The wildman is depicted on Lappeenranta's coat of arms.
Education
Lappeenranta has numerous schools at almost all levels of education, including the Lappeenranta University of TechnologyLappeenranta University of Technology
The Lappeenranta University of Technology was established in 1969. The university campus is situated on the shore of lake Saimaa, about 7 kilometres away from the city center...
, Saimaa University of Applied Sciences, the Army Academy (branch of the Finnish Defence Forces), South Karelia Vocational College and South Karelia Adult Education Centre.
Transport
Lappeenranta is connected to neighbouring cities and municipalities by road, with railways heading north and south from the city.During the summer, when Lake Saimaa and Saimaa Canal
Saimaa Canal
The Saimaa Canal is a transportation canal that connects lake Saimaa with the Gulf of Finland near Vyborg, Russia. The canal was built from 1845 to 1856 and opened on 7 September 1856 .It was overhauled and widened in 1963–1968....
are accessible by water, there is a connection by ship from Lappeenranta to Vyborg
Vyborg
Vyborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Bay of Vyborg, to the northwest of St. Petersburg and south from Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland...
, Russia.
There is also an international airport
Lappeenranta Airport
Lappeenranta Airport is an international airport in Lappeenranta, Finland. In 2010, approximately 61,000 passengers used the airport. Opened in 1918, Lappeenranta Airport is Finland's oldest still operating airport...
in Lappeenranta. Thanks to scheduled flights between Lappeenranta, Weeze and Riga, the metropolises of Europe are within easy reach. Lappeenranta Airport is Finland's fastest growing international airport with 364% growth in passenger numbers in 2010. Making a business or leisure trip to Brussels or London from Lappeenranta is no problem, especially after a direct route to Brussels-Charleroi opened in November 2010. Traffic Connections: Daily flights between Lappeenranta and Riga. Scheduled flights to Brussels (Charleroi), and Weeze. RyanAir will begin to fly to Milano (Bergamo) on 30 March 2011 and the flights are already being sold.
Express train connections: to Helsinki in about 2 hours, and to St. Petersburg in about 1.5 hours on the new Allegro train.
Economy
The city's main employers are the City of Lappeenranta, UPM-Kymmene, South Karelia Central Hospital, Lappeenranta University of TechnologyLappeenranta University of Technology
The Lappeenranta University of Technology was established in 1969. The university campus is situated on the shore of lake Saimaa, about 7 kilometres away from the city center...
, Paroc, Nordkalk
Nordkalk
Nordkalk is a manufacturer of limestone-based products based in Finland. It operates at more than 30 different locations in 8 countries of Central and Northern Europe.-History:...
, VR Group
VR Group
VR or VR Group is a state-owned railway company in Finland. Formerly known as Suomen Valtion Rautatiet until 1922 and Valtionrautatiet / Statsjärnvägarna until 1995...
, Fazer
Fazer
Fazer is one of the largest corporations in the Finnish food industry.The company was originally founded by Karl Fazer in 1891, as a "French-Russian conditory" in central Helsinki...
, The Armed Forces and Outotec
Outotec
Outotec Oyj is a Finnish company, headquartered in Espoo, aimed at providing technologies and services for the metal and mineral processing industries...
.
Sports
Lappeenranta has multiple sports teams playing in top levels of Finnish sports leagues.SaiPa
SaiPa
Saimaan Pallo is an ice hockey team in the Finnish SM-liiga. They play their home games at Kisapuisto in Lappeenranta, Finland.-History:The team's best achievement is from the 1965-1966 season, when they won bronze medals for placing third...
is an ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team playing in the highest level in Finland, SM-Liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
.
Lappeenrannan NMKY
Lappeenrannan NMKY
Lappeenrannan NMKY is a basketball club based in a city of Lappeenranta, Finland. It was formed in 1951 and has won two Finnish Championships and two Finnish Cups .Team Lappeenranta participated in Fiba EuroCup challenge in 2005/2006 finishing in semi-finals...
is a basketball team playing in the highest level in Korisliiga
Korisliiga
Korisliiga is the top league of basketball in Finland, comprising the top 12 teams of the country. In current format each team plays all other teams twice in the regular season, both at home and away...
and have won two championships in 2005 and 2006.
NST
NST
-Media:* Niigata Sogo Television, a television company in Niigata Prefecture, Japan* The New Straits Times, a Malaysian newspaper* New Sabah Times-Science and Engineering:* National Standard Thread, a thread form used on fire hose couplings in the USA...
plays floorball in the Salibandyliiga and Rajaritarit is an American Football team in the Vaahteraliiga
Vaahteraliiga
The Vaahteraliiga is the highest level of American football in Finland played under American Football Association of Finland. The winner of the Vaahteraliiga is the Finnish champion. The Vaahteraliiga season is played in summer, with a schedule usually from May to September.The first season of the...
.
In women's sports Catz Lappeenranta plays basketball and Pesä Ysit plays Finnish baseball
Pesäpallo
Pesäpallo is a fast-moving ball sport that is quite often referred to as the national sport of Finland and has some presence in other countries, such as Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, and Northern Ontario in Canada...
, both in the top leagues of the nation. Lappeenrannan Veiterä, or just Veiterä, plays in the highest bandy
Bandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
division and has been Finnish champion four times. The city hosted the first ever Bandy World Championships
Bandy World Championships
The Bandy World Championships are a competition between bandy-playing nations. The tournament is administrated by the Federation of International Bandy....
for women in 2004.
Notable people
- Maiju Kujala - Female Professional MMA Fighter.
- Antti AaltoAntti AaltoAntti Aalto is a retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the National Hockey League .- Playing career :...
– Former Ice-hockey player. - Koop ArponenKoop ArponenKoop Juho Alexander Arponen is a Finnish singer and the winner of the fourth series of the Idols in 2008.-Biography:...
– singer and winner of the fourth seriesIdols (Finland)Idols is a Finnish reality-television singing competition that airs on MTV3 . It debuted in the summer of 2003, and went on to become one of the most popular shows on Finnish television...
of the IdolsIdols (Finland)Idols is a Finnish reality-television singing competition that airs on MTV3 . It debuted in the summer of 2003, and went on to become one of the most popular shows on Finnish television...
in 2008. - Arto BryggareArto BryggareArto Kalervo Bryggare is a former Finnish hurdling athlete. He was a member of the Parliament of Finland, representing the Social Democratic Party of Finland from 1995 to 1999 and 2003 to 2007. His personal best time 13,35, made during trials in 1984 Los Angeles Games, is still the record time in...
– Former hurdling athlete, Former member of Parliament of Finland. - Kaarlo HalttunenKaarlo HalttunenKaarlo Halttunen was a Finnish actor. He appeared in 87 films and television shows between 1933 and 1970...
– Former actor. - Heikki Hietamies – Reporter, TV-host, novelist and a comedian.
- Heini – bass player of the band IndicaIndica (Finnish band)Indica is a Finnish pop rock group founded in 2001. Jani Jalonen of Sony Music became interested in the group, and a recording contract was signed 2003. Indica's first album, Ikuinen virta was released in 2004. It has since sold platinum in Finland....
. - Laila HirvisaariLaila HirvisaariLaila Ellen Kaarina Hirvisaari is a Finnish author and writer. By 2008, over four million copies of her works had been sold....
(formerly Laila Hietamies) – novelist, has written a novel series about Lappeenranta and its people. - HornaHornaHorna is a Finnish black metal band that formed in 1993. The band has appeared on over thirty releases including splits, demos, EPs and albums since 1995, which have been released through numerous record labels.-History:...
– legendary Finnish black metal band. - Kari JormakkaKari JormakkaKari Jormakka is a Finnish architect, historian, critic and pedagogue. He studied architecture at Helsinki University of Technology and Tampere University of Technology, completing his PhD in 1992. He is currently Professor of Architecture Theory at Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria...
– distinguished Professor of Architecture Theory at Vienna University of TechnologyVienna University of TechnologyVienna University of Technology is one of the major universities in Vienna, the capital of Austria. Founded in 1815 as the "Imperial-Royal Polytechnic Institute" , it currently has about 26,200 students , 8 faculties and about 4,000 staff members...
, Vienna, AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. - Anneli Kiljunen – Member of Parliament of Finland.
- Anssi KippoAnssi KippoAnssi Kippo is a platinum selling Finnish producer that founded Astia-studios in 1994. He has produced and engineered numerous acts including over the years and continues to manage both Astia A and B studios.Notable clients include:...
– A Platinum selling producer. - KotiteollisuusKotiteollisuusKotiteollisuus is a Finnish hard rock/heavy metal band that was formed in 1991 in Lappeenranta. The band released its first demo tape in 1993 under the name "Hullu ukko ja Kotiteollisuus" . The shortened name and current line-up was established in 1997.Kotiteollisuus is said to combine "furious...
– popular hard rockHard rockHard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band. - Arvi LindArvi LindArvi Kullervo Lind is a retired Finnish television news presenter. He worked as the news anchor on Yleisradio TV1 from 1965 to 2003. Along with Kari Toivonen, he was one of the longest-serving employees of Yleisradio news....
– legendary Finnish TV news reader. - Eeva Litmanen – Award winning actor.
- Pave MaijanenPave MaijanenPekka Juhani "Pave" Maijanen is a famous Finnish musician, who has acted as a singer, songwriter, bass player, keyboard player, drummer, guitarist and producer during his long career...
– Famous musician. - Miikka MultaharjuMiikka MultaharjuMiikka Multaharju is a Finnish footballer.Multaharju is a right midfielder or winger who currently plays for HJK in the Finnish Veikkausliiga.He has previously played for Fredrikstad in the Norwegian Premier League,...
– Football player. - Esa Niiva – A Saxofonist for several Finnish bands.
- Jarmo Nikku – A Famous songwriter.
- Jukka PaarmaJukka PaarmaJukka Paarma was the Archbishop of Turku and Finland, and the spiritual head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. He retired as Archbishop on June 1, 2010.-References:...
– Former Archbishop of Turku and Finland. - Tiia PiiliTiia PiiliTiia Piili is a Finnish gymnast who has won the Federation of International Sports, Aerobics and Fitness sport aerobics World Championship four times.-Early life:...
– The most successful gymnast in Finland. - Saku PuhakainenSaku PuhakainenSaku Puhakainen is a Finnish footballer, who plays as a striker.Since 2000 Puhakainen played for MyPa in the Finnish premier division, Veikkausliiga. His earlier clubs include FC Kuusysi and Turun Palloseura. He achieved the Veikkausliiga top scorer title in 2003. With MyPa he has won the Finnish...
– Football player. - Päiviö Pyysalo – Famous Tv-Director and -producer.
- Aki Pyysing – A Professional poker player.
- Ilona Ranta – A successful hurdler and sprinter.
- Johanna Rantalainen – Helped invent the 3.5" floppy disk drive.
- Satanic WarmasterSatanic WarmasterSatanic Warmaster is a black metal band from Lappeenranta in southern Finland. Musician "Satanic Tyrant Werwolf" began recording under this name in 1999...
– legendary Finnish black metal band. - Petri SkrikoPetri SkrikoPetri Kalevi Skriko is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey player, best remembered for his seasons starring in the NHL for the Vancouver Canucks in the 1980s...
– Retired Ice-hockey player in the NHL in USA. - Kirsi Ståhlberg – A singer and actor. Appears on Finnish soap opera Salatut ElämätSalatut ElämätSalatut elämät is a Finnish 30-minute long soap opera broadcast on MTV3. It was the first Finnish daily soap opera. Its first episode aired on January 25, 1999...
- Juha TiainenJuha TiainenJuha Tiainen was a former hammer thrower from Finland who won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics. The same year he achieved his personal best throw, 81.52 metres.-Achievements:...
– Former Olympic gold medallist in hammer throw. - MokomaMokomaMokoma is a Finnish thrash metal band formed in Lappeenranta in 1996. Their music also has grindcore and death metal influences with traditional Finnish melancholy....
– a thrash metalThrash metalThrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band. - BattleloreBattleloreBattlelore is a metal band from Lappeenranta, Finland. All of Battlelore's lyrics concern J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth.-Style:Battlelore mixes female vocals with harsh male growling in "beauty and the beast" duet, backed by heavy guitar riffing and occasional keyboard interludes. The band's...
- a symphonic metalSymphonic metalSymphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...
band. - Hanna PakarinenHanna PakarinenHanna Helena Pakarinen is a Finnish pop and pop-rock singer who rose to fame as the winner of the first series of the Finnish singing competition Idols in 2004...
– the first Idols winner in Finland came from Lappeenranta. - Christian RuuttuChristian RuuttuChristian Ruuttu is a former professional ice hockey player.Ruuttu is the father of Alexander Ruuttu, who was drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes.-Playing career:...
– Former ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player in the NHL in USA. - Vesa VierikkoVesa VierikkoVesa Tapio Vierikko is a Finnish actor.Vierikko began acting in 1978 on television working consistently throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He starred in the 2003 film Sibelius working with Finnish director Timo Koivusalo and actors such as Martti Suosalo, Heikki Nousiainen and Seela Sella and Miina...
– Finnish actor. - Vesa ViitakoskiVesa ViitakoskiVesa Viitakoski is a professional ice hockey player. As of December, 2009, he is playing for Kärpät in the Finnish SM-liiga.-Career:...
– Former Ice-hockey player in SM-LiigaSM-liigaThe SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
. - Sidhartha yalavathi - Famous Badminton Player in Lappeenrenta University of Technology.
Tourism
Lappeenranta is known as a summer city, mostly due to its closeness to the Lake SaimaaSaimaa
Saimaa is a lake in southeastern Finland. At approximately , it is the largest lake in Finland, and the fourth largest in Europe. It was formed by glacial melting at the end of the Ice Age. Major towns on the lakeshore include Lappeenranta, Imatra, Savonlinna, Mikkeli, Varkaus, and Joensuu. The...
. In addition, its inland location means that summers tend to be warmer and winters colder than along the coastal areas.
Lappeenranta, however, does have a healthy winter tourism industry. Various cabins around Lake Saimaa, as well as numerous snowmobile, skiing and sledding tracks draw a fair number of winter visitors.
The proximity of the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n border is increasingly visible in the number of Russian tourists visiting the city. In fact, Lappeenranta is closer (211 km (131.1 mi)) to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
than Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, the capital of Finland (383 km (238 mi)). The presence of Russians is noticeable by the many Russian registered cars on the streets and the use of signs in shops with Cyrillic letters.
Places and events
- The old fortress, with a number of museums, cafés and the oldest Russian Orthodox church in Finland.
- The harbour area, with cruises to VyborgVyborgVyborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Bay of Vyborg, to the northwest of St. Petersburg and south from Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland...
and the nearby Saimaa CanalSaimaa CanalThe Saimaa Canal is a transportation canal that connects lake Saimaa with the Gulf of Finland near Vyborg, Russia. The canal was built from 1845 to 1856 and opened on 7 September 1856 .It was overhauled and widened in 1963–1968....
. - The central market place, where you can enjoy the local specialities, such as meat pies known as "Atomi" (atom) or "Vety" (hydrogen).
- The Night of The Fort, a two-day cultural festival held in early August.
- The Lappeenranta Ballet Gala in late August.
- The annual Lappeenranta National Singing Contest.
- The biggest sand castle in Finland is built next to Port of Lappeenranta every summer.
- There are two private cinema theatres in Lappeenranta: Kino-Aula and Nuijamies.
Twin towns – Sister cities
Lappeenranta is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Rakvere
Rakvere
Rakvere is a town in northern Estonia and the county seat of Lääne-Viru County, 20 km south of the Gulf of Finland.-History:The earliest signs of human settlement dating back to the 3rd-5th centuries AD have been found on the present theatre hill. Probably to protect that settlement, a wooden...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
Stykkishólmur
Stykkishólmur
Stykkishólmur is a town and municipality situated in the western part of Iceland, to the north of the Snæfellsnes peninsula.With its 1,100 inhabitants, it is a center of services and commerce for the area. Most of the people make their living from fishing and tourism. A ferry called Baldur goes...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
Drammen
Drammen
Drammen is a city in Buskerud County, Norway. The port and river city of Drammen is centrally located in the eastern and most populated part of Norway.-Location:...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
Örebro
Örebro
-Sites of interest:Örebro's old town Wadköping is located on the banks of Svartån . It contains many 18th and 19th century wooden houses, along with museums and exhibitions....
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Kolding
Kolding
Kolding is a Danish seaport located at the head of Kolding Fjord in Region of Southern Denmark . It is the site of the council Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre, and has numerous industrial companies, principally geared towards shipbuilding...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
Klin
Klin
Klin is a town and the administrative center of Klinsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located northwest of Moscow. The M10 highway connecting Moscow to St. Petersburg and the Moscow-Saint Petersburg Railway run through the town. It was home to Klin air base during the Cold War. ...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
Vyborg
Vyborg
Vyborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Bay of Vyborg, to the northwest of St. Petersburg and south from Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
Schwäbisch Hall
Schwäbisch Hall
Schwäbisch Hall is a town in the German state of Baden-Württemberg and capital of the district of Schwäbisch Hall. The town is located in the valley of the river Kocher in the north-eastern part of Baden-Württemberg....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Szombathely
Szombathely
Szombathely is the 10th largest city in Hungary. It is the administrative centre of Vas county in the west of the country, located near the border with Austria...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Lake Worth
Lake Worth
Lake Worth is the name of several places in the United States:*Lake Worth, Florida, a city*Lake Worth Lagoon, a lagoon in Florida*Lake Worth, Texas, a town in Texas*Lake Worth , a lake in Texas...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
External links
- City of Lappeenranta – Official site
- Satellite Image of Lappeenranta at Google MapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
- Detailed aerial photography of Lappeenranta (click on "ilmakuva"). Much more detailed than Google's equivalent service.
- goSaimaa.fi – travel information about Lappeenranta