Fishing, snowmobiling, a cool beach holiday on the shores of Finland's largest and cleanest lake Saimaa, hot evenings in a real sauna and busy days full of walks in the fresh air, dizzying water park rides and quiet charm of family museums … Do not listen to those who says that there is not much to see in Imatra! They are simply jealous that you are going to one of the most beautiful corners of Suomi, where patriarchal traditions are still sacred, they serve venison with cranberry sauce for lunch and take care of nature, which in return gives a sea of positive emotions, excellent mood and good health.
TOP 10 attractions of Imatra
Park "Kruununpuisto"
In 1842, the Crown Park was inaugurated in Imatra, whose name in Finnish no foreign tourist would dare to pronounce. Kruununpuisto Park is located in the city center. From the very first days of its existence, it has become a favorite vacation spot for both Imatra residents and everyone who came to see the city's sights.
The organizers of the park managed to preserve a piece of Karelian nature untouched by civilization. In "Kruununpuisto" you can still see huge stone boulders overgrown with moss, rocky cliffs and waterfalls falling down in silver cascades. In summer, you can hear birds singing, and in autumn, the leaves fall beautifully and rustle underfoot.
In the park, it is customary to make dates, play sports, go out with the whole family and have picnics in the fresh air. If you do not want to leave this cozy corner even at night, book a room at the hotel, which is open on the territory of "Kruununpuisto".
Imatrankoski waterfall
The famous landmark of Crown Park has existed in Imantra since prehistoric times. The western tributary of the Vuoksa River, flowing along the bottom of the granite gorge, erupted down from an 18-meter height in numerous cascades. The wild elements were tamed in 1920, when Imatra got its own hydroelectric power station and a dam was built.
Now the Imatrankoski waterfall has become tame and manageable. You can look at the roaring stream at certain hours when the local hydroelectric power station releases water, opening the dam. This usually happens during the summer and on the eve of big holidays. The revival of Imatrankoski is accompanied by the performance of musical compositions and even lighting every time. As an accompaniment, the organizers of the show choose the epic works of Sibelius or Prokofiev, for example, and for 20 minutes the audience can enjoy the magnificent fusion of the elements and human talent.
Lake Saimaa
The largest freshwater body in Finland, Saimaa is a system formed by eight large and many small lakes. They are all connected to each other by channels and streams:
- The total surface area of Saimaa is almost 4.5 thousand square meters. km.
- The length of the coastline exceeds 15 thousand km.
- The Saimaa lake system includes 13,710 large and small islands, the total area of which reaches 1,850 sq. km.
- Saimaa is fed by many tributaries, but only one river flows out of it. It is called Vuoksa and flows into Lake Ladoga.
- The lake is connected to the Gulf of Finland by the Saimaa Canal, built in 1856.
Lake Saimaa is famous for its opportunities for outdoor activities. The abundance of fish makes it possible to organize exciting fishing (fishing permits and licenses must be obtained from the local authorities), there are equipped hiking trails along the lake for hikers, and beach lovers come to Imatra to spend their holidays at camp sites.
Church of the Three Crosses
The appearance of the Church of the Three Crosses bears little resemblance to a temple in our usual sense of the word. Built in the 50s.the last century, the church, however, is considered an outstanding example of the modernist style in architecture. The author of the project and the head of construction work is the eminent master of the architectural and engineering school of Scandinavia Alvar Aalto. He is called the father of modernism in Northern Europe, from whom modern building designers continue to learn.
Aalto's work was characterized by the use of glass, light colors and strict lines. Of all the materials, he preferred natural wood and natural stone. Among the artist's early works is the city library in Vyborg.
The church in Imatra got its name from the three crosses installed in the altar. The spacious building can accommodate up to 800 people at a time. The parishioners' benches are made of natural wood of local breeds, the altar area is made of marble. The peculiarities of Alvar Aalto's style are also manifested in a huge number of windows that differ in size and shape and allow light to freely penetrate into the premises of the temple and give its interior a special lightness and airiness.
Museum "Karelian House"
An ethnographic village in Finnish Imatra allows you not only to see what houses the Karelians lived in in the 19th century, but also tells almost everything about their life, customs, folk crafts and even cuisine. The interiors of each building are not just decorated with museum pieces. Each item here is genuine, has an important historical value and illustrates the guide's story about the past of Karelia and its inhabitants.
The Karelian House is located on the banks of the Vuoksa River. All exhibits were brought from real Karelian villages. Members of folklore groups, often performing in an ethnographic village with concerts, help create a special authentic atmosphere for visitors.
Water park "Magic Forest"
Finns are very fond of water and all kinds of procedures associated with it, and therefore even in winter and in any small town you will find the opportunity to have fun on water attractions. Imatra is no exception, and its water park is a favorite vacation spot for both locals and tourists.
The water entertainment complex is called mysteriously and temptingly - "Magic Forest". Against the background of its fellows in the resort seaside cities, the Imatra water park does not look too cool, but you can spend the whole day here with the whole family with pleasure.
For the smallest and older children, there are water slides in the Magic Forest. Their parents will be happy to spend time in a hammam or hot sauna. The pool system, some of which are equipped with hydromassage devices, will give you many pleasant minutes and will allow you to relax after a busy day of sightseeing, and the spa salon with a variety of recovery and relaxation programs will help to put in order not only the soul, but also the body.
Museum of Working Life
Imatra is unlikely to be able to boast of world-class attractions, but you will find several lovely museum exhibitions - warm and cozy at home - here. One of these welcomes guests at the Museum of Working Life.
It is dedicated to the industrialization that began in this part of the country at the end of the 19th century. The exposition is housed in a two-story building, which at that time was a tenement house-barrack for the families of workers. The museum gives a complete picture of the conditions in which people lived, demonstrates the interiors of their homes, talks about life and opportunities.
Visitors can see furniture and dishes, clothing and children's toys. On the territory of the museum, the premises of a laundry, a bakery, a sauna and a fire service are preserved.
The Imtra Working Life Museum is the only one of its kind in Finland.
Ticket price: 2 euros.
Veteran House Museum
Another interesting exposition awaits tourists at the Veteran House Museum. It is organized in one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. At the beginning of the twentieth century. In this house, Dr. Henrik Peponius lived and received patients, and today the building belongs to World War II veteran Reino Icavalko, whose wife organized a small private museum.
The exposition tells about the years of the war, the participation of the owner of the house in the historical events of those years. The collection of the Veteran's House contains uniforms of Finnish and Soviet soldiers, genuine letters from the front, photographs and books. Some of the stands are dedicated to the history of the house itself and its first owners.
Ticket price: 5 euros.
Border Guard Museum
The permanent exhibition of this museum traces the history of the emergence and existence of the Russian-Finnish border and the border troops guarding it. The museum's collection includes information stands, models of individual sections and border regions, and in the territory adjacent to the building, one can look at observation towers, rooms where border guards rest, and communication equipment.
A separate part of the exhibition tells about the first dog who served in the Finnish border troops. The dog's name was Caesar and he faithfully guarded his native borders from 1920 to 1929.
Free admission.
Sculpture Park "Mystic Forest"
The very name of this attraction near Imatra is suggestive, and upon closer acquaintance, visitors to the "Mystic Forest" often embrace mixed feelings - admiration, surprise and, in part, even horror. The bizarre sculpture park, created by local artist Veijo Rönkkönen, is nevertheless on the list of the city's few man-made landmarks.
More than five hundred sculptural images of concrete, placed in the forest, the author has been creating for half a century. Each sculpture is not like another, all of them are frozen in the most bizarre poses, many are covered with moss from time to time, which gives them additional mystery and surrealism.
The first masterpieces of Veijo Rönkkönen were cast from concrete back in the 60s of the last century when he was very young, and since then the hobby has turned into a passion and captured the artist almost completely. People and mythical creatures, animals and heroes of Finnish fairy tales and epics gathered in the "Mystic Forest" and are ready to give visitors a lot of unique impressions.
How to get there: 50 km from Imatra on the road to Savonlinna by taxi or rented car.
Free admission.
