Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hattuvaara
013
About 40km northeast of Ilomantsi, Finland's most easterly settlement was famous for
poem-singers, such as Arhippa Buruskainen who is thought to have inspired tales in the
Kalevala
. The Runon ja Rajan tie (Poem and Border Rte) runs through Hattuvaara as a
tribute.
Sights
Taistelijan Talo
HISTORIC BUILDING
(Heroes' House; 0400-273-671;
www.taistelijantalo.fi
;
10am-6pm Sun-Tue, to 8pm Wed-Sat Jun-
Aug)
The striking wooden Taistelijan Talo was designed by Joensuu architect Erkki Helasvuo in
1988 to symbolise the meeting of East and West. On the ground floor, the
restaurant
(buf-
fet €17) offers an excellent all-day Karelian buffet. The
WWII museum
downstairs has
multimedia exhibits, photo exhibitions and weaponry displays relating chiefly to the
Winter and Continuation Wars fought along the nearby border. Outside are artillery and
vehicles as well as a
Big Hat sculpture
(the town's name translates as 'Hat Mountain').
Orthodox Tsasouna
CHURCH
( noon-5pm Tue-Sun Jul)
Hattuvaara has Finland's oldest Orthodox
tsasouna,
a sweet white wooden chapel by the
side of the main road. Built in 1790, it has several original Russian icons and its small
tower became a watchtower during WWII. On 29 June each year the colourful Praasniekka
festival takes place here, complete with a
ristinsaatto
(Orthodox procession).
Getting There & Away
A
shared taxi
( 0500-675-542;one way €6)
runs here from Lieksa, twice daily on
Mondays and Thursdays only.
