Historical information
Historical and cultural peculiarities
Nature peculiarities of the region
The main lines of development of tourism
Historical information
Kalevalsky National region (its area is 13,3 thousand square km, population - 10.3 thousand people) has a special tourist image in and out of Karelia.
A famous Finnish specialist in folklore Elias Lonnrot have collected many of the runes, which were included in a world-famous epos "Kalevala", in this region. "Kalevala" is the only epos, which was narrated by people and united Russia and Finland.
National treditions and folklore of the ancient Karelians have been well preserved exactly on the territory of Kalevalsky National region. Besides, the region is very peculiar for its ethnic culture and the way of life. There are lots of houses and barns made in traditional Karelian style in the villages of Jushkozero, Voinitsa, Kepa, Luusalmy, Kuusiniemy and Uhtua (Kalevala).
The ancient settlement is the village of Panozero on Kemi river, which was first mentioned in the records of 1228. A very peculiar traditional architecture has remained in the village.
Historical and cultural peculiarities
There are archeological monuments of different eras (eight fields of the mesolite on the shore of Sudnozero lake – VII century), historical monuments (the cemetery of Kalmosaari, where a famous Karelian folklorist Arhipp Pertunen is buried) on the territory of the region.
An exposition of the museum of rune tellers works in the house of folk tale narrator in the village of Kalevala. Ethnographic museum and the museum of local lore are also located here. The visiting card of the region is the Lonnrot’s pine under which the runes of "Kalevala" have been written down.
Nowadays folk celebrations and national crafts are regenerated in this region.
All of these created good preconditions for active development of cultural and cognitive tourism, which will in turn contribute to the strengthening of cultural and economic links with Finland.
Nature peculiarities of the region
The nature complex of the region is one more tourist resource. For Kalevalsky region a great number of lakes and rivers with pure water and the beauty of the landscapes are typical. The rivers are mainly rough. There are a few famous waterfalls – Kumo-porog, Kjaunas and Hjamskie porogs.
The nature dominants of the region are the lakes of Kuitto, which are stretched out for 140 km of latitude. At the top of the arc there is the lake of Srednee Kuitto, on which the village of Kalevala is located.
The lakes are of tectonic origin and have rather large depths. Boulder and sandy forms of relief prevail in their different forms. Kalevala is the land of pinewoods rich with berries and mushrooms.
The lake of Verhnee Kuitto has a very intended shoreline. It consists of three bays – Voinitsky, Voknavoloksky and Juvalakshsky – and the central part. There are twice as many islands on this lake (178) than on the other two taken together. The maximum length is 42 km, maximum width – 20 km and maimum depth – 44 metres. A small lake of Alajarvi connects with Srednee Kuitto lake through short channels. This lake is larger, but shallower (34 m) than the previous one. There are 39 islands on it. It connects with the lake of Nizhnee Kuitto through a deep Luusalmsky channel. This is the last and the shortest (30 km), the narrowest (7.5 km) lake. There are 48 small islands on it.
In the basins of these lakes there are 12 fish species. The most valuable of them are salmon, whitefish and umber. Kuitto lakes have perfect opportunities for the development of water kinds of tourism, including elite fishing. They are the part of all the route along Belomorian Karelia.
More than 60% of the territory of Kalevalsky region is covered with forests. The average age of the local woods is more than 100 years. Pines prevail in the wood structure and make more than 85% of all the forests.
The wood complexes located on the territory of the national park "Kalevalsky" are most valuable. This is the largest and the western in Europe well-preserved massif of the primitive taiga, in which most of the trees are 400 - 450 years old.
Bogs, which take more than 30% of the territory of the region, have a lot of rare ad unique plants on them. They are of scientific and ecological value, which proposes to saving them in their natural look. The largest bog in Karelia – Jupjauzhshuo – is located on the territory of Kalevalsky region. It streched out for 23 km in the lower part of Kepa river.
The climate of the region is continental alleviated by the warm Golfstream.
The main lines of development of tourism
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realization of the project of creating an ethocultural center in the village of Kalevala, saving the rune villages, projects of "The trans-border tourism development in Kalevalsky region", "Grey-headed runes", "Along the paths of Elias Lonnrot", which are based on the literature munument of world significance – epos "Kalevala";
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perfecting of the organization of border crossing at the entry point of "Karttimo-Voinitsa";
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operation of a regional tourist information center in the village of Kalevala;
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development of ecological, fishing, hunting and water tourism.
Thus, the tourist potential of the region is rather large. Both cultural tourism based on the epos of "Kalevala" and different kinds of ecological and sport tourism can be developed here. The tourist interest for the region is intensifying because of its national color. The organization of an ethnocultural center in the village of Kalevala is very important. Nowadays attention should be paid to the development of human-services, especially to the tourist accommodation.
How to get
The transport infrastructure of the region is badly developed. The general extension of the transport roads is 860 km. The distance between the center of the region to the state border with Finland is 140 km, to Petrozavodsk – 550 km.