The Finnish Lakeland
One of Aalto's most admired works, this town hall was conceived as a 'fortress of democracy' and constructed between 1949 and 1952. Its sturdy brick tower…
Getty Images/Hemis.fr RM
The Finnish Lakeland
Most of Finland could be dubbed lakeland, but around here it seems there’s more aqua than terra firma. Reflecting the sky and forests as clearly as a mirror, the sparkling, clean water is likely to be one of your most enduring memories of Finland. When exploring the region, it's almost obligatory to get waterborne, whether it be while practising your paddling skills in a canoe or by hopping aboard a historic steamboat for leisurely progress down canals and across lakes.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
The Finnish Lakeland
Built directly on rock in the middle of the lake (now accessed via bridges), this heavily restored 15th-century fortification was constructed as a…
The Finnish Lakeland
'Lusto' is the Finnish word for a tree’s annual growth ring, and this well-curated and cleverly presented museum is all about forests and the growth of…
The Finnish Lakeland
Connected to Säynätsalo by bridges, peaceful Muuratsalo islet was the summer retreat of Alvar and Elissa Aalto. Aalto built his Experimental House – a…
The Finnish Lakeland
Finland’s only Orthodox convent is particularly lovely in early summer, when the many flowers in its beautifully tended gardens bloom. The order was…
The Finnish Lakeland
Finland’s only Orthodox monastery is idyllically located on an island in Juojävi. Visitors are free to roam the site and enter the churches. The first…
The Finnish Lakeland
Kerimäki may be small (pop 5000), but its Lutheran church certainly isn't. Built in 1847, the building was designed to accommodate 5000 and is commonly…
The Finnish Lakeland
A picturesque 19th-century timber parsonage estate 1.3km southwest of the city centre on the shore of Lake Saimaa, Kenkävero is now Mikkeli's most popular…
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