Parikkala

Parikkala is a municipality of Finland.

It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the South Karelia region. The municipality has a population of 6,149 (2007) and covers an area of 760.90 km² of which 167.7 km² is water. The population density is 10.4 inhabitants per km².

The municipality is unilingually Finnish.

History

Parikkala is located around lake Simpele and it is a part of a countryside rich with hills and chains of ridges. Settlements and artifacts dated to the Stone Age and also arfifacts from the Bronze Age have been found in Parikkala. A permanent settlement was established around the 15th century. Many demarcations had a significant impact to Parikkala's development from the Treaty of Nöteborg on August 12, 1323 to peace treaties signed in 1947 with the Soviet Union. After World War II 1/3 (199.3km²) of Parikkala's area was handed over to the Soviet Union. Orthodoxy has been very influential in this area since the middle ages. Later, Parikkala has become known for its many dairies. Parikkala became independent in the year 1617. In the year 2004 three municipalities (Parikkala, Saari and Uukuniemi) merged to form one municipality called Parikkala.

Education

Comprehensive school was founded 1907 and it was one of the first ruralschools to be founded in Karelia of Ladoga. In the year 1910 was first three classed school building built, later on it expanded to consist a gymnasium, hall and kitchen. Grand piano was provided to the hall of school, famous Finnish artist Toivo Kuula and Oskar Merikanto kept their concerts there when visiting Parikkala. Upper secondary school started in the year 1940 and first class graduated in the year 1943. Largest number of pupils were in the 50s, when over 500 pupils attended school there. Today in all Parikkala district schools there are 536 pupils.

Traveling and Routes

Parikkala is located in between the main railwayline from Helsinki to Joensuu. Railway station is in the middle of Parikkala village center. Traveling time is about three and half hours from Helsinki. All passenger trains stop at Parikkala. If you want to go to Savonlinna, which is one of the nearest cities, you have to switch trains at Parikkala. City of Imatra is about 60 km south of Parikkala.

Accommodation

2 km to south from the center of the village next to highway 6 there is traditional Karelian building called [http://www.kagone.fi Kägönen] . Name originates from Karelian dialect and means a cuckoo. 7 km to north from railway station is Särkisalmi there you can find [http://www.parinet.fi/kontti/ Hotel Lohikontti] . There is also some services like gas stations and store. [http://www.laatokanportti.com/eng/ Hotel Ladoga Gateway] can be found 7 km to south from village center. There is also lots of Cottage type accommodation, booking information is here: [http://www.lomarengas.fi/en/www/index.html.stx Lomarengas] .

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://www.parikkala.fi/ Municipality of Parikkala]
* [http://kuutti.etela-karjala.fi/uimarannat/FMPro?-db=tiedotteet.fp5&-format=kuntaetusivu.htm&-op=eq&kunta=Parikkala&-Lay=Lay1&-find Beaches]
* [http://www.gosaimaa.fi/index.php?option=com_nature&category_id=0&commune_id=6&Itemid=178 Hiking and sightseeing]
* [http://www.luontoon.fi/page.asp?Section=7880 Siikalahti Wetland]
* [http://yhdistykset.etela-karjala.fi/pau/index2.html Parikkalan Urheilijat - Athletes Club]
* [http://www.skynett.fi/ Skynett Langames]
* [http://www.parinet.fi/index-en.html Business Owners of Parikkala]