Parikkala
Encyclopedia
Parikkala is a municipality of Finland located in the province
of Southern Finland
and is part of the South Karelia
region
. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of km2 of which km2 is water. The population density
is PD/km2.
The municipality is unilingually Finnish
.
and it is a part of a countryside rich with hills and chains of ridges. Settlements and artifacts dated to the Stone Age
and 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 (199.3 km²) 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.
of Ladoga
, was founded 1907. In the year 1910 was first three classed school building built, later on it expanded to consist a gymnasium, hall and kitchen. A Grand piano was provided in the hall of school, and Finnish artists 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. The largest number of pupils was in the 50s, when over 500 pupils attended school there.
line from Helsinki
to Joensuu
. A railway station is in the middle of Parikkala village center. Traveling time is about three and half hours from Helsinki, and all passenger trains stop at Parikkala. The city of Imatra
is about 60 km south of Parikkala.
Provinces of Finland
The state of Finland consisted of six provinces between the years 1997 and 2009. The provincial authority was part of the central government's executive branch, not directly elected. The system was created in 1634, and its makeup was changed drastically in 1997, when the number of the provinces...
of Southern Finland
Southern Finland
Southern Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2010. It bordered the provinces of Western Finland and Eastern Finland. It also bordered the Gulf of Finland and Russia.- History :...
and is part of the South Karelia
South Karelia
South Karelia is a region of Finland. It borders to the regions of Kymenlaakso, Southern Savonia, North Karelia and to Russia. The term "South Karelia" might also be used to refer to the southern parts of the entire Karelia — the Region of South Karelia is termed "South" because it is the...
region
Regions of Finland
Finland consists of 19 regions called in Finnish and in Swedish. The regions are governed by regional councils, which serve as forums of cooperation for the municipalities of a region. The main tasks of the regions are regional planning and development of enterprise and education. In addition,...
. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of km2 of which km2 is water. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is PD/km2.
The municipality is unilingually Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
.
History
Parikkala is located around lake SimpeleRautjärvi
Rautjärvi 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 and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is....
and it is a part of a countryside rich with hills and chains of ridges. Settlements and artifacts dated to the Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
and Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron 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
Treaty of Nöteborg
Treaty of Nöteborg, also known as Treaty of Oreshek , is a conventional name for the peace treaty that was signed at Orekhovets on August 12, 1323. It was the first settlement between Sweden and Novgorod Republic regulating their border...
on August 12, 1323 to peace treaties signed in 1947 with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
1/3 (199.3 km²) of Parikkala's area was handed over to the Soviet Union. Orthodoxy
Orthodoxy
The word orthodox, from Greek orthos + doxa , is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion...
has been very influential in this area since the middle ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. Later, Parikkala has become known for its many dairies
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
. Parikkala became independent in the year 1617. In the year 2004 three municipalities (Parikkala, Saari
Saari
Saari is a former municipality of Finland.It was located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the South Karelia region. The municipality had a population of 1,411 and covered an area of 183.08 km² of which 15.70 km² is water...
and Uukuniemi
Uukuniemi
Uukuniemi is a former municipality of Finland.It was located in the province of Southern Finland and was part of the South Karelia region. The municipality had a population of 516 and it covered an area of 156.58 km² of which 54.88 km² was water. The population density was 5.1 inhabitants per...
) merged to form one municipality called Parikkala.
Education
A comprehensive school, one of the first rural schools in KareliaKarelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
of Ladoga
Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
, was founded 1907. In the year 1910 was first three classed school building built, later on it expanded to consist a gymnasium, hall and kitchen. A Grand piano was provided in the hall of school, and Finnish artists Toivo Kuula
Toivo Kuula
Toivo Timoteus Kuula was a Finnish conductor and composer. He was born in the city of Vaasa , when Finland still was a Grand Duchy under Russian rule. He is known as a colorful and passionate portrayer of Finnish nature and people...
and Oskar Merikanto
Oskar Merikanto
Oskar Merikanto was a Finnish musician and composer.He was born to Swedish-speaking parents in Helsinki. His father, originally Frank Mattsson, changed the family name to sound more Finnish....
kept their concerts there when visiting Parikkala. Upper secondary school started in the year 1940 and first class graduated in the year 1943. The largest number of pupils was in the 50s, when over 500 pupils attended school there.
Traveling and Routes
Parikkala is located in between the main railwayVR Group
VR or VR Group is a state-owned railway company in Finland. Formerly known as Suomen Valtion Rautatiet until 1922 and Valtionrautatiet / Statsjärnvägarna until 1995...
line from Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
to Joensuu
Joensuu
Joensuu is a city and municipality in North Karelia in eastern Finland. It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of North Karelia region. It was founded in 1848...
. A railway station is in the middle of Parikkala village center. Traveling time is about three and half hours from Helsinki, and all passenger trains stop at Parikkala. The city of Imatra
Imatra
Imatra is a town and municipality in eastern Finland, founded in 1948 around three industrial settlements near the Finnish–Russian border. In the course of the last 50 years, this amorphous group of settlements has grown into a modern industrial town dominated by Lake Saimaa, the Vuoksi River and...
is about 60 km south of Parikkala.
External links
- Municipality of Parikkala
- Beaches
- Hiking and sightseeing
- http://www.luontoon.fi/page.asp?Section=7880Siikalahti WetlandWetlandA wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
] - Parikkalan Urheilijat – Athletes Club
- Business Owners of Parikkala