Finland - From Helsinki To Carelia (72/151)

Finland - From Helsinki To Carelia (72/151)

Helsinki, Finland's capital is a city of great architectural beauty - and a city to live in. Classical buildings alternate with the bold designs of contemporary Finish architects, e.g. Alvar Aalto, one of the most famous international architects, regarded as the "father of Modernism". Yet Helsinki, Finland's gateway to the world, shows not a trace of big-city hectic in its parks, museums and historic sites. This people's connection to nature is even revealed in design, yet another Finish speciality. The reason for this becomes apparent as soon as one travels eastwards to Carelia: silence, deserted forests, a vast unspoiled landscape where a few scattered villages and wooden churches, as well as the typical remote summer houses are the only evidence of human settlement. Finland's abundance of water and wood is not only a source of recreation for stressed city people but also renewable resources which are important for the future of the country. A journey by ship through the picturesque lowland lake region and along old canals past numerous islands takes us to cities where the influence of the powerful neighbour Russia is still perceptible. In the museum village of Ilomantsi the kalevala are preserved, a collection of ancient songs that were not written down until the 19th century.Not far from Heinävesi is the cloister of Valamo, where the monks welcome visitors. The magnificent church here is the centre of the Orthodox religion that, in contrast to the mostly Protestant Finland, cultivates its own tradition in Carelia.