Historic sights

Historic sights

Parikkala has been inhabited for a long time, since the end of the last Ice Age. Parikkala is known for its dozens of prehistoric settlements. Settlers also left their traces in trap holes and tools dropped in the heat of the hunt.

Ancient man went fishing and made use of the shellfish still found in Lake Simpele. This is confirmed by finds at the bottom of primitive hearths. Big game was also available, which is indicated by the use of the word tarvas (deer) in local nomenclature.Finds of primitive boats have also been made in Parikkala. Burn marks on the remains of the prow of one such boat suggests a hollowing-out technique dating back to the Stone Age, to the time before iron tools.

Later, at one time or another, the region of Parikkala was located on both sides of the border due to changes in the setting of boundaries. For centuries, Parikkala belonged to the Merchant State of Novgorod as part of the Province of Kurkijoki. In 1617 the area was transferred to Sweden under the Treaty of Stolbovo and a new Lutheran parish was formed from what was then an Orthodox parish. Many Orthodox followers fled east away from the new faith. Under another peace treaty in 1721, the border shifted again, and the area was once again returned to Russia. The Tsarina Elisabeth gave the land to her favourite count, Mihail Vorontsov, and the residents of Parikkala then had to go to the Court of Koitsanlahti for their daily work. This work did not cease until towards the end of the 19th century. In the 1920s, Parikkala split up and Simpele and Saari became independent municipalities. As a result of the Winter War, parts of Parikkala, Saari and Uukuniemi were lost to the Soviet Union.

Most places and sights dating back to these historical events can still be viewed to this day.

Nice Parikkala video from 1950.