Russian Federation, Republic of Karelia, Town of Sortavala,
Municipal Secondary School №1
Tuokslahti. My little Homeland
Author:
Alina Chabina, grade 9 ”A”
Leaders of the project:
Natalia BorisovnaVolkova,
English teacher
Lavrezhenkova Luydmila Ivanovna (first part)
Sortavala
2012-2013
Table of contents:
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1
Guidebook…………………………………………………………………………………………… 2
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………… 9
Introduction
In2011 I participated in the all-Russian conference “my little homeland: nature, culture, ethnos”, which
was held in Petrozavodsk. How it happened? Once I came across the oldest photos of my homeplace
Tuokslahti, and I got much interested in the history of mu little homeland. As I was the member of our
local ecological center, my teacher – Lavrezhenkova L.I., and later she became my leader of the project,
suggested me to take part in this conference,
I spent much time searching for the material, studying it, walking around the surroundings, taking photos,
analyzing, translating articles from old Finnish books, meeting and talking to local residents. Luckily my
work was highly praised on the conference, I was the winner of it.
In April 2013 the conference in English “… and now Karelia” will be held in Sortavala, and this time my
English teacher Volkova N.B advised me to participate in it.
As I had already had a highly-praised project in Russia about the subject of the conference we changed it
a bit, translated into English and now I am going to introduce it into your consideration.
First of all a few words about Sortavala: Sortavala is sometimes called “Ladoga’s pearl”, because it is
deservedly considered to be one of the most beautiful Karelian town. It certainly has succeeded in
preserving its architectural and historical originality. That’s why it was granted the status of a historical
town in 1990. Cultures of three great peoples are imprinted in its history and architectural personality:
Swedish, Finnish and Russian.
The aims of this work are:
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to preserve our history and culture for future generation;
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to create a guidebook about Tuokslahti.
To achieve this aim the following materials and ways were used:
- literary archive research ( the study of literary and architectural sources, reference books);
- visual surrey of the place;
- the consultation under the guidance of Lavrezhenkova L.I.
The subjects of this work are:
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to study some materials about history of Tuokslahti;
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to summarize materials from different sources;
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to give a description of remained objects and buildings, take their photos;
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to describe natural sights of the village;
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to analyse the material and to find out the characteristic features of nature, culture, history,
economic of my homeland;
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to think of some rational ideas about possible using of the sights of the village.
This work is accompanied by presentation and photos. The information represented here can be used
tourists, those interested in the history and culture of the republic of Karelia.
Guidebook
You are reading the guide, which will make your trip a memorable one, will help you feel the flavor and
fragrance of the village Tuokslahti. Here you will find useful and interesting information about the route
of the trip. Have a nice time!
Anyone who wants to escape from the concrete walls and traffic jams of a big city will find in Tuokslahti
the quietness of the place picturesque environs, pure crystal water and clean air.
1. The birth of the village
You're on the edge of the village Tuokslahti which according to experts is over 200 years old. It is
mentioned that Finns came and founded a settlement here in the search of better living conditions in the
first half of the 18th century in the materials of Northern Ladoga Museum. They had chosen the area to
stay because there was all necessary for industrial and agricultural production: large amount of water
(lakes Hyumpelyanyarvi and Hotinlahti) Kiteenjoki river with thresholds, high mountains Kivivuori,
Tavonmyaki, Putsanmyaki, covered with forests, fertile soils, roads, nearby Sortavala, which was an
administrative and economic center of Northern Ladoga.
Their first houses were situated on the banks of the river and the lakes Kiteenjoki, Hyumpelyanyarvi
and Hotinlahti. People went to the town for some needs and to the church holidays using lake
Hyumpelyanyarvi, Karmalansalmi and the open part of Ladoga Lake. They moved on the ice in the
winter and in the summer on the water by boats.
Sometime later, the settlement spread along the roads and fertile valleys, and by the late of the 19th
century, Tuokslahti became a village with several centers around where the houses were located in
groups. Some Houses were in the fields with their own road. Detached houses were located separately in
the forest.
Your attention may certainly be attracted by unusual names? I would like to start with the explanation of
them.
Hotinlahti in finnish means «the bay in the shape of small fish," Kivivuori - "stone mountain, covered by
forest, Kiteenjoki - "rushing river" Haapakoski - "aspen threshold."
The name of Tuokslahti is translated as "fragrant, aromatic bay." To feel the fragrance of the bay, you
should go to the second stop and make sure that all place names are not just abstract concepts and
random, each one has a specific meaning. They involved thoughts, knowledge, observation of the people,
a reflection of the natural environment and historic region.
2.Tuokslahti - fragrant bay
Everyone who comes in Tuokslahtican but notice a beautiful white building, located on a high hill
Rouvanmyaki, which means "seigniorial mountain."
The name of the area is due to the hunterinspektor’s wife, who had a good reputation among the villagers.
When the inspector in the 18th century was persecuted, and his family left the village, the memory of the
hostess is still in people’s minds.
In 1898, the rural Sortavala community bought the house for public school for children from farms. The
building is spacious, one-floor with attic, has a rectangular shape, gable roof and large windows. Around
the school there was enough place for outbuildings and garden.
The building is located in the largest village on the hill near the road in a beautiful sight. Next to the
school there is a pine forest and roaring river.
Tuokslahti school was a place for people where they could come together to discuss important issues. The
school is a cultural, educational and spiritual center of the rural community. The school had choir, held
village festivals and meetings at which people solved the social problems.
Through the efforts of teachers in the school carpentry workshops were opened, stadium was built and
fruit garden with apples, gooseberries, black and red currants was grown.
Next to the school there is a pine forest of 140 years old. The trees are about 25 meter high, 50
centimeters thick. The strength and tranquility comes from these pines. You can come here at any time of
the year. There are wonderful views of the lake Hotinlahti (also known as Lake School), a granite
mountain Kivivuori at the foot of which at the end of the 19th century houses and agricultural fields were
located.
Residents used pine wood to build their houses, to make the railway sleepers, furniture. Pine luschinwas
used for household needs.
Kiteenjoki river flows from Finland. The total length of the river on the territory of Russia is 51 km.
Drainage area is about 761 km ².
A characteristic feature of Kiteenjoki, as all rivers of the North Ladoga is its mountain character. It flows
through the granite bedrock of the Baltic Shield, has steep high banks, covered with spruce taiga, many
thresholds, interspersed with stretches - calm sections of the river with a sandy bottom.
According to Pastor Samuel Alopeus on the sandy stretches of the river in the 18th - 19th centuries there
was a pearl production. Pearls were quite light in the size of a "sugar pea." They were secretly sold to
Olonets. Pearling was like this: catchers were rafting down the river with a hacked hole in the middle of
their raft, through it hunter looked at the bottom. Seeing pearl oyster, hunters dragged it to the raft wood
ticks. People opened the shell and the pearl was hidden in its cheek to keep it wet. At home, pearls were
strung on a thread.
Pearl was one of the oldest and favorite jewelry in Russia.
Tuokskoski threshold is the main attraction of the village and a favorite place of the local population. It is
especially beautiful in spring and winter. It is 3 meter high and 25 meter long.
To the left of the threshold we can see the ruins of the building. This is the remains of a mill owned by the
family of merchants-Tiainen.
Tuokslahti village in the first half of the 19th century was lively and even prosperous village. There were
many farms, agricultural areas around lakes and rivers Kiteenjoki. Oats, rye, barley and wheat were
sowed here. There were two mills that produced flour from corn, and people delivered it to the village
bakery. There they baked muffins and bagels - a traditional delicacy of local residents.
3. Walking through the village center.
After passing the bridge over the river, we find ourselves in the center of the village Tuokslahti. This
place is named after Mountain - "Tiaysenmyaki", where you will see some objects that have survived to
the present day from past.
Mount Tiaysenmyaki could serve as a signal mountain. A beautiful view of the surrounding area,
agricultural landscape, mountains Haaposenmyaki, Kivivuori, old Finnish houses is spread in front of us.
Most of the local population lived at the foot of the mountain in the beginning of the 20th century. Main
source of livelihood of the villagers was agriculture (crops and livestock). There were other trades too,
such as forestry, fishing and hunting. The village had its own craftsmen: blacksmiths, carpenters,
shoemakers, tailors, weavers’ networks.
Rich landowner family - Ryattulived in the house of the present day library. The house had large
windows and a spacious basement. The family had six children. They kept a large farm. The descendants
of the family Ryattu live in Finland now. In 1990, Marty Ryattu and his sisters came to their homeland.
Thanks to the efforts of Tuokslahti residents mail, telephone station, a library, a brass band, the stadium,
three stores, a bakery, dairy, sawmillappearedin the early 20th century in the village.
What were the houses like in Tuokslahti?Houses had a rectangular shape and a high basement, living
room were spacious. The roofs of the houses were gable, tiled. There was a staircase that led to the atticin
the house. Bath, cellar for food storage, laundry room were located in the lower basement of a house or
nearby.
Houses were built of softwood, brick, basement and foundation - of local stone. Most of the buildings
were built by residents themselves. Construction tradition handed down from father to son.
There is an old Finnish well nearby, which was built of natural stone - granite. The water is clean and
very tasty. These wells are well preserved and you can find them in many Finnish farms.
4. Stone Kingdom
Our journey continues. Soon you will see the mountain Haaposenmyaki and traces of the earthquake. At
this stop you will learn about the geological processes and the history of the quarry on the northern shore
of Lake Ladoga.
Silhouette of the mountain reminds us Haaposenmyaki stone steps, which you can climb up. On the
mountain there are large piles of boulders. It is traces of the earthquake which was here 10,000 years ago
and opened plagiogranites and white quartz.
There are several quarries with plagiograniteon the mountain Tiaysenmyaki. Stone quarried in blocks,
going for natural fractures and drilling using blasting method. Quarries areinteresting for mining
purposes.
5. The Estate "Karhatsu"
The territory of northern Ladoga is known for its agricultural areas.
Agricultural development started from the traditional slash and burn method of farming to the constant
field work and then transition to a new agriculture
Estate "Karhatsu" is an example of the transition to the new agriculture. In the late 19th and early 20th
century, it was one of the largest agricultural production in Ladoga. In 1941, the estate was burned down,
but the farmyard survived.
We have an idea of architectural forms used in constructionin the 19-20 centuries thanks for beautiful
rectangular and circularwindows, arched doors and stairs.
The estate owner was AdvisorKale Nissinen, whoboth grew crops and bred horses and cows.
The estate was a large dairy farm with stables, built of brick.
Animals were kept in separate places. The farm had 45 cows and 15 horses (I found out the number of
animals on the number of fixtures in the floor). There was water, electricity. There was the entrance on
the second floor and holes for importinghay to livestock.
Estates were located around the fields wherefodder crops and grass were cultivated for livestock. People
used new agricultural implements and machinery: plow, harrow, mower, machine for raking hay and
thresherto care for the fields.
6. What do we have as a heritage?
Woodworking industrybegan to appearin the village Tuokslahti as around Lake Ladogain the late 20th
century. The reason for their development was the railroad, linking Sortavala with other areas of Finland,
and high demand for lumber and paper.
I inviteyou to go to the threshold Niemiskoskito get acquainted with the development of the wood and
paper industry.
Niemiskoski threshold is 20 meter long; water fall is about 2 meter high.
Huge fir alley met us here. Some trees have trunk about half a meter. These alleys play the role of
windproof and are found in many places in the northern Ladoga.
In 1907 the joint stock company "Niemiskoski" appeared. It was headed by a district judge K.G.Berg,
landowners brothers Nissinen. They built paper factory onthe river Kiteenjoki.
Paper factory worked out about 3500-4000 tons of printed paper in a year. Men from the surrounding
villages worked there.
7. Hydro station.
Hydroelectric station is a valuable station, which has been preserved to this day, and has the original
scheme. Kiteenjokiriver in this area has two branches that form the islandin the middle. Water has a great
fall here.
At the right branch of the river a three-meter damwas builtabove the rapids on the rock and supports
water pressure at the power station. The dam has two holes. One of them closed with the help of spokes,
another -wooden sandors.
Then the station was being built, the river was floatable, so there was a device for receiving timber.
Hydroelectric station was built of brick. It beganworking in 1914. During the Karelian-Finnish war
station suffered, but was again restored and began working before thesecond world war. During the war
in 1940 it was destroyed and wasrebuiltagain by Russians.
Stationproduces power for the surrounding villages nowadays.
So I finish our meeting with one of the most beautiful places in the northern Ladoga. I hope that the trip
was very pleasant and interesting.
Conclusion:
1. Tuokslahti village is a settlement with a rich history, culture and economy There are natural,
industrial and agricultural facilities.
2. It was a village, what improve methods of farming, natural resources for construction, provides
for the development of culture and preserving the health of the local population.
3. The settlement has played a role in the development of the forestry and wood industry, agriculture
and mining in the late 19th and first half of the 20th century in the Northern Ladoga.
4.
The village is of great interest as a tourist destination.
List of used literature:
1. Articles, Borisov I.V.
2. “ Little hydro stations in Karelia”, Korolev A.A, St.-Peterburg,1947
3. Sortavala rural community, Yuvjaskyula Ювяскюля, 1953
4. Erkki Kuujo, Jorma Tiainen, Eeva Karrtunen «Sortavalan kaupungin historia». 1970