Suoyarvi – Memorial Sites and History

• In September 1984, a memorial featuring a soldier sculpture replaced the original monument at the mass grave. The occasion was the 40th anniversary of the liberation of Suoyarvi District from the German-Finnish occupiers.
• In front of the grave of Soviet hero P. A. Tikilyaynen, his bronze portrait stands on a tall gabbro-diabase pedestal.
• The number of people buried in the mass братherly grave at Lenin Square in central Suoyarvi is given as 1,569; the figure comes from the Republican Military Commissariat.
• The “Rubezhi Suoyarvi” route leads to attractions and memorial sites in Suoyarvi and its surroundings that are connected with events of the Second World War.

The memorial at the mass grave links a historical date with an expressive figure: the sculpture depicts a soldier charging into an attack. The memorial was built in September 1984, replacing the original monument. The occasion was the 40th anniversary of the liberation of Suoyarvi District from the German-Finnish occupiers. Both the depiction of the soldier and the historical context of the commemoration are central to this memorial site.

A different image can be seen at the grave of Soviet hero P. A. Tikilyaynen. His sculpted bronze portrait stands on a tall gabbro-diabase pedestal. The soldier figure at the memorial and the portrait make different artistic statements: one captures the movement of an attack, while the other portrays an individual. There is also a mass братherly grave at Lenin Square in the city center. The figure of 1,569 people buried there is attributed to the Republican Military Commissariat.

The route connects attractions and memorial sites in Suoyarvi and its surroundings that are associated with events of the Second World War. For the part in the city, the description names three stops: the Monument of Glory, the Suoyarvi District Museum of Local History, and the monument to the Northwestern Border Troops. This brings together a museum and different forms of commemoration under one theme.

If you are interested in local history, the stops offer different points of interest: the remembrance of military events, the district museum, and a monument to border troops. The route extends beyond the explicitly named Suoyarvi stops into the surrounding area. However, the three places listed are the stops identified in Suoyarvi.

At the level of the broader travel destination, the Republic of Karelia, nature and culture are also central themes. At the Kivach Nature Reserve, an overview excursion includes an outdoor walk to Kivach Waterfall, as well as visits to the arboretum and the Nature Museum. The waterfall is on the Suna River in central Karelia and has a drop of 10.7 meters. A 1,000-meter circular trail runs through a wooded area on the bank of the Suna near the excursion zone; the excursion lasts 1 to 1.5 hours. Check conditions and booking with the operator.

For architecture, the Kizhi Museum Reserve offers a different focus: 89 monuments of traditional wooden architecture can be seen outdoors, including chapels, houses, mills, granaries, threshing barns, and drying racks. Visitors can explore the interior of the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God and peasant houses; traditional peasant crafts are demonstrated in the houses. The petroglyphs also give the region’s cultural offerings a distinctive character. The World Heritage site of the Onega and White Sea Petroglyphs comprises 4,500 Neolithic rock carvings. The Onega petroglyphs include more than 1,200 figures; the White Sea petroglyphs mainly depict hunting and sailing scenes, along with equipment, and animal and human footprints.

Discover more destinations: Kostomuksha, Sortavala, Pitkyaranta, Sofporog, Tiurula, Yashëzero, Chalna and Pryazha.

When was the memorial at the mass grave erected?

In September 1984, it replaced the original monument. The occasion was the 40th anniversary of the liberation of Suoyarvi District from the German-Finnish occupiers.

Which route stops are named in Suoyarvi?

The Monument of Glory, the Suoyarvi District Museum of Local History, and the monument to the Northwestern Border Troops.

What does the figure 1,569 at Lenin Square refer to?

It is the number of people buried in the mass братherly grave at Lenin Square in central Suoyarvi and is attributed to the Republican Military Commissariat.

For the broader travel overview: Republic of Karelia.