Savonlinna

 

Savonlinna (Swedish: Nyslott) is a Finnish city located in the province of Southern Savonia. The city is home to 32,913 people and covers an area of 3,597.69 km², of which 1,359.60 km² are water bodies (1 January 2020). The population density is 14.7 inhabitants / km². Savonlinna is especially known for Olavinlinna and the Savonlinna Opera Festival held there.

Savonlinna's neighboring municipalities are Enonkoski, Heinävesi, Kitee, Liperi, Parikkala, Rantasalmi, Ruokolahti, Rääkkylä, Sulkava and Varkaus. Of these, Enonkoski is completely surrounded by Savonlinna.

 

History

The city of Savonlinna originated from the settlement of Olyrinlinna, founded in 1475, on the west bank of Kyrönsalmi. The Savonlinna ore (Nyslotts malm), located next to Olavinlinna, which belonged to Sääminki, was raised in 1639 to the city on the initiative of Peter Brahe. Savonlinna Malmi was inhabited by artisans working in the fort and other people who could not live in the castle.

The founding document of the city of Savonlinna has disappeared over time, but many other sources have revealed the year of founding in 1639. The town was not given a name at the time of its founding and was variously called Savolax Nystad and Nyslotts ore. Savonlinna's first city period ended in 1683, when city rights were revoked. The city's land passed into the ownership of the Heikinpohja equestrian farm and the city's residents were deported from their apartments. After the abolition of city rights, the population fell to 100-150 people. During the Great War, from 1714 to 1721, Olavinlinna and Savonlinna were under Russian rule. After the Great Wrath, Savonlinna returned to Swedish rule after the Russians left in the autumn of 1721. In 1723, Savonlinna became a trading post under the hammer town of Hamina. Swedish rule in Savonlinna ended in hatred in 1742, when the Russians occupied Finland. Savonlinna again became an independent city in 1784.

In the 19th century, Savonlinna grew and became industrialized, the settlement spread from Vääräsaari to Talvisaari. The completion of the Saimaa Canal in 1856 and the completion of the railway connection in 1907 grew the city. The Saimaa canal brought tourists to the Olavi spa, which was completed in 1896. The biggest changes in the cityscape began after World War II, when wooden houses were demolished and apartment buildings were built in its place.

Savonlinna fires
In 1656, during the War of the Rupees, all the houses in the town were burned down - including the town hall, school, rectory and possibly the unfinished new church.
In 1714, during the Great War, when the Russians arrived, the head of Olavinlinna ordered the buildings of Savonlinna to be burned.
In 1742, at the beginning of the little hatred, the Swedes burned Savonlinna before the arrival of the Russians.
In July 1812, 19 houses were destroyed in the Savonlinna fire.
During the Winter and Continuation Wars, the city suffered from intermittent bombing. The worst damage was to Savonlinna Cathedral, which caught fire in January 1940 and suffered great destruction. The church was rebuilt in 1948.