Mysteries of the devil

Have you heard of the devils of Paasvede, the giants of Hankavaara or the water sprite? In folklore, the devil has many names and functions and is not hard to find, if you know where to look.

Savonranta is remembered for ancient tales of mysteries. Embark on a journey with a connoisseur of tales, a spell reader, a guardian of timeless knowledge, the Savonranta Groundhog, and discover the region’s powerful spots of power and the devilish stories that go with them. The mobile tour works on the Zoneatlas Atla platform, which opens with the QR code.

Trailer  |  Route map  |  How to use  |  Starting points

Savonranta’s Path to the Mysteries of the Devil is a self-guided mobile tour that brings the stories of intangible cultural heritage to life through animation. The story trail can be followed all year round. The tour introduces the traveller to powerful places in Savonranta, not all of which are familiar to tourists. These places have a mystique and stories, some of which have been forgotten, which we can now hear told by an ancient grandmother. The tour is aimed at people of all ages, tourists and locals alike, who are interested in tradition and stories. The story trail animations are atmospheric but not scary, making them suitable for the youngest members of the family. The tour includes four mystical animations of about 2 minutes. 

Look at the trailer

Who built Savonlinna and where did the devils draw the peace line?

Here is how to use it

1. Read the QR code and dive into the mysteries of the Path of the Devil on the Atla platform.
2. To access the tour, press the “Start” button or open the first map point.
3. You can pinpoint your location in the map view by pressing the locate button in the top left corner.
4. Follow the numbers on the map to complete the lap at your own pace. Press the video preview to start watching videos.
5. Enjoy the stories!

The first two trailheads are located right in the centre of the charming village of Savonranta, a short walk from each other. The third point, Linnosaare, is a couple of kilometres away and can also be easily reached on foot. The last point of the route, Torikivi, is located about 5 km from the village and can be reached by car or bicycle. You can walk around all the waypoints or just part of the route.

1. Lights of Paasvede: The signpost for the starting points can be found in the yard of the Savonranta guest marina at Pirttimääentie 2, 58300 Savonranta. In summer there is a good parking area in the area. In winter, the yard is not regularly ploughed.
   – In Kirkonkylä, for example, you can park your car in the parking in front of the local Sale Supermarket, which is a short walk from the starting point of the marina.
2. Vuokala rapids: the rapids can be reached by navigating to Lamminniementie 6, 58300 Savonlinna.
   – You can leave your car in the yard of Vuokala mill. If you can’t fit in the yard, you can park your car in the yard of the local Sale Supermarket, which is right next to the Vuokala mill and the babbling brook next to it.
3. Linnosaari: Linnosaari can be reached by navigating to Linnosaarentie 180, 58300 Savonlinna.
   – Savonarinna is accessible by car all year round. There is a small turning area at the end of the road where you can park your car.
4. Torikivi: Torikivi is located a short walk from the road, in the forest.
   – You can reach Torikivi by navigating to Hankavaarantie 114, 58300 Savonlinna. This address will take you to the crossroads. Turn right at the junction onto a small forest road and continue for about 300 metres.

The Trail to Diabolic Mysteries is available all year round.
Manuscript: Jaana Tyrmi, Production: Salmi Platform Oy (Voice over: Tuuli Anikari, studio: Miaudio, visual design and animation: Jere Lahti)
The Pirun Savonranta project run by Savonlinna Travel Ltd, for which the ELY Center of Lapland has granted a grant from the allocated funds for tourism projects in sparsely populated areas.