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 with the SALMI AR app, downloadable from your phone’s app store.
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. The animation is produced by Salmi Ltd. The script is written by Jaana Tyrmi and the voice actor is Tuuli Anikari. The visuals are by OuWau Design & Productions Oy and the studio work is by Miaudio.
The mobile tour is powered by the SALMI AR app, which can be downloaded from your phone’s app store. A map in the app guides you to the starting point of the route, and the tour content is automatically displayed on your phone screen as you approach each waypoint. For the best experience, listen to the story through headphones.
1. Download the free SALMI AR app from the app store (Google Play or iOS App Store). Salmi AR works on the latest mobile devices.
2. Open SALMI AR and enter “Savonranta Path to the Devil’s Mysteries” in the search field. Open the package by clicking on the package image.
3. Download the package by clicking on the Download button.
4. When the download is complete, click on the Start Tour button.
5. Complete the tour at your own pace, following the numbers on the map. Click the Play button to start watching the video. It is not necessary to watch the videos in order, as the stories are independent entities in their own right.
Starting points and directions
1. Paasvede lights: 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 winter, the yard is not regularly ploughed.
-In Kirkonkylä, for example, you can park your car in the yard of the local Sale Supermarket, which is a short walk from the starting point of the marina.2. Vuokala rapids:
– You can leave your car in the yard of Vuokala Mill. If there is no room 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.
– The site 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:
– You can reach the 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 Paasvesi devils have been seen on the Lake Paasvesi
Courtesy of VisitSavonlinna
