Saimaa Canal Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
canal in Russia and Finland
About Saimaa Canal
Already in the early 16th century there were plans to connect Saimaa to the Baltic Sea, to make it possible to sail toOlavinlinna(Swedish:Olofsborg), aSwedish-built fortification towards the east.LappeenrantaandVyborg, the cities near the ends of the canal were likewise established as fortifications during the Swedish time (in the present day they aretwin townsand interestingly almost exactly the same size population-wise). The first attempt was the Pontus Canal (named in honour of the late general Pontus de la Gardie) in 1607–1608, but after less than a kilometre of digging near Lappeenranta the project was abandoned. In the mid 19th century, when Finland was part of theRussian Empire, the first working canal was built, as it was calculated that transporting goods between the Finnish inla
Saimaa Canal Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 6 sections including: