Salpa Line - Monument to Finnish Independence

The Salpa Line (Salpalinja) is a World War II-era defensive structure along the border between Finland and Russia, extending from the Gulf of Finland to Salla.

The Salpa Line is about 1200 kilometres long and consists of reinforced concrete barracks, armoured trenches and pits, battle and compound graves and 25 large crew caves. It is the largest single construction project of the Finnish state.

Worth a visit are the restored bunker areas of the Salpa Line in Luumäki Salpa-Asema, Lemi, Ruokalahti and Ylämaa. In Lappeenranta, the Salpalinja can be visited without charge in Rutola and Voisalmi, where reinforced concrete bunkers and field fortifications with signposts can be found. Rutola is also home to two large crew caves, which you can visit with an expert guide.

The Salpalinja is the most heavily fortified at the watershed of the Vuoksi and Kymijoki rivers in Rutola, which would have been the only point from which the Soviet army could have reached the Finnish interior and Mikkeli Headquarters without crossing the waterway.

Salpalinja guides can be ordered from the Salpalinja Guides Association at www.salpalinjanoppaat.fi or salpalinjan.oppaat@gmail.com and from the Salpalinja Court at +358 50 336 0986 (also in English).