Veteran Park

The park was established in 1987 and 529 silver birches were planted there in memory of the war veterans of Imatra. There is also a stone monument in the park, which includes 13 Salpa Line anti-tank barrier boulders. The boulders were transferred to the park in 1992 and placed in the shape of a semicircle.

A memorial plaque is attached to one of the boulders to tell of the purpose of the monument. The memorial plaque reads: “Veteraanipuisto perustettu Suomen itsenäisyyden 70. juhlavuonna 1987, 1939–45 sotiemme Imatran veteraanit”. (Translated to English: Veteran Park established in the 70th anniversary of Finnish independence in 1987, veterans of our wars in Imatra)

There is a cultural route running along the shores of the river Vuoksi. Veteran park is one of the sites along the Vuoksi Culture route.

Excerpt from the Vuoksi culture route guide:

“Salpalinja fortification line

The Salpalinja fortification line, ‘The Lock of Finland’, constructed in 1940–1941 and 1944 on the country’s eastern border from the Gulf of Finland to the Arctic Ocean, is an intricate system of defence fortifications. The fortification line is approximately 1,200 kilometres long, and comprises hundreds of individual fortifications. Salpalinja remains Finland’s largest construction site to date, involving up to 35,000 men at a time. Salpalinja is among the most solid defence systems built during the Second World War, though its effective strength was never tested in battle.”

Image: imatra.kuvat.fi