July evening in the hotel Kruununpuisto very quiet. Probably three weeks later the situation changes: the President of Russia Vladimir Putin will arrive on a visit to the city of Savonlinna.
According to Iltalehti, during his visit, Putin will stay in the area the moraine ridge of Punkaharju. Most likely, Putin will be guest of the hotel Kruununpuisto. The security level of the hotel has been thoroughly checked.
Kruunupuisto is situated in a quiet sheltered location close to the protected area and ridge Pokahara. During the visit, Putin will be able to enjoy the national landscapes of the country as the road to the tourism center and rehabilitation takes place on a popular tourist route.
The same shape of the ridge of the winding and hilly road linked Vyborg and Savonlinna since the eighteenth century. Now the road on the ridge in the first place belongs to hikers and leisurely routes, because in the 1970s they built a new and more direct way.
The new route was paved in order to preserve the unique nature. In addition, the narrow road was very dangerous for heavy vehicles.
Putin will arrive on a plane?
Newspaper Etelä-Saimaa reported on Sunday that at the end of July Putin will attend the Opera festival in Savonlinna, which is held in the medieval Olavinlinna castle. From Savonlinna to Kruunupuisto about 30 kilometers.
If Putin will be arriving in Savonlinna by plane, then he is likely to land at the airport of Savonlinna, which is 15 kilometers North from the city center.
From the airport to Kruunupuisto little more than 30 kilometers. It is a small intercity airport, which still flies to Helsinki.
Most likely, in the area of Savonlinna was possible to observe a procession of black cars.
In the footsteps of emperors
Before the Russians attached great importance to Punkaharju. The Emperor Alexander I in 1803, gave the order to save the forests of the ridge from being cut and to stop slash and burn agriculture in the area.
Forest ridge is now geared for tourism. Just two kilometers from the hotel Kruunupuisto is the forest Museum Lusto and the Finnish hotel Punkaharju, Punkaharju therefore, there will be a lot of tourists and during Putin’s visit.
In Kruunupuisto’ve hosted guests from afar. In 1892 there appeared a clinic for patients with lung disease, which came from St. Petersburg and Central Europe.
During the war the hospital was converted into a military hospital. The most famous patient — Enrout Adolf (Adolf Ehrnrooth). It is known that Mannerheim visited him in the hospital.
Now Kruunupuisto can offer 80 rooms. Putin will probably stay in one of five rooms of a class “Lux”. You can also be accommodated in the buildings located close to the main.
Drive across the border?
Most likely, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin will arrive in Finland by plane.
If Putin does go on the car, he could have crossed the Finnish border in the cities of Lappeenranta or Imatra. The third option — the border crossing point Parikkala-Syvaoro, which is not far from Savonlinna. From Parikkala to Savonlinna about 70 km.
The choice of the border crossing Parikkala would be likely to be serious political signal. At the moment the border in Parikkala can cross only citizens of Finland and Russia, which are pre-applied for a permit.
Russia would like to make this border crossing point international, and repaired roads from the border to St. Petersburg. Finland received from Russia two notes on this issue. The last note came this spring.
The opening of borders for international traffic from Finland rests on the investment in road construction. Pinned hopes on the assistance from the EU.
