Photos

  • Кирха Вуоксела. Photo 1
  • Кирха Вуоксела. Photo 2
  • Кирха Вуоксела. Photo 3
  • Кирха Вуоксела. Photo 4
  • Кирха Вуоксела. Photo 5
  • Кирха Вуоксела. Photo 6
  • Кирха Вуоксела. Photo 7
  • Кирха Вуоксела. Photo 8

Description

15 kilometers from Losevo, on the banks of the Vuoksa-virta river (the northern branch of the Vuoksa) there was the Finnish village of Vuoksela, which, unfortunately, was destroyed during the war. However, among the forest that grew on the site of rural buildings, one highlight has been preserved - the rural church.

Vuoksela Church was built on Cape Lammasniemi in 1928-1929 according to the design of the architect Ilmari Launis. Its consecration took place on December 12, 1929. The cost of construction, including organ and bells, was 1,260,000 marks. The octagonal bell tower, connected to the main building, is decorated with a cross, which has survived to this day. According to a similar project, in 1934-1935 Launis built a church in Lumivaara parish. Heating was also provided.

A stone fence 1.2 meters high and 50 cm wide was built around the temple in 1938. All residents of the parish, which consisted of 11 villages, were involved in its construction. The fence project was designed by the architect Juhani Viisten.

Initially, the parish served as a prayer hut in the village of Uusikylä, which was transported from Antrea and reinstalled in 1905. However, it was not heated, so residents of other villages began to gather for prayer in the parish hut, located on the same cape where the church was later built. Since 1917, Cape Lammasniemi has become a place of worship for local residents.

In Soviet times, on the site of the church, the base of the Kozitsky plant was created, including the church building itself. However, the sign and historical information about the church, which hang on the territory of the base, do not correspond to reality and were hung by the plant workers themselves.

Now the church is located on the territory of a tourist base, and although closed, it remains a cultural monument included in the register of the State Institute for Monument Protection. Next to the church there is a mass grave of Finnish soldiers who died during the wars of 1939-1945, which Finns sometimes visit.

The closest settlement to this place is the village of Romashki on the opposite bank of the river, and to get to the church, you need to get to Romashki from Losevo. To the left of the road is the Vuoksa Virta River, and the church is located on the opposite bank.

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