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Saimaa Canal inaugurated
August 26 (September 7), 1856, the day of the coronation of Emperor Alexander II, in Vyborg was inaugurated Saimaa Canal – a shipping canal, which connects Lake Saimaa in Finland with the Gulf of Finland.
Attempts to create a canal between the largest lake system in Finland and the Gulf of Finland were made back in the 16th century. But only in the 19th century, during the time of Nicholas I and Alexander II, political and economic conditions were favorable enough for the ambitious project.
Construction on the canal lasted from May 1845 to 1856. It was mainly contributed by Swedish experts since Russia had no experience of building a canal in the rock and hilly terrain. The total length of the canal was 58 km from the village of Lauritsala to the Cape Lavola; there were 28 lock chambers (7 one-chamber lock, 3 dual chamber locks, and 5 three-chamber locks).
The Saimaa Canal was quite important to Finland Principality, which at that time was a part of the Russian Empire. The population of Karelia and Savolaksa was no longer dependent from distant harbors north of the Gulf of Bothnia and Lake Ladoga. In the busiest seasons of navigation, up to 27 regular passenger steamers a day passed via the canal from St. Petersburg and Vyborg to the cities of Finland, the goods were transported (mainly timber and lumber, grain).
In the 1920's started the first reconstruction of the Saimaa Canal: the size of the locks had to be increased and the number of gateways - reduced. Reconstruction of the canal was carried out without interrupting navigation. New locks were built near the old ones, while the old ones continued to operate. Reconstruction of the canal was not completed due to the outbreak of the Soviet-Finnish War in 1939, after which the Saimaa Canal was divided into two parts by the Soviet-Finnish border.
In 1962 was signed an agreement, ratified in 1963, under which Finland rented the Soviet part of the Saimaa Canal with the road running along it and the Small Vysotsky Island in the Gulf of Vyborg, which was to be used as a transshipment port. The lease term was set at 50 years. The amount of rent, according to the agreement, depended on the traffic. After the conclusion of the lease of the Soviet part of Saimaa Canal, the canal was again rebuilt. Instead of the old 14 locks were built eight modern large locks. Most of the new locks were built beside the old ones, some of which are used as spillway channels.
On the Finnish side of the canal there still are two granite slabs with the names of Russian emperors, owing to whom the canal was built; the names and titles are engraved in gold in Finnish and Russian languages.
To date, the total length of the Saimaa Canal is 57.3 km including sea fairway, out of which 23.3 km - in the territory of Finland, 19.6 km – in the Russian territory rented by Finland, and 14.4 km - in the territory of Russia. The canal is available for the passage of river, lake and marine vessels. Vessel traffic is carried around the clock. The duration of the navigation is set annually by agreement of the Plenipotentiaries of the channel, depending on ice conditions and amounts in average to 275 days (9 months).
In connection with the approaching expiration of the agreement of 1963, the Russian and Finnish parties have agreed on a draft of a new agreement between Russia and Finland about lease by the Republic of Finland of the Russian part of Saimaa Canal and the surrounding area and the implementation of navigation through the Saimaa Canal. May 27, 2010 a new agreement was signed. June 19, 2011, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev submitted the document to the Duma for its ratification.
Lit.: Лит.: Мартынов В. Л. Сайменский канал // География: Прилож. к газ. «Первое сент.». 2006. №4; Усыскин Г. Сайменский канал // Туристские фирмы. СПб., 2001. С. 153-171.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Прокудин-Горский С. М. На Сайменском канале. Финляндия. 1905-1915. Фотография;
Прокудин-Горский С. М. На Сайменском канале. Финляндия. 1905-1915. Фотография;
Прокудин-Горский С. М. На Сайменском озере. 1905-1915. Фотография. 1;
Прокудин-Горский С. М. На Сайменском озере. 1905-1915. Фотография. 2;
Прокудин-Горский С. М. На Сайменском озере. 1905-1915. Фотография. 3;
Прокудин-Горский С. М. На Сайменском озере. 1905-1915. Фотография. 4;
Прокудин-Горский С. М. На Сайменском озере. 1905-1915. Фотография. 5;
Прокудин-Горский С. М. На Сайменском озере. 1905-1915. Фотография. 6.