Parks

Lappeenranta is a verdant city with many green areas that extend from the heart of the City to its outskirts. An attractive urban environment is highly valued in Lappeenranta. The vast and impressive summertime flowerbeds have been praised by locals and tourists alike.
The City also has an arboretum that showcases a collection of trees. The trees and shrubs in the arboretum have grown quite old, so it is a great place to see how big your saplings may one day grow to be. The arboretum is located in the area surrounding the Water Tower.

Information about the parks

Central Park or the Church Park

The Central Park (Keskuspuisto), also known as the Church Park (Kirkkopuisto), was founded in the late 1800s, in the area surrounding the Church of St Mary, in Lappee. Other parks in Lappeenranta were refurbished at the time, to encourage spa tourism.
The Central Park begins at the church and continues up the hill to the Lappeenranta Soldier’s Graves, the second largest cemetery for military heroes in Finland. Both soldiers and civilians, who died during the Second World War, are buried here. Since 1993, the remains of over 500 soldiers who were buried in Russian Karelia have been buried here; some of the remains have been identified, while others remain unknown.

Freedom Square and Paasikivi Park

The large Freedom Square (Vapaudenaukio) continues towards the centre as the Paasikivi Park (Paasikivenpuisto). They were refurbished in 2014, when underground parking was constructed beneath Freedom Square (P-Pormestari). The park covers 9,600 sq. metres, of which 8,200 sq. metres is built on planting decks. The growth space is limited above the planting decks, which prevents the planting of large trees, but small, durable trees, such as rowan trees, cherry trees and other decorative trees and shrubs can be planted. You can conveniently enter the park from the underground parking garage by way of a staircase. A walkway that is a part of the cycling network divides Paasikivi Park and Freedom Square. Art is one of the components of the park.

Arboretum

The Lappeenranta Arboretum was established in 1980. The creation of the Arboretum did not start from scratch, as there had been a park there, for several decades. Approximately 70 different arboreal species already existed there. Planting spots have been allocated for 87 different coniferous plants and 450 broadleaf trees and shrubs. The plants are divided by species and genus, meaning that those plants that are taxonomically close to each other are also located near each other. This helps when making comparisons between species. The arboretum is located close to the city centre, along both sides of Valtakatu Street, the street running east of the city centre. The Water Tower is a great place to start exploring the area.

Shore Park or the Kasino Park

In the late 19th century, when the City Bay harbour was under construction, the shore area was cleaned up and became known as the Shore Park (Rantapuisto) or Kasino Park (Kasinon puisto) and was further developed to attract spa travellers. Spa guests used to stroll in the park in between their spa treatments, back then, and still do, today. Shore Park is also known as the Kasino Park, after Restaurant Kasino, located next to the Spa.
Nowadays, families with children come to Shore Park for the playground along Kipparinkatu Street. The shore area with its benches, harbour and kiosks is a popular meeting place and picnickers can often be seen in the shade of the trees.

The Old Park or the Kissing Park

Lappeenranta’s first park, the Old Park (Vanhapuisto), also known as the Kissing Park (Pusupuisto), was founded in 1850, outside the southern fortification of the Lappeenranta Fortress, along the present-day Kristiinankatu Street. It became known as the Kissing Park, because it was a popular meeting place for conscripts and their girlfriends. Lappeenranta's oldest kiosk, the Kissing Park Kiosk, with the year 1893 inscribed on the banner flying from its roof, is located at the edge of the park, opposite Hotel Patria.
The Lappeenranta Summer Theatre is located in the Old Park, amidst the embankments of the Fortress.