Korvatunturi

Korvatunturi

Korvatunturi

Mountain in Savukoski, Finland

Korvatunturi is a fell in Lapland, on the border between Finland and Russia. Its Finnish part is within Urho Kekkonen National Park in the municipality of Savukoski. In Finnish the name Korvatunturi means "Ear Fell", referring to the mountain's distinctive profile.

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Korvatunturi stands 486 metres (1,594 ft) above sea level; it has three peaks, with the middle peak crossing Finland and Russia's borders. Since Korvatunturi straddles the border of the country, all visitors are required to obtain written permission from the Finnish Border Guard.[1] There are also no roads that directly lead to the fell, but there are hike trails that provide access, such as the one found in the Savukoski area.[2]

Cultural significance

Korvatunturi is best known as the home of the legendary character Father Christmas (or Joulupukki in Finnish, Julgubben in Finland Swedish). According to Finnish folklore, this land is said to be the location of Father Christmas’ secret workshop, where toys, trinkets and gifts are said to be made and eventually wrapped by elves. Known for their good-natured demeanour and their role as guardians of homes, these elves are also said to be responsible for analysing weather patterns for the yearly gift-giving trip around the world.[1]

People have also claimed that the ear-shaped structure of the fell allows Father Christmas to hear the wishes of every child on Earth.[3]

For letters to Father Christmas, Korvatunturi has the postal code 99999 Korvatunturi, even though all post sent to this address will actually be carried to Santa Claus Village at Rovaniemi.

In popular media, this legend has been adapted into the film Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale.

A 360 degree panorama from Korvatunturi, the building is a watchtower of the Finnish Border Guard

See also

References

  1. [1]
    Robbins, Danny. "Meeting Father Christmas". Danny Robbins’ Indie Travel Guide. BBC. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  2. [2]
    "Hiking". Savukoski Wilderness Travel. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  3. [3]
    "Finnish Christmas". dlc.fi. Nordic Recipe Archive. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
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