Puumala
Puumala [pu ː mɑlɑ ] is a municipality in south-eastern Finland. It is located about 300 kilometers northeast of the capital Helsinki in Saimaa Lake District.
Puumala is as parish since 1662, as a political community since 1868. Beside the Kirchdorf Puumala It includes the widely scattered settlements Hamula, Harmaala, Himahuuha, Huhtimaa, Hurissalo, Huuhkaala, Ihalais, Junninmäki, Kaipaala, Kauppila, Keriniemi, Kietävälä, Kiljula, Kokkola, Kontila, Kyllölä, Lampila, Liimattala, Lintusalo, Luukkola, Maunola, Miettula, Muuramäki, Niinimäki, Niinisaari, Ollila, Pellilä, Petäjäniemi, Pirttimäki, Piskola, Pitkälahti, Repola, Rokansalo, Ruokotaipale, Ryhälä, Sepänkylä, Sipilänsaari, Sopala, Sorjola, Torsantaka, Valtola, and Vesiniemi.
In Puumala around 2,800 people live; in summer the population triples but because of the many holiday guests who relate their summer homes. In the 1,200 year-round inhabited houses in the municipality, more than 3,700 Mökkis. Trade and tourism are the largest economic sectors of the community; of great importance are also the agriculture and forestry and the wood processing industry, 24 per cent of workers are employed.
Puumala lies in dissected by countless Seearmen of Lake Saimaa and eskers southern part of the landscape Savo. The coastline in the municipal area is more than 3000 km, the number of islands with a size of more than 20 acres is more than 1,000. The northern portion of the island of Puumala Hurissalo, the largest with 174 square kilometers inland island of Lake Saimaa.
The parish church of Puumala is one of the largest wooden churches in Finland. It was completed in 1832 and can accommodate 1,200 worshipers.
However, the new landmark of the village is completed in 1995 and the bridge over the water tightness Puumalansalmi near the church village. With a length of 781 meters, it is the fourth longest bridge in Finland.
Coat of arms
Description of coat of arms: In the black shield are three extending to the upper plate edge silver peaks, each with a fired shell, reminiscent of the Puumala incident at the beginning of the Russo- Swedish War ( 1788).