The History of Travels to Viena

The first cultural excursions were made to the Viena folklore villages in the 1990s. Prior to that time, the border was closed for seven decades. In the past, crossing one of Europe's oldest borders (established in 1595) and heading eastward was an uncommon practice. However, a great majority of Viena men crossed the border every year to come to Finland as peddlars. They left home in the autumn and returned for the spring sowing. In addition to toting merchandise such as fabrics, scarves, wool, buttons, baubles and combs, etc., these itinerant peddlars also brought along their songs. Thanks to these travellers, the Kalevala song lands were "discovered" in the 1820s. As a result, a small number of poetry collectors made their way to Viena.

After the collecting trips that led to the birth of the Kalevala were made, a new wave of collecting began in the 1870s. Beginning in the 1890s, the Karelianists were visiting the area, until the 1920s when the border was absolutely closed. No one travelled to Viena again until the border was finally re-opened.

Since 1991, Juminkeko, the Arhippa Perttunen Foundation and Finnish tourist agencies have been organising trips for small groups of interested tourists. The trips are cultural trips, and the point is to give the tourists not only experiences of Viena's indigenous nature and culture, but also information about the area's cultural history and significance to world culture.

The tourist can get "inside" Viena culture by getting room and board in a real Viena family home. This type of accommodation gives one a real sense of the Karelian way of life.

International cultural tourism means a great deal for the economy of the Viena villages. The families providing accommodation directly profit from the tourists and the proceeds from the tourism are being used for revitalising the Viena Folklore Villages.

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