Evacuation Memorial
Evakkomuistomerkki
This memorial is located by the Kirkkotie road near the parish hall. It has been designed by architect Seppo Koutaniemi. The monument was unveiled in September 1994 exactly 50 years after the last evacuation. Soil, red and green granite and monzonite have been used as materials in the sculpture.
The people of Kuusamo had to evacuate twice during the Second World War. After the beginning of the Winter War, in December 1939 the people of Kuusamo evacuated mainly to Pudasjärvi, Ii and its neighbouring municipalities. Most of the inhabitants returned to Kuusamo by summer of 1940, with the exception of the inhabitants of the ceded region and the burnt border villages.
After the end of the Continuation War in September 1944, the evacuated people headed to Oulainen, Rantsila and other municipalities south of Oulu. Starting from the spring of 1945, those returning to Kuusamo found it to be almost completely destroyed. It was the beginning of the reconstruction period.
- Designer: architect Seppo Koutaniemi
- 1994
- granite, monzonite
Address
Kirkkotie 2
Kuusamo Statues and Monuments
The Kuusamo municipality has a total of twenty four statues and monuments. Most of them are about war history, but there are also some that are about significant people and events.
A Monument can be a decorated stone, a wooden, stony or metallic structure, or a simple mark like a metal plate or a carving on a rock.