Kuopio: Follow Me

I leave my ID card in a closed envelope behind the counter of Kuopio Art Museum - in exchange of a headset and an MP3 player. Testing - play. I step outside to face the traffic: the sound level is alright and I can hear the instructions clearly. The gentle voice promises that it will be easy to follow the route so I don't have to worry about getting lost. Anyway, I was given a small folded map, just in case, but it is sealed... To be opened only if I really manage to get lost.

Seuraa minua - or Follow Me as its name translates to English - is an audio walk for one in Finnish that will take me for a walk in the centre of Kuopio, Finland. To start with, I am told to cross the street, then follow Kauppakatu street towards the market place. No idea where I will be taken; I just know that I will hear a story or many stories that most likely will relate to the places that I will be passing.

The voice in my head asks me to turn left at the corner of Kauppakatu and Käsityökatu streets. The granite statue at the corner building is grinning. I suppose you know more about this than I do....

A man's voice recounts glimpses from his youth - girls, boys, an Opel car. His Grandad and the two-storey building that I pass when going down. It feels so different to listen to his story while walking, trying to spot the places that he is referring to (with my scarce local knowledge), compared to if I were sitting in an armchair at home and trying to imagine places. Am I walking at the same pace as he is?

When I reach Brahenpuisto park, I naturally expect to be guided through the lovely entrance to the park itself, but that is not the plan. I am told to take the straight footpath towards Piispankatu street, past the playground where children are playing and enjoying the sun. I can't even stop to linger because I was told not to use pause button but focus on walking and listening for the duration of the audio walk, about one hour.

This is so different compared to my usual walks when I change my pace every now and then, stop here and there. I am now moving to voice control, from one memory lane to another. I wonder which way I'll be told to turn next?

Take a left. The simply decorated iron fence brings me a woman's story about a visit inside it, with a little boy. I am sure there was no construction site when they first visited the area - I have to navigate through piles of building material in the large yard.

Finally, I manage to find my way to the old wooden gazebo that stands on a little mound at the side of the garden (or it used to be a garden before becoming a temporary building site). I smile secretly - although the gazebo is well hidden, I have managed to find it on an earlier visit to Kuopio, purely by accident, when I decided to do a bit of drifting. However, I can well relate to the story I'm hearing - it felt great to find this beautiful spot. 

The view from the lovely gazebo towards the Kuopio provincial government building isn't too good, thanks to the tall trees and the construction site between us, so for a while I simply listen to the woman's voice telling about the old days and some of the building's former, well-known inhabitants, the district governor Järnefelt's family. However, the voice tells me to continue so I have to find a way to move on...

I slip through the construction site fences and return to the area where there is free entry. Much better! I can finally see the stone building - and now it is much easier to imagine that this used to be the residence of the Järnefelt family whose children both became and were connected to important cultural personas, such as the a friend of a family, writer Juhani Aho.  The family's daughter Aino Järnefelt married composer Jean Sibelius. Next, I am guided to the other side and to the main entrance to imagine how impressive it must have been at the time to enter the house from the park.

Once again, the narrator changes. The man who shared some of his memories already earlier returns to tell about  a particular girl and the tall red brick building in front of me. Unfortunately, the story revolves around nylon stockings murders!

As I approach the passenger harbour, I start to focus on nicer things: the lovely view to lake Kallavesi, the old boats. However, there are exciting memories to share also from this place: the sawmill on the opposite shore sometimes caught fire in the winter and although it must have been an impressive sight from here, it was another horror story to people on the spot.

Around the corner, I am by an old flour mill. A young woman speaks, it is another busy day, no time to return a call, or another one. Until she gets a phone call that stops the clock. I can't help looking up. Will this place keep on bringing back the sad memories for her forever? Do I have such places with such memories?

The audio walk makes me think of what kind of memories would I have to share of different places if I were walking in my home town. Some places may make you regret things you did or didn't do, or acts of caring, or not caring. The former home of Finnish statesman Johan Vilhelm Snellman  was almost demolished some decades ago but luckily there were people who cared enough to save it and it now houses a museum.

At Snellman park, there is a chance for a bit of rest: I am instructed to sit down on this bench. I hear a story about a chance meeting of a woman and a man that lead to something more. Serendipity. They opted for an unusual method of getting to know each other which left something for chance. When I hear the story's end at the library a little while later, I wonder if someone decided to intervene... And now all that's left is a romantic mystery.  However, I see a notice above the hole through which you can return books to the library. You remain responsible for borrowed items even when they are lost. (Jos aineisto katoaa, olet edelleen vastuussa siitä.) Perhaps someone somewhere feels just a little bit guilty for intervening?

Each of the narrators of the audio walk have their own rhythm. Sometimes you can hear a woman's heels clicking or birdsong in the background. The story is moving and doesn't often let you stop in your tracks.When I reach this stone circle at Museokatu street, I look forward to a memory, but have none here myself nor is there one from the tape. It must be someone else's magic circle.

Although I keep a lookout on other things as well during the walk, the main focus remains on what I hear: human voice telling its story. My companions make me follow their voice straight ahead, turn at street corners, stop, take a look at this and that. It is as if I am walking a breadcrumb trail that only exists as a sound.

Where would I attach my own memories? The audio walk over, I hand back the headphones. The hour was spent with very different memories from different people's lives - joy, sorrow, romance, crime, mystery, life, death, as put together by Johanna Tuukkanen and Rebecca French. This was such a great way to experience a bit of Kuopio: more personal. Sadly, Seuraa minua audio walk was only available until 2 Sep, 2012 and it was a close call for me to be able to follow it, having heard about it pretty late in August.

Back at the Kuopio Art Museum, I enter the workshop room and attach a personal memory to Kuopio city map on the wall. Rakkauden polku (Path of Love) invites visitors to remember beautiful memories. I think: why not make a personal map of your home town, Path of Life, and attach any memories on it...

 

P.S. Thanks to hietzu for sharing her experience in Hurmioitunut blog (in Finnish only) a while back. Without her, I wouldn't have experienced this audio walk!

Kuopio: something old, something new

I get a friendly welcome at Kuopio: a beautiful, sunny day. My first stop by the side of the market place is the information board in front of the Kuopio City Hall; it illustrates what we pedestrians will get as a result of the massive construction work which has taken over half of the market place and the streets surrounding it. 

Besides what the new pedestrian area in Kuopio city centre will look like, there are also images of new lamp posts and gratings that will protect the cherry trees and red ashes that will be planted on the streets, as well as of flower pots, bicycle racks and the hitching post where a horse and carriage can be tied to.

Next to the City Hall there is a simple granite memorial which I have never noticed before although I have walked past it many times. The memorial commemorates the very first church in Kuopio that was built here in 1552 but which was burned down already in 1611.

Only few metres away, a shoemaker is hammering the heel of a boot in place. This statue honours the shoemakers who founded a business called Kansalliskauppa (literal translation: 'National Store) in 1890.

I take a turn to the left, between the apartment buildings, and climb up the stairs to Hatsala Cemetery. The cemetery is more like a friendly park, with old iron crosses scattered here and there on the even grass. The oldest residents seem to have been born already in 18th century. Fredrik Tornberg (1793-1847), a dyer by profession, was dearly beloved by his wife; the text in Swedish behind his cross refers to a faithful and thankful spouse (Af en trogen och tacksam maka).

There are also some old tombstones, in addition to the simple iron crosses. The white marble tombstone of Flora Katarina Ramn is surrounded by a partly broken fence; the other remaining fences that protect final resting places also seem to have suffered along the years. I bet there are loads of great stories of people buried here but unfortunately I am not here with a guide or a guide book.

On the other side of the cemetery, the straight lines of graves with their red flowerbeds immediately reveal that this is where soldiers who died during WW2 have been buried. I proceed diagonally to the corner of Suokatu, to return back towards the market place.

On Suokatu street, Mostly Out of Cardboard doesn't explain much but I suppose there will be products made of cardboard for sale - at least lamps! The notice on the window promises that the lights will be on in August. 

Further down on Suokatu, I try the door of art gallery Tila 33 but it is closed. As it often is? The newspaper boy (Lehtipoika (Raimo Utriainen, 1961) in front of the local newspaper / media company Savon Sanomat is trying hard to be heard above the traffic, but nobody seems to hear him. I walk round the church park, stop briefly at the Kuopio Art Museum but decide to walk and and visit a museum I've never been to before.

A new museum, a new opening. I am almost there. At Kuninkaankatu street, on the wall of Muotoiluakatemia (Design Academy), I spot the first electricity cabinet with a piece of art on it. Artist: Unknown.

On the other side of the street, at the corner of Kirkkokatu, the street sign is in three languages. Weird! It must tell a story of the old times, when - during the reign of Russia - all three languages were spoken here. The corner building is part of Korttelimuseo, or Old Kuopio Museum which is my destination. I've had a cup of tea there a couple of times but this time I plan to visit the exhibition as well. However, I'll have a cup of tea and sample something fresh at the cosy café first... Should I sit inside or in the garden?

Old Kuopio Museum includes a collection of old wooden buildings, forming a closed area inside them. Some of the buildings are in their original places, others were moved here from nearby areas.

 

It is nice just to take a slow stroll in the garden, perhaps sit down on a bench, but I want to take a peek inside. One of the buildings includes furniture and objects that used to belong to Minna Canth who was a writer and a spokesperson for women's rights, in addition to running a shop to maintain her family of many children after her husband's death. However, Canth did not live in the building.

In the temporary exhibition area there are lots of Finnish national / regional costumes on display, each with their delicate decorations. The embroidery in Sakkola and Rautu folk costume is simply stunning! The permanent exhibition takes me through local history and I learn there that the narrow local streets called rännikatu are 12 cubits (or 7,1 metres) wide.

In the wooden buildings you can see where a shoemaker, weaver or apothecary have worked in the old days.  The interior of a city home from the 1930's seems more familiar than any of the others; it's not so long ago that I have sat on a similar chair. There is also a real outhouse but it is no longer in use...

Leaving the museum, I walk downhill towards the passenger harbour and its lovely boats. If only there was time to do a cruise on the lake Kallavesi as well! A local art market is taking place at the harbour, for the very last days.

The most interesting piece of art at the harbour is Tuikkukukko, a rooster whose 'feathers' are made of no other material than tealights, or rather, of their metal cups. Visitors are invited to make a contribution to the artwork (there are plenty of old tealights available) by attaching a newly shaped tealight somewhere on the metal frame. After the art market event is over, the sponsor of this artwork, the local garbage collector Jätekukko, will take Tuikkukukko to a garbage dump nearby... No, not to dump it there but it will remain there as artwork!

Kuopio: Kauppakatu street

Lake Kallavesi at Kuopio is beautifully and definitely frozen. To prove that, quite a few people are out there, skating or skiing on the lake as I leave the harbour area and start walking towards the market place.

On Kauppakatu street, I stop to look at the wonderful photo postcards displayed at a bookshop window. Wow! Have to get some of those! The bookshop, Rosebud, is fairly new in town but when I’ve stepped inside with care (Varo askelmaa - Watch your step!) I feel already at home. There’s a coffee maker at one corner, a good selection of new and second hand books (mostly in Finnish but some second hand ones in English as well) and the music comes from a real record player behind the counter. Plus you can find the best Kuopio postcards by photographer Jukka Gröndahl right here. Welcome to Kuopio, Rosebud!

Kuopio Museum further up on the same street is a delightful jugend style building. Unfortunately museums are not on my agenda today, maybe next time!

I enter the Snellman Park next to Kuopio Cathedral. Is the green net tent a work of art that’s perhaps illuminated in the evening? Apparently not, it is just sheltering some delicate trees from the hazards of snow.

Joh. Vilh. Snellman on the statue stands for Johan Vilhelm Snellman (1806-1881), a famous Finnish statesman, writer, and philosopher who, among other things, fought for Finnish language. Snellman lived in Kuopio for some years. He’s simply delicious in the snow hat and collar! Hommage à photographer Jukka Gröndahl who has captured the same statue with similar snowy decorations in his great postcards, for sale at Rosebud....

The door to Kuopio Cathedral happens to be open so I step in. It is Saturday but there are no wedding parties about, however, there’s music playing inside. Is there a concert at this hour? Hesitatingly, I enter the church but there is nobody there. Except for the organist who is evidently practising wedding music! I feel priviledged, getting a free private concert... The sound is absolutely fantastic.

Behind the pews of the cathedral, a solitary candle is burning, keeping company to a bible, a pen and some paper. I suppose if you’d want someone to pray for you, you could write it down right here. It is a beautiful thought. I leave the organist to practice more wedding music and return outside.

Kuopio market place is undergoing a major renovation, with a larger underground parking under construction beneath it. Goodbye to the old Fish Market (a later addition to the original Market Hall; the original part stays intact, luckily!)... A pedestrian bridge crosses the construction site and it is decorated by artist Markku-Jussi Komulainen . The artwork has been there for months and it’s nice to see it still in place: among others, lake landscapes and flowers that make you think about the slowly approaching summer! 

The Market Hall (Kauppahalli) is surrounded by the fences of the construction site but the hall is still open as usual. The Market Hall, a Jugend style building, has lovely decorations on its outer walls, mostly animal shapes. The frog that is guarding the eastern entrance is almost totally covered in snow.

The Market Hall in Kuopio is simply inviting. I take a deep breath - the fresh smells of organic rye bread, Carelian pasties and shrove buns (laskiaispulla, filled with whipped cream and jam, above) float in the air, and I can’t pass by the fish or meat stalls without getting something. Kauppakatu street (direct translation: Shop Street) is true to its name. I leave the Market Hall with bags full of local delicacies.