Ivan Island

Iivanansaari – The historical burial chamber of the Kalterijääkär

Experience an exceptional piece of Finnish history amidst a beautiful lake landscape!

In Iivanansaari you will find yourself amidst real and touching history. In Rautjärvi, on the island of the clear-water Koantausjärvi, lies a unique burial chamber built by the Finnish Kalterijäkär Jussi Reinikainen. This unique building is an exact replica of the cell in St. Petersburg's Spalernaya prison, cast in concrete, where Reinikainen awaited execution in 1916.

A fascinating story and a captivating sight: Fortunately, the death sentence was never carried out due to the turmoil of the Russian Revolution. Decades later, Reinikainen wanted to preserve the memory of the Jaegers and had an exact replica of the cell built as his own burial place.

• Special feature: Before his death in 1969, Reinikainen managed to use his completed burial chamber as his own fishing lodge for no less than nine years!

• What you can see on site: On the roof of the burial chamber is a lion statue vigilantly looking east. Although the chamber door was closed permanently after Reinikainen's urn was placed, you can peek inside the barren cell through the original guard's inspection hatch and the barred window.

Practical information about the visit:

• Location: Iivanansaari is located in Koantausjärvi in Rautjärvi, quite close to the Haukkavuori hiking areas.

• Getting there: The island is only a couple of hundred meters from the mainland. On the mainland side of the island, there is usually a rowing boat for visitors to use, which can be used to row to the destination.

• Please note: There is no actual parking space for cars right up to the boat beach, so the destination is ideal for a cycling or hiking stop (e.g. from Simpele or the Haukkavuori parking lot).