Impilahti (Karelian: Imbilahti, Russian: Импила́хти) is a small town along the northern shores of Lake Ladoga in Karelia.

Understand

The Konov House, preserved from the Finnish period

In 1812, "Old Finland", the area Russia had taken from Sweden by the wars of 1700–1721 and 1741–1743, was united with the Grand Duchy of Finland. These areas, including Impilahti, became part of independent Finland in 1917. Impilahti was part of what was evacuated and ceded to the Soviet Union after the Winter War 1940 and again after the Continuation War 1944.

In the Finnish days Impilahti was centre of a municipality that included the industrial Pitkäranta (now Pitkyaranta), which already then was the biggest population centre.

The population of the town and its surroundings has been in a decline and they have some 600 inhabitants as of 2023.

Get in

The road A121 along Ladoga's northern shore runs near the town between Sortavala and Pitkyaranta. You can take the bus from either. There is also a railway from Lodeynoye Pole on the Saint Petersburg–Murmansk railway.

See

• To the east of the village of Leppäsilta is a Stone Age settlement.
• Impilahti's center has the status of a historical settlement. Building monuments include the preserved Impilahti parsonage, school, bank and hotel from the Finnish era, as well as two residential buildings.
• Impilahti has the graves of Soviet and Finnish soldiers who fell in the Winter and Continuation War, as well as Soviet prisoners of war.
• The municipality also has several holiday villages and hunting lodges.

Buy

• 1 Lider (Лидер), 86K-248, Impilahti. A grocery store 

Sleep

• 1 Bashni Andra (Башни Андра), Sortavalʹskoe š, 19, Impilahti, ☏ +7 921 962-92-12. A guesthouse. (updated Jun 2023)
• 2 Karelia Love Glamping (Карелиа Лове Глэмпинг), Kirkonkjulja, 10, ☏ +7 921 224-32-12. A camping area. (updated Jun 2023)

Go next

• Lagoda Skerries National Park, which includes the shores to the west and south of Impilahti proper.
• Sortavala, the nearest city (some 20,000 inhabitants)