The railroad track through Punkaharju was completed in 1906 and Bruno Granholm designed the station building. At the time, the station was known as the Punkaharju station, but nowadays it is called Lusto, after the Finnish Forest museum and information centre Lusto, which was established in 1994. This station house stands out from others built in the same era because of its grandeur. A picturesque wooden gazebo also stands by the station building.

During the summer months, various exhibitions are displayed at the old station.

In the 1890’s there was a shortage of accommodation in Punkaharju and the Czarina’s villa was built. Sebastian Gripenberg designed the villa, which was originally named Villa Punkasyrjä. Apparently, the czarina never actually stayed at the villa and nobody really knows exactly why the villa was named after her royal highness. Perhaps the builders considered the villa grand enough for royalty!

According to another story, Nicholas II and his spouse Aleksandra Feodorovna planned to visit Punkaharju, and the idea was that the czarina would stay at the villa.

The hotel Finlandia was one of the most modern lodgings in Finland when it opened in 1914. Walter and Ivar Thomén designed the hotel, which shows the influences of romantic nationalism and art nouveau with a touch of baroque and renaissance themes. Only 2 weeks after the opening, World War I broke out, leaving the hotel virtually vacant. The hotel continued operations until 1935, when Finlandia went under compulsory auction and became state-owned.

During the winter war, the hotel operated as a military hospital and later was a rehabilitation centre for soldiers. After the wars, hotel operations were more or less successful and eventually the hotel and connected buildings became state-owned again in 1981.

The Finnish travel association built the Pususilta (Kissing bridge) in the 1930’s as a shortcut from the hotel Finlandia to the Valtionhotelli. Most likely, the name derives from the romantic endearments, which the natural beauty of the surroundings inspires in couples crossing the bridge.

In 1983, the bridge was refurbished and ceremoniously opened to the public – with kisses, of course.

Due to its location on the eastern border of Finland, Punkaharju used to be in turmoil, in turns being a part of Sweden or Russia. During the Interim Peace, a bunker line exceeding 1000 km was built on the eastern border to defend Finland against a possible Soviet invasion. The bunker line, which extended all the way from the Gulf of Finland to Salla, in Lapland, was officially named “Salpa” (bolt).

In 1940 – 1944 approximately 800 dugouts, 1250 machine gun nests, 130 km of dugout obstructions and more than 350 km of battle and support trenches as well as 225 km of stone anti-tank obstacles. Salpa Line constructions at the Punkaharju nature reserve are located at Kuikonniemi and Mustaniemi. Most of the constructions were filled up and cleared away after the war. The trench and dugout at Kuikonniemi were refurbished in 2001 – 2003 and are open to the public. A key to the dugout is available at the Harjutie kiosk.

The Punkaharju arboretum entails over 150 hectares of research forest, consisting of more than 50 species of trees, mostly conifers. Since the 1990’s, the arboretum has been thoroughly renewed and developed, aiming to collect all the conifer and hardwood species that could possibly thrive in the local conditions.

A total of 134 different species and special varieties of trees are represented in the arboretum. You can read all about the different tree families and species of as well as the special Finnish varieties from the signs.