Evacuees’ Stone

At the initiative of the Karelian associations in the Salo region, an “evacuees’ stone” named Moved Cornerstone was unveiled in the Olavinpuisto park in 1985. The monument is located by the Mariankatu bridge. The sculpture carved from Taivassalo red-black granite weighs 9000 kg. The stone was designed by Sakari Rokka from Helsinki. The sculptor Anja Aho was responsible for the technical aspects of the production of the bronze memorial plaque.

The text on the side of the memorial stone expresses the feelings of Karelian people who left their homes during the wars in 1939–44 and moved to the Salo region. The broken corner and furrows in the plaque symbolise the violent displacement of the people and their homes from the region that had been their home for centuries. Evacuees’ stones can also be found in Seinäjoki, Imatra and Rauma.