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Mountain in Savukoski, Finland
Korvatunturi
is a
fell
in
Lapland
, on the border between
Finland
and
Russia
. Its Finnish part is within
Urho Kekkonen National Park
in the municipality of
Savukoski
. In
Finnish
the name
Korvatunturi
means "Ear Fell", referring to the mountain's distinctive profile.
Korvatunturi stands 486 metres (1,594 ft) above sea level; it has three peaks, with the middle peak crossing Finland and Russia's borders. Since Korvatunturi straddles the border of the country, all visitors are required to obtain written permission from the
Finnish Border Guard
.
[1]
There are also no roads that directly lead to the fell, but there are hike
trails
that provide access, such as the one found in the Savukoski area.
[2]
Cultural significance
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]
Korvatunturi is best known as the home of the
legendary
character
Father Christmas
(or
Joulupukki
in Finnish,
Julgubben
in Finland Swedish). According to Finnish folklore, this land is said to be the location of Father Christmas’ secret workshop, where toys, trinkets and gifts are said to be made and eventually wrapped by
elves
. Known for their good-natured demeanour and their role as guardians of homes, these elves are also said to be responsible for analysing weather patterns for the yearly gift-giving trip around the world.
[1]
People have also claimed that the ear-shaped structure of the fell allows Father Christmas to hear the wishes of every child on Earth.
[3]
For letters to Father Christmas, Korvatunturi has the postal code
99999 Korvatunturi
. Mail sent to this address is delivered to
Santa Claus Village
at
Rovaniemi
.
In popular media, this legend has been adapted into the film
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
.
A 360 degree panorama from Korvatunturi, the building is a watchtower of the Finnish Border Guard
See also
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References
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]
External links
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]