Castle mountains

Taipalsaari has three castle mountains, which are ancient castles in Kuivaketvele, Kannus and Turasalo in Ruusi. Castle mountains is Iron Age protection and defense place, where was escaped when the enemy threatened.

Scholars consider ancient castles as a group of mystical relics, because there is too little research data. In Finland is known about hundred ancient castles, what are mainly from end of Iron Age (1050 – 1300 A.D.)

Kuivaketvele hill fort

The Kuivaketvele hill fort is an approximately 600m long, 80-100m wide and up to 20m high rock drumlin with a rapakivi granite core. The northern part of the hill fort is surrounded on three sides by a scarp that is, on average, 10m high, vertically sheer in some places and stepped in others. There is a rock wall around 40m long on the upper part of the gently sloping south side and, together with the scarps, it forms a border around a protected area approximately one hectare in size. Preliminary archaeological studies indicate that the fort was in use in the Iron Age.