Homecoming of the Hakkapeliittas

Papinaho’s sculpture is a memorial and tribute to the Finnish light cavalrymen – known locally as Hakkapeliittas – who participated in the 30-year war, many of whom were from the Lahti and Päijät-Häme regions.  

The dramatic work depicts two armoured cavalrymen riding home together. The horses are rearing wildly, neighing and kicking the air with their front legs, while the riders hold the reins tightly. The sculpture weighs nearly 36,000 kilos. Whereas the horses appear quite agitated and even aggressive, baring their teeth, the two riders’ faces are relatively calm although extremely serious. The precarious moment and the fierce power of the horses are completely under the men’s control, with no sign of uncertainty or fear. In terms of style, the statue is realistic in the extreme: even the veins and tendons of the horses are sculpted in detail. We know that the artist studied relevant literature, horse anatomy, equestrian statues and 17th-century museum objects before starting the sculpting work.  

Artwork on the map

At the junction of Mariankatu and Aleksanterinkatu. –
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