PLACES OF INTEREST
See and experience local history
Haapavesi School Museum
The Haapavesi school museum building is a museum object in itself – the first rural folk school in Northern Finland. The museum displays, among other things, a 1950s classroom, a schoolchildren’s chamber and objects from other educational institutions in the city.
The Winter School Museum is open by agreement.
Free admission!
Myyrilä museum
Haapavesi Local Museum is located in Myyrilä. There are, for example, long skis from Haapavesi, kanteles from Pasi Jääskeläinen’s kantele workshop, 50ies kitchen, Viranko doctor’s equipment, Onnela’s room, war history room and much more.
Free admission
Paakkila
Paakkila is an old parsonage in Haapavesi that was built in 1787. Both the building and the landscape are part of a historically significant parsonage culture. Paakkila Garden and cooking school started its operations in 1893 and was the first in Finland.
The Paakkila Garden is always open to visitors. A beautiful park area on the beach and a beach path are worth visiting.
Visiting address: Pappilantie 6, Haapavesi
The court of Ruustinna
The history of Ruustinnanhovi began in 1892 when provost Nora Pöyhönen founded the Haapavesi parsonage, where they taught folk school children how to grow and use vegetables. Haapavesi horticultural and cooking school was born.
The following year the education was aimed at young women because the provost realized that new information would be most definitely used among young women. Nora Pöyhönen thought that homes would get better only if the hostesses mastered their work.
In the end of the 19th century Haapavesi and Finland were still quite undeveloped. Only due to provost the people of Haapavesi got to see the first carrots and beets of their lives. The first cabbage soups in Haapavesi were cooked in the parsonage kitchen. In the whole country the education for women was provided only in Helsinki.
The new school spiked interest and its example was followed by Sweden and England.
In 1903 provost bought the school’s current place, the Alamaa farm on Mustikkamäki. Provost started the design and construction of the new main building. She chose Wivi Lönn as the architect. (virtuaali.info)
Lönninkartano
The main building of Haapavesi College, commissioned in 1920, was designed by the first female architect in Finland Wivi Lönn. The magnificent building was renovated a couple of times and still serves as a living and educational space. You can visit Lönninkartano at Vanhatie 47 and further information can be obtained from Haapavesi College. Haapavesi College also offers accommodation services.
Kylpyläsaari
Kylpyläsaari is near the city center provides excellent recreation facilities at Nivalantie 101. The historical Kylpyläsaari (Spa Island) also has a child-friendly beach, good camping opportunities and cottage accommodation throughout the year.
Everyone should taste delicious meals in Kylpyläsaari Restaurant.
Haapavesi Church
Haapavesi Church is located in the same building as the congregation center and office. The church was ordained on the Advent in 1984.
A particular large work of art made from crystals symbolizes the 150th anniversary of Haapavesi congregation. The piece is called Light is a Gift from Heaven and it won a competition to celebrate the anniversary.
The monument to the old church, Consolation, is located in Kirkkomaa. The monument is erected in the middle of a cruciform church. The old church burned down on Sunday morning, May 17, 1981.
The churchyard, next to the belltower.
Tähtelänkuja 5 , 86600 Haapavesi
The statue of the Independence War heroes is located in Kirkkomaa. The statue was designed by Ilmari Wirkkala. The monument eternalizes the names of 20 casualties. The statue was unveiled on June 24, 1919.
16 fighters rest buried by the statue.
Haapavesi Hero Cemetery | Kirkkomaa
Ilmari Wirkkala 1919
The monument has been erected in memory of the departure for additional exercises of people of Haapavesi on 14 October 1939.
From this place the men of Haapavesi left on 14 October 1939 for the Winter War.
The monument was designed by Kari Juva.
In the War Veterans’ Park south of the Town Hall, Tähtelänkuja 1
64.1355°N, 25.3647°E
1989
The monument was erected in memory of the fall of the German dive bomber JU 88 on 11 April 1942.
64.2028°N, 25.4698°E
About 100 m from the road in Korkatti in Siltosaari, along Junnosaarentie (place link to Siltosaari, exact location unknown)
Haapavesi is known as the county of skiers and ski makers. We have received a statue of a skier in its honor.
The national skier statue was unveiled on Easter in 1965. The statue was carved by Kalervo Kallio, born in Nivala, in Helsinki. The statue’s model is Erkki Rytky. The skier looks towards Partaperä, towards the cottage of the great skier of the early 20th century, Matti Koskenkorva. (Haapaves newspaper)
Next to the school museum. Tähtelänkuja 5, Haapavesi
Read more about Haapavesi-made skis here
The oldest building in Haapavesi is the belltower located in Kirkkomaa. It was built in 1751.
WGS84 – lat: 64.03465 lon: 25.45900
- A significant cultural historical site. This hiking destination is worth visiting.
- Rappi pasture hut represents a disappearing farming culture. It is one of the best-kept pasture huts of all 200 huts in Haapavesi. It is also one of the most significant cultural historical sites in North Ostrobothnia.
Rappi pasture hut is owned by the Haapavesi Society.
In Haapavesi Kirkkomaa you will find the statue of hero designed by Ilmari Wirkkala and made of Vehmaa red granite by Suomen Graniitti. The statue was unveiled on 15 July 1951 and unveiled by reverend K. Mäntyvaara. In the Winter and Continuation Wars, 277 Haapavesi people died. There are 244 heroes buried at the Hero Cemetery, 9 of them are unknown. 34 were left on the field.
Tähtelänkuja 5 Haapavesi
The memorial plaque was placed in memory of the fact that Haapavesi College acted as a military hospital during the last wars.
The facade of the old main building of Haapavesi College, Lönninkartano.
64.1368°N, 25.3612°E
In front of an old bell tower.
64.1351°N, 25.3655°E
Church Garden (location approximate)
64.1352°N, 25.3667°E
Next to the library. 64.1399°N, 25.3811°E
The self-taught master of words has a place of honor on the hillside next to the Haapavesi library, behind the secondary school, the sources of education and knowledge.
Artist Jouna Karsi hopes that the work will remind students of the importance of tolerance and freedom of self-expression.
Karsi finished the work on Saturday. He is pleased with how well the work blends into his surroundings. Today, the 34-year-old artist living in Turku added some elements to the work from the adjacent school building and the pine forest surrounding the work.
A character engraved in Viina-Matti’s plexiglasses watches the nature he loves from a high ridge in the wooden doorway of his home cottage.
The work is best viewed after nightfall. Y-shaped spotlights illuminate and bring forward branches and trees. The lights built into the doorway make the character shine. A man shining white in the middle of the forest could be a ghostly sight in the dark.
In addition to lights, the work utilizes 3D technology, which allows the piece of art to change depending on the light and viewing angle.
It’s the artist’s last distraction. Viina-Matti disappears and comes out of sight, mocks us from the hill of the library, while we try to look at him and get to know his fascinating personality.
Drive on the Kärsämäki road towards Kärsämäki for about 17 km. On the left, just after the bridge, there is a sign for Käräjäoja mill. You can leave the car in front of the red dryer. Walk on the edge of the field about 30-40m on foot and you are there.
The mill was donated to Haapavesi Society in 1957. A truly magnificent well-preserved old mill with two floors full of history. A destination worth visiting. To the mill
