Sights and Routes in the Town of Kemijärvi 2011
We would like to show you 13 different kind of sights with maps: nature, buildings, shops, cruises, car routes and bicycle routes.
The black balls on the maps are the places of the historical boards. The black flowers on the maps show some beautiful views of the town centre.
1. Church, Bell Tower and Graveyard
Number 2 on the map:
Church (built in 1951) is the fourth church in Kemijärvi, designed by Bertil Liljeqvist and built after the third church had been burnt during the war time. The altarpiece is painted by Aale Hakava and Uuno Särkelä, choir by Antti Salmenlinna. Kemijärvi church is also a Road Church open for the public at a certain time of the day during the summer. There are four statues near the church or in the graveyard, all of them for the honour of the people died during the Second World War and Civil War. The stone fence around the graveyard is over 100 years old.
Bell Tower (from 1774) built according to the design by Heikki Väänänen, a peasant and a church builder. There are three floors and a beautiful entrance. In olden times they rang the church bells in different ways in different events like during the wedding parties or funerals, in christening parties, during the fire and in the beginning of important meetings.
Church open:
In the summer: From about 10th June to about 31st July, Mon-Fri at 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
In the winter: At least on Sundays at 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
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3.
Historical Boards
There are 14 historical boards in the town centre with historical texts in English and Finnish and old photos of the life in years gone by. The booklet with the same texts in German, French or Russian are borrowed from our Tourist Info (address: Vapaudenkatu 8). The places of the historical boards have been marked with black balls (●) on the following map.
4. Lake Pöyliöjärvi with the Surroundings
Lake Pöyliöjärvi (286 ha, the largest depth is 11 metres) is low in nutrients but it is classified as eutrophic. The lake is situated just in the town centre and there is a beach (number 11 on the map) sheltered from cold winds. Whitefish, pike, perch, roach, vendace, ruff and burbot belong to the lake’s fish species.
Culture centre (built in 1987, number 3 on the map) and music school (built in 1998) are designed by the architects Ålander, Packalén and Korsström. Culture centre includes town library, display halls, youth centre, café and video workshop. There are about ten outdoor sculptures in Culture centre area, e.g. ”Opened Arctic Circle Sculpture” made of steel, 1990, Lucien den Arend, Holland.
Art Centre Puustelli (built in 1865, number 4 on the map), in the end of the walking street beside the lake Pöyliöjärvi. Puustelli consists of a banqueting hall, a warehouse, about ten outdoor sculptures and a display hall for sculptures of International Woodcarving Week. The display hall is an old boat-house used at the time when log was still floated on the river Kemijoki.
Puustelli open:
In the summer, about 15th June - 15th August 2011.
Otherwise tel. +358 (0)40 579 1644.
5. Nature of the Town Centre
Rectory – church area (number 2 on the map):
The courtyard areas were long vacant, because it was not the intent that plants would sap the vitality of the cultivated lands. In 1876, there were only three rowans and one bird-cherry tree round the rectory. The northernmost Populus x woobstii of Finland grows beside the parking place of the church. The only old apple trees of Kemijärvi grow on the south side of the residence for the artists. Unknown in origin, hybrids.
River Kemijoki and Lake Kemijärvi, below the long bridges (number 5 on the map):
Of the Kemi River water system area (51 127 km2), 49 467 km2 are on the Finnish side, the rest in Russia. The Kemi River is Finland’s longest, 552 km. Lake Kemijärvi (max 285 km2) is the largest in the water system area, the 3rd largest in the Province of Lapland and Finland’s 16th largest lake. Its average depth is about 5 metres. The largest depression at 24 metres is at Tossanselkä.
Railway bed:
The Silene tatarica species of caryophyllaceae is a rare ”wanderer from the east” in Finland which has spread via rail from Russia. It is a plant found along bare sandy beach cliffs, and does not withstand solid grassland. Kemijärvi’s distribution along railway and oad embankments as well as shoreline cliffs is Finland’s most substantial, and is grand at the outset of summer when the plant with its light-coloured flowers blossoms
6. Spa-Swimming Pools Poukama
Number 8 on the map:
A good option for anyone is the Kemijärvi spa-swimming halls which has:
- a water slide and three pools for children
- a five-lane swimming pool
- four saunas and a steam sauna
- a therapy pool
- cafeteria also licensed to sell beer
- two gymnasiums
- massage services and
- outdoor winter swimming in the winter season.
Address: Värjärintie.
Tel. +358 (0)207 538 470.
Open:
Mo, Fri at 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Tue, Wed, Thu at 7 a.m. – 8.30 p.m.
Sat, Sun at 12 a.m. – 6 p.m., gymnasiums at 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Changes are possibly, e.g. in the summer.
Closed: Usually in July and during some festivals.
7. Shopping in the Centre of the Town
There are nice small shops in the town centre. Large shops ("boxes") can’t be seen there as in most of the towns. It’s time for a short walk.
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Apaja
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Dressmaker’s Shop
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| One Second Hand Shop |
Kukkatori |
Household appliance (Name and address):
Apaja (Pohjolankatu 1), Luokkanen (Annaliisankatu 8).
Dressmaker’s shop (Halllituskatu 3), also local handicraft, caps, etc.
Second Hand Shops: Asematie, Jaakonkatu 2-4, Pelkosenniementie 2.
Souvenirs:
Kukkatori (Vapaudenkatu 1).
Lettovilla (Jaakonkatu).
ABC-liikennemyymälä (Pajulantie).
Car rentals: Juhan Auto (Pohjolankatu 5).
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Palttina ja Paapero
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Kauppakeskus |
Local products:
Paapero (Kirkkokatu 8): They make and sell children’s clothes there.
Draper’s: Kangaspuoti Palttina (Kirkkokatu 8), Kangas-Wekko (Annaliisankatu 2).
Life jackets: Hokka Oy (sales in Kesport, Sportia).
Local bread of the firms Kiuaspulla Ltd and Kursulainen Ltd.
Berries, meat, fish, etc.: KauppaPaikka (Kirkkokatu).
Special shops, boutiques:
Shoes: Kenkä 2000 (Jaakonkatu 6).
Clothes: Asuste (Vapaudenkatu 3-5).
Clothes: Seppälä (Vapaudenkatu 10-12).
Goldsmiths:
Tarkka-Aika (Hallituskatu 3).
Lapin Aika (Jaakonkatu 6).
Others:
Chemist’s: (Vapaudenkatu 8).
Post Office: (Vapaudenkatu 4).
Culture Centre (number 3 on the map): Books, newspapers, internet, music, etc.
8. Local Arts-and-crafts Museum, Snowmobile Museum, Whip Pine
The main building of the Local arts-and-crafts Museum (number 5 on the map) is of a typical old farmhouse style. The house includes a living-room, chamber and hall. In the yard there are also warehouses, smith’s workshop, a smoke sauna, a cow-shed and a stable. The museum exposes the life lived by peasants in 1800 – 1900 and the traditional ways of living. The memorial of Hannes Gebhard, the father of the co-operation movement in Finland, is on the site of his birth place, in the immediate surroundings.
Many old snowmobiles and other material connected with snowmobiling are found in the Snowmobile Museum (number 21 on the map). Over 100 snowmobiles have been restored. Also rides by old Bombardier are available.
Piiskapetäjä (= whip pine), behind the police station, in the city centre. In 1600 – 1700 whipping and flogging were used as a punishment. “Piiskapetäjä” is the only known “whip pine” left from that period in Finland.
Address of the Local arts-and-crafts Museum: Sepänkatu 4.
Open in the summer from about the 10th June to 31st August 2011.
Open in the winter: for the groups, as agreed, tel. +358 (0)40 503 9591.
Address of the Snowmobile Museum: Varastotie.
Open for the groups, as agreed, tel. +358 (0)400 290 751 and +358 (0)400 308 680.
9. Cruises of the lake Kemijärvi
The town centre of Kemijärvi is surrounded by tens of fells, hills and islands and many villages. Scenic and fishing cruises on board M/s Ahti, Liekovesi and Veeruska. Cruises on Kemijärvi lake depart from “venesatama” (numer 12 on the map).
M/s Ahti (max 80 persons): tel. +358 (0)16 320 7700.
M/s Veeruska (max 12 persons): tel. +358 (0)400 315 499. Fishing cruises.
10. Kotavaara View Tower
Kotavaara View Tower is situated about 9,6 kilometres to the east of the town centre. Guidance from the main road E5. There is a parking place for the cars. You have to walk about 100 metres to the top of the hill Kotavaara. There is a lean-to. You can visit this place in the summer time. The black triangles of the map show beautiful views.
11. Village Tour by Car of by Bike:
Kemijärvi town centre - Luusua - Juujärvi - Raajärvi - Kemijärvi town centre
Beautiful views, services, accommodation, mine history, souvenirs, art galleries and activities.
12. Tour by Car ofr by Bike:
Kemijärvi town centre - Mäntyvaara - Joutsijärven bunkkeri - Suomu - Räisälä ferry - Kemijärvi town centre.
War history, log-floating museum, gorge, Suomu the Arctic Circle Centre and some villages with services.
13. Pyhä-Luosto National Park
Pyhä - Luosto National Park (142 km2, was founded in 1938 and extended in 2005) is the oldest national park in Finland. It is a 35 km-long string of fells. The highest top is called Noitatunturi (540 m) and the deepest of the rocky gorges is Isokuru, more than 200 m in depth. Lots of places easy to reach and popular for hikers and skiers to visit because of their accessibility and unique environment, e.g. Pyhänkasteenlampi (= a pond), Pyhänkasteenputous (= a waterfall), Rykimäkuru, over 400-year-old forests of Luosto, Ukko-Luosto (514 m), and the only active amethyst mine of Europe in Lampivaara.
There are good possibilities for hiking in the national park in the summer season. The maps can be bought in the nature centre. Close to the national park there is the Aittakuru gorge, a special place worth visiting. There are some summer concerts.
Drive to the north from the town centre of Kemijärvi, along the main road E5. Turn to the left, road 962. The driving distance is about 48 kilometres. The map is here.
Nature centre is located in Pyhätunturi, tel. +358 (0)205 647 302. Open all the year round.
14. Accommodation in Kemijärvi
In the city centre:
- Camping Kemijärvi, tel. +358 (0)40 7789 106.
- Hotel Kemijärvi, tel. +358 (0)16 458 2200.
- Holiday Centre Lohen Lomakeskus and Youth Hostel, tel. +358 (0)40 581 2007.
- Hotel Mestarin Kievari and Hotel Uitonniemi, tel. +358 (0)16 320 7700.
Surroundings of the town centre:
- Honkalahti cabin, tel. +358 (0)16 815 300.
- Kemijärven lomamajoitus, for the groups, tel. +358 (0)44 5632 213.
- Lomakoti Korkalo, tel. +358 (0)400 861 978.
Isokylä village:
- Harju Farm, tel. +358 (0)50 5471 774.
- Lomakeidas Kultaniemi cabin, tel. +358 (0)40 5330 457.
Luusua-Juujärvi-Raajärvi villages:
- Matkatupa Camping, Luusua, tel. +358 (0)40 5788 795.
- Niitty Willa cabin, Luusua, tel. +358 (0)400 242 279.
- UKT Emily’s B&B, Luusua, tel. +358 (0)40 7293 089.
- Hotel Mainari Old Mine Village, Raajärvi, tel. +358 (0)500 690 787.
Vuostimo village/ Road E5:
- Holiday Centre Kuukiuru, tel. +358 (0)400 199 184.
- Cabins Sarivaara, tel. +358 (0)40 5498 220.
- Cabins Korpitäti, tel. +358 (0)50 546 9476.
Welcome.