Sights in North Central Finland
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Oulu Cathedral
Oulu’s imposing cathedral was built in 1777 but then came the great fire of 1822, which severely damaged the structure. Tireless architect CL Engel rebuilt it in Empire style, adding dome and renaissance-style vaulting, which impart a powerful airiness to the fairly unadorned interior. It got promoted to cathedral in 1900 when the bishopric moved here from Kuopio; notable artworks include a fine altarpiece of the Ascension, a very Finnish Crucifixion in the transept, Finland’s oldest portrait (1611) above the door to the vestry and, typically, a hanging boat, for the protection of the sailors of this most maritime city.
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Kalevala Village
The Kalevala Village, 3km east of the centre of town, is a big drawcard but of debatable value, especially if you're not with children. Despite the name, you won't learn much about the Kalevala here; it's essentially an open-air museum of Karelian folk history and log buildings with cultural exhibitions, artisan displays and costumed staff demonstrating tar-making, woodcarving, fishing and so on.
On the marked circuit, you will see a re-creation of the cabin and desk Elias Lönnrot worked at, and Pohjola House, which includes a gallery and café. From mid-December to mid-January, the site opens as a Christmas Village.
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Juminkeko
If you are interested in the Kalevala or Karelian culture, pay a visit to the excellent Juminkeko, a beautiful building made using traditional methods and modern styling. The fantastic staff can tell you anything you wish to know; there are also three to four detailed exhibitions here yearly. The auditorium, walls hand-worked by adze, has three worthwhile audiovisuals in English; also on display is a collection of Kalevala books translated into over 50 languages. With the multimedia program you can view pictures, and read and listen to extracts from the epic in anything from Japanese to Swahili.
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Pohjois Pohjanmaan Museo
This park museum merits exploration but has almost too much information to take in at first bite. It covers the earliest habitation of the region through to the 20th century, including plenty of information on the tar trade. Cameras allow you to zoom in on the impressive scale model of 1938 Oulu; a traditional pharmacy, paintings of the great fire, and a schoolroom are included in the wide-ranging display. A series of reconstructed rooms from different periods of history range from formal 19th-century salons to a student’s 1960s bedroom with Che poster, typewriter and hair-curlers.
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Neristan
This delightful area of wooden houses known as Neristan is what remains of the working class area of Kokkola (Neristan means 'lower town') where the sailors and fishermen lived. Until relatively recently, the river was wide and navigable up to here, and fishing boats docked to unload their finny cargo and sell it in the kauppatori.
It's a pleasure to wander around these streets (one of the most picturesque is Läntinen kirkkokatu), which have a range of antique shops as well as a couple of cafés and restaurants. The tourist office publishes a good walking tour of town.
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Jalokibigalleria
The Jalokibigalleria, in an old seaside customs house, has an internationally notable collection of over 3000 beautiful, rare stones and jewellery, including a crown made using a design that was meant for the short-lived king of Finland. The crown was made in the 1980s by the gallery's founder, who created the 'first and only' crown of the king of Finland from original drawings. Sheets translated into various languages guide you in an offbeat manner around the exhibits, which include replicas of the world's most famous diamonds, and a solid dose of Finnish humour.
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Oulunlinna
There's not much left of Oulu Castle, although you can clearly see the remaining fort-like structure dominating the small park near the bridge. The observation tower of the castle, rebuilt in 1873, now houses a café, but you can go below and look in the cellar, which has a small interpretative display. The original castle was built in 1590 as a base for the Swedish army moving east towards Russia. The whole thing blew up in 1793 when a lightning strike hit a powder magazine.
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Tietomaa
This mammoth science centre, in an old factory building, is Scandinavia’s oldest and largest science museum and one of those places you can poke around in for half a day. It’s most child-friendly, and in term-time gets very full with school groups. The excellent interactive exhibits range from UFOs to dinosaurs, and there’s always one mega-exhibition as the highlight. If you need some breathing space, head up the tower for the views.
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Taidemuseo
The Taidemuseo is in a large 19th-century merchants' mansion. It contains the collection of the portly Karl Herman Renlund (1850-1908), a shopworker who made good and left his art collection for the benefit of 'students and the working class'. He tipped the scales at 160kg when he died, but his collection is less heavyweight, although a Victor Westerholm canvas depicting the savage beauty of the Voikkaa rapids is memorable.
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Gemstone Gallery
The Gemstone Gallery, in an old seaside customs house, has an internationally notable collection of over 3000 beautiful, rare stones and jewellery, including a replica crown based on a design that was meant for the short-lived king of Finland. Sheets in various languages guide you in an offbeat manner around the exhibits, which include replicas of famous diamonds, and a solid dose of Finnish humour.
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Susiluola
Heading east on Rd 663, you’ll find Susiluola just before the village of Karijoki. This small cave is one of the most significant archaeological finds in Finland with evidence to suggest that humans occupied this area more than 120,000 years ago, before the ice age. As well as walking up the 500m trail to the cave itself, you can view some of the tools and artefacts found here in the visitors centre.
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Mineraalikokoelma
The Mineraalikokoelma will surprise with an amazing assembly of natural beauty. Resident geologists have been known to give emphatic tours through the exhibits, which include stunning but fragile crystals and meteorite fragments. In the same building, the Luontomuseo (natural history collection) has a collection of stuffed mammals and birds, plus traps and other hunting devices.
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Snow Castle
Of all the marvels under the big sky, few things conjure the fairy-tale romance of a snow castle, and few can compete with Kemi’s. First built in 1996 as a Unicef project, the castle is now one of Lapland’s winter highlights and a favoured destination for weddings, honeymoons, or just general marvelling at the weird light and sumptuously realised decoration of the multistoreyed interior.
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Halkokari
Beyond Neristan, the Suntti stream continues down to the harbour. There is a beach here, Halkokari, where a British attack was repelled during the Crimean war. One of the gunboats was captured, and can be seen in the 'English Park' on the river just north of Neristan. The event is commemorated in the town's festival in early June, when people dress-up 1854-style, and there's a theatrical re-enactment.
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Kalajoki Särkät
Kalajoki Särkät is one of the country's most popular holiday spots for Finns. It has a lot to offer: Jukujukumaa Amusement Park, spa, golf course, holiday villas, beaches, restaurants and cafés, hotels and discos. It's billed as a 'Mediterranean-style holiday experience at a latitude of 64º', but it's all very Finnish - saunas, summer cottages and humppa music.
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Oulu Cathedral
The rather imposing 19th-century cathedral has Finland's oldest portrait (dating from 1611) above the door to the vestry, and a fine altarpiece of the Ascension. A much older church, built in 1777, stood here until the great fire of 1822. This version was designed by the German architect CL Engel. It got promoted to cathedral in 1900 when the bishopric moved here from Kuopio.
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Tankar Island
This lighthouse island once offered safe passage through the tangled waters surrounding it but has become a popular day trip (adult/child €17/7) for nature walks and a leisurely lunch at the pierside Café Tankar. Kokko Line departs from the camping ground in summer (4½ hours, noon and 8am June and August, noon and 6pm July).
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KH Renlund Museo
KH Renlund Museo is in a large 19th-century merchant’s mansion. It contains the collection of Karl Herman Renlund, a shopkeeper who left his art collection for the benefit of ‘students and the working class’. The collection is unexceptional, but for a Victor Westerholm canvas depicting a raging torrent of the Voikkaa rapids.
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Taidemuseo
Oulu’s art museum is a bright gallery opposite Tietomaa. It has excellent temporary exhibitions of both international and Finnish contemporary art, and a good permanent collection. The cafe is an exhibit in its own right. The gallery was closed at last visit for extensive renovation, but is due to open again in spring 2009.
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Kuhmon Talvisotamuseo
Kuhmon Talvisotamuseo displays various artefacts, mementos and photographs from the bitter Winter War, much of the worst fighting of which was done near here. A diorama depicts one of the key turning points, and an armoured cannon-carriage, models of Russian planes and an anti-tank gun take pride of place.
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Sailor’s Home Museum
This museum on Pikisaari belonged to a local sailor. Built in 1737, it is the oldest house in Oulu and was transferred here from the town centre in 1983. The wallpaper and extendable bed are typical of 19th-century Finnish homes. Entrance is free with entry to the Pohjois Pohjanmaan Museo.
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Carlsro Museum
About 5km north of town, the summer villa of a cashed-up merchant has become Carlsro Museum. If the collection of over 11,000 toys, bric-a-brac and other items from around the area doesn’t impress, then there’s always a wander in the idyllic gardens from the Tsarist era.
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Tar-Boat Canal
At the Ämmäkoski waterfall, near the castle ruins, is a Tar-Boat Canal (Ämmäkoski waterfall), a channel built in 1846 to enable the boats laden with tar barrels to pass the rapids. There's a small museum in the old lock-keeper's cottage, and tar boat shows on Saturdays in July.
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Kajaani Castle
On an island in the middle of the Kajaaninjoki near the town centre is what's left of Kajaani Castle, built in the 17th century and thoroughly damaged by war, time and some more recent mischief. There's not much to see, admission is free and it's easily viewed from the bridge.
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Kainuun Museo
Kainuun Museo was revamping its permanent collection at last visit. It puts on temporary exhibitions upstairs, and downstairs has information on the tar industry, the Kalevala and its author, Elias Lönnrot, and other local history.
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