Ounasvaara winter trail

Nearby destinations

• Scenic sculpture walk across Rovaniemi's bridges

  The scenic sculpture walk across Rovaniemi's bridges includes 17 works of art. The route is 5 kilometres long and takes about two hours to get around on foot. You can find descriptions and photos of the artworks in the menu below...
• Sculpture Walk in the City Centre

  The sculpture walk in the city centre includes 13 works of art. The route is 2.5 kilometres long and takes about an hour to get around on foot. You can find descriptions and photos of the artworks in the menu below...
• Ensio Seppänen - Katkenneet kahleet (1981)

  There are three sculptures by artist Ensio Seppänen (b. 1924 in Kemi) in Rovaniemi. One of these is the monument to the Jäger Movement, completed in 1981 in Jääkäripuisto on Lapinkävijäntie. The sculpture is made of stone...
• Reutersvärd Oscar - Aseveliketju (1964)

  The Aseveliketju monument to Swedish, Norwegian and Danish volunteers who fought in the Finnish Winter War in 1939–40 is located in Keskuskoulu park. The chain symbolises Nordic co-operation, especially during wartime. The purpose of the statue is to remind current and future generations of Nordic unity. Oscar Reutersvärd is a Swedish sculptor, painter, draughtsman and graphic artist...
• Poskiparta Kari - Monument to the Lapland Border Guard (1979)

  The monument to the Lapland Border Guard was designed by architect Kari Poskiparta. It is located on the site of the old Border Guard headquarters, which was demolished in the 1960s. The monument consists of the posts of the main gate of the old headquarters, with a masonry pedestal made of stones collected from Lake Inari. The brass plaques, one of which depicts the bear emblem of the Finnish Border Guard and the other containing text, are the handwork of the now retired captain and sculptor Urpo Kärri and plant worker Kalevi Kuokkanen...
• Huhtamo Kari - Monument to the Reconstruction Era from 1944 to 1955 (1977)

  Completed in 1977, the piece is a model example of the constructive style of Kari Huhtamo. The sculpture literally springs up into the sky like a spiral. The motion starts slowly, but intensifies the higher it gets and ends with a bold upward-reaching triumph. At each end of the three-part triumph, Huhtamo has placed small steel balls that can be understood as full stops at the end of a sentence...
• Seppänen Ensio - Memorial of deceased war refugees in Sweden (1965)

  A memorial erected in 1965 in memory of members of the Rovaniemi parish who died in Sweden as refugees of war is located in Rovaniemi's second cemetery...
• Aaltonen Wäinö - Miehen kohtalo tunturin huipulla (1954)

  At Rovaniemi Cemetery, on top of a small hill, stands sculptor Wäinö Aaltonen's monument in red granite to those who have fallen in war. The sculpture depicts two standing soldiers with their heads bowed down, their dying comrade lying between them. The sculpture is monumental and exudes a sense of melancholy peace...
• Segerstråle Lennart - Elämän lähde (1951)

  This fresco in Rovaniemi Church depicts a cross-section of the hearts of every human as well as that of humanity, where the struggle between good and evil takes us either to the source of life to meet Christ or away from it, to walk our lives in our own direction. The backdrop to the human figures in the fresco is the rugged and majestic Lapland, from where the light of the world, Christ, emerges in his circle of light. The artist visited Switzerland, Germany and, of course, Lapland as part the design process of the fresco. After one trip, Segerstråle wrote: "Often the spark comes from the locality itself and the conditions from which the motifs of the piece are drawn." This local influence can be clearly seen in the landscapes, nature, people and situations depicted in the fresco...
• Porila Evert - Monument to the Heroes of the War of Independence (1922)

  The Monument to the Heroes of the War of Independence is located in Rovaniemi's first cemetery and is the oldest statue in Rovaniemi. Statues commissioned from the artist, Porila, include Myhrberg's statue in Raahe and Mannerheim's statue in Tampere in 1939 and some 30 monuments to war heroes, including Rovaniemi as well as Kemi, Jämsä, Korpilahti, Orivesi, Ruokolahti, Tampere and Terijoki, among others...
• Kärri Upi - Raivaten ja rakentaen (1990)

  The status Raivaten ja rakentaen by Kemijärvi-born Urpo Kärri is situated in Uitonpuisto, at the western end of the Ounaskoski bridge. The theme of the sculpture is the work of army engineers in the war and the rebuilding of Lapland. The statue is made of slate, stainless steel and mirror glass...
• Seppänen Ensio - Maidolla elämisen alku (1984)

  Located in Herva park, the sculpture Maidolla elämisen alku was completed in 1984 and commissioned by the Lapland provincial agriculture institute. The artist, Ensio Seppänen, is one of Finland's best-known realist sculptors. He has created more than a hundred works exhibited in public places. His works can be mainly found in Northern Finland, Sweden and Norway...
• Kallio Kalervo - Jätkä-patsas (1955)

  Located in Jätkänpuisto at the western end of the bridge, the Jätkä-patsas donated by the company Kemi Oy is one of Rovaniemi's best-known sculptures. The statue's lumberjack has symbolised Rovaniemi for decades and is rightfully situated on the shores of a river that is widely known for its traditions in log floating. Kalervo Kallio has turned the lumberjack into a hero of labour. The drawknife and log depict what a lumberjack's work was typically like in the 1950s...
• Tuomivaara Teuvo - Loikka (2008)

  The frame of the sculpture is formed by a massive steel plate, where two dimensions transform into three as the reindeer turns and "walks out" of the sculpture. In this way, both the positive and the negative of the reindeer can be seen in the same piece. The figures form a sculptural ensemble that changes when viewed from different angles. The material used in the piece is a massive steel plate weighing about 600 kilograms...
• Immonen Risto - Ulosmarssi (2008)

  The frame of the sculpture is formed by a massive steel plate, where two dimensions transform into three as the reindeer turns and "walks out" of the sculpture. In this way, both the positive and the negative of the reindeer can be seen in the same piece. The figures form a sculptural ensemble that changes when viewed from different angles. The material used in the piece is a massive steel plate weighing about 600 kilograms...
• Huhtamo Kari - Monument to M.A. Castrén (1986)

  The monument to M.A. Castrén is located on the outer wall next to the main entrance to the library. The work is based on a sketch by Alvar Aalto. The final implementation is by Kari Huhtamo, who added his signature clear steel arches and balls to the work...
• Tapper Kain - Vuorten synty (1988)

  In 1987, the City of Rovaniemi hosted a sculpture competition to obtain sketches of ideas for a sculpture for the new City Hall. The sculpture had to adapt to Alvar Aalto's architectural ensemble and symbolise the city of Rovaniemi. Kain Tapper won the contest with the sculpture Vuorten synty. According to Tapper, the sculpture depicts the rise of Rovaniemi after the war...
• Engblom Tom - Oonko mie tiellä? (2008)

  Tom Engblom explains: Reindeer can of course be found in the forests, provided one has the chance or time to venture into them. Most commonly, we encounter these creatures walking on the road, getting in the way of humans. This gave rise to the idea of creating a work asking just that, "Am I in your way". The concrete reindeer is inspired by the concrete barriers commonly found in cities, called 'concrete pigs' in Finnish...
• Kylänpää Hannele - Äiti-Lappi (1989)

  Standing about 7 metres tall in the courtyard of the Lapland provincial government building, the mythical Äiti-Lappi, or Mother Lapland, is sculptor Hannele Kylänpää's first public work. Kylänpää uses bronze as the primary material in her pieces. Her material handling is very expressive and nuanced, and accommodates and supports her subject matter well: Kylänpää enjoys depicting motion, children and animals in different situations. The premise of the sculpture is lightness and airiness, and the artist wants to overcome the heaviness of bronze as a material...
• Liimatainen Kirsi - Karjalapatsas (1957)

  Located in Ruokasenpuisto, the Karjalapatsas statue was designed by Kirsi Liimatainen in 1957 and erected by Karelians in Lapland...
• Eriksson Olaf - Monument to the 6th Division (1981)

  The 6th Division during the Continuation War was formed in 1941 mainly from men from Lapland. The monument is made of quartzite stone found in the village of Jaatila. Heraldist and graphic artist Olof Eriksson was by 1953 the most prolific designer of coats of arms for towns, municipalities and cities in Finland. In addition, he has designed medals and, together with Heikki Häiväoja, the Finnish 1-mark coin (1964)...
• Kivijärvi Harry - Fenix-lintu (1990)

  The sculpture Fenix-lintu by Harry Kivijärvi is located in front of Rovaniemi Court of Appeal (formerly the office of the Bank of Finland) . With this piece, Kivijärvi participated in the Rovaniemi City Hall sculpture competition held in 1987. The winner was Kain Tapper's sculpture Vuorten synty, but the jury also recommended that Kivijärvi's sculpture be purchased at a later date. The Bank of Finland acquired the piece in 1990...
• Nurminen Matti - Käräjäkivet (1995)

  Doors as a public work of art are a rarity in Finland. In the door relief of the Court of Appeal, Rovaniemi native Matti Nurminen has stylised the old symbol of justice, a pre-Christian stone circle for holding court. Matti Nurminen was born in 1947 in Rovaniemi. Today, he lives and works in Helsinki...
• Huhtamo Kari - Teräskonstruktio (1986)

  In this piece, Huhtamo has structured space with light incisions. The starting point of the piece are thin, steel lines. The steel pipe draws a shape, enclosing a piece of space within it. The essence of the sculpture resembles the abstractness and intangibility created by lines drawn on paper...
• Pullinen Laila - Primavera (1964)

  Primavera is Laila Pullinen's first public sculpture and was acquired shortly after her breakthrough exhibition in 1963 in Helsinki. The work is located in the inner yard of the Ainonkulma residential building. The sculpture's title refers to its inspiration, the famous painting Primavera by Italian Renaissance painter Botticelli from 1478. painting depicts a group dancing with three beautiful women...
• Miettunen Sauli - Luonnon osa (2008)

  The sculpture Luonnon osa is made of concrete and rocks over a welded iron frame. The concrete is tinted, and the rocks have been chosen according to the shapes of a reindeer. The antlers are welded from stainless iron and stand as large as trees over the pile of rocks. The posture of the statue is reminiscent of a bow-legged, silly-looking reindeer standing frozen on the road in front of a car, unable to understand the danger it is in...
• The Ounasvaara birch fairytale trail

  The fairytale trail consists of 6 waypoints. At each waypoint, people walking the trail stop to read a short chapter of the fairytale and use their senses to do activities centred around the themes of the tale. The length of the trail is approximately 800 metres each way and takes a little under an hour to complete, not counting time spent at waypoints. The Ounasvaara Birch is a fairytale by Annikki Setälä...
• 6. Being seen, heard and understood. Valuing yourself and others

  “That night was the first moonlit night of the winter and the wedding of the smallest elf boy and the smallest elf girl. The bride was the youngest and smallest of 365 siblings. That was why her wedding was so late. Her siblings had celebrated theirs in the summer, when the cherry trees and the lilies bloomed...
• 5. Longing and the need to be accepted

  Together, think about what it means to feel longing. Give examples from your own life of when and how you’ve experienced longing. How does longing affect you? How do you deal with longing?..
• 4. Bullying and the acceptance of diversity

  “‘You’re useless,’ said the little pine, still so short it barely poked out from between the rocks. ‘You’re no use to anybody. Look at my needles. The little pine was so self-assured because no danger had ever approached it...
• 3. Individual identity and loneliness (empowerment)

  Which ones are conifers and which are broad-leaved trees? How do they differ from each other? What kinds of characteristics do different tree species have? Find a birch tree and examine it with all your senses...
• 2. Seasons, nature and colours

  “In the summer and winter, Ounasvaara and Pöyliövaara are each as green and beautiful as the other, but in the spring, when the light of the sun brings the leaves back to life, there’s no missing just how different their trees are. Ounasvaara, covered in conifers, is as evenly green as ever, but Pöyliövaara is dotted with spots of a brighter shade – broad-leaved trees waking up after the winter. In the summer, the conifers and broad-leaved trees take on similar colours and blend together once again, but in the autumn, when the leaves turn red and yellow, Pöyliövaara glows warmly in its bright colours, while Ounasvaara remains as green as ever. Look closely at the view in front of you...
• 1. Diversity and differences in the envvironment

  Close your eyes and calm your breathing. Focus on your senses one by one. What do your ears hear? What does your nose smell?..
• Germans in Ounasvaara – A historical tour of the landscapes of the Continuation War

  Ounasvaara is known as the hub for sports and recreation in Rovaniemi but did you know that between 1941 and 1944, it was also the site of a barracks camp used by the German military, especially the German Air Force Luftwaffe? This walking tour takes you virtually or physically to see the remains of the German wartime camp in the Ounasvaara and Lähteentie areas. The route is 4.2 kilometres long and takes about three hours to get around on foot. The route and locations of the sights along the route and their descriptions and photos can be found in this service...
• Battle stations and concrete dugout on the eastern side of the railroad

  Remains of numerous man-made earthworks can be found alongside Ounasvaara railroad, including both trenches and machine-gun nests as well as auxiliary trenches related to guard activities. At least some of these probably date from the Lapland War. On the side of the hill, next to the railroad, there is a long trench, machine-gun nests and foxholes. No actual fighting took place in this area, however...
• Mystery barracks and trench

  One barracks building, about which little details exist but which has an impressive concrete foundation, is located near the tower blocks. In the German drawings, a car repair shop or truck garage is marked on this spot. The building may also have been a kitchen. A pipe used to drain rainwater is protruding from the concrete...
• Rommel's field

  East of Ranuantie is a sports field called Rommel's field. The field was built in 1943 by men from the bakery company 602 of the German Army and the adjacent Army transport corps as a recreation area. The field was given the grandiose name Sportsbahn Feldmarschall Rommel, or Field Marshal Rommel's sports field. The name was written on the top board of the main gate...
• Sicherheitsdienst prison

  We are now at the building used by the Geological Survey of Finland. Here, there used to be remains of steps of German buildings and ditches before the research institute's building was constructed. The area was a popular children's playground with plenty of wartime junk left behind. At the site of the research institute was a prison with walled cells used by the security agency Sicherheitsdienst for German prisoners...
• Frontleitstelle 42 barracks camp area

  In this area between the railroad and Lähteentie was the Ounasvaara barracks camp of the front line headquarters, Frontleitsstelle 42, commissioned on 15 March 1943. The camp included numerous housing and storage barracks, apparently a large office building, garage, potato cellar, sauna and dressing room and several toilets – about thirty buildings in total. The area had a central square measuring approximately 10 by 60 metres, surrounded by four fairly large buildings. A shuttle transport to the camp was arranged from Rovaniemi railway station...
• Children's home

  The former children's home was used as a hospital by the German Army during the Continuation War. The building still exists. The hospital and its area were mined during the Lapland War, but no mines were detonated. After the destruction of the town of Rovaniemi, the town's administrative offices were located there...
• Finnish auxiliary workers' barracks and the labour question during the Continuation War

  According to German drawings, this was the site of a barracks for Finnish auxiliary workers, Finnische Hilfskräft, built in November and December 1943. The barracks, called Polar, was about eight by twelve metres in size and made of prefabricated plank wood elements. It was supplied by Puutalo Oy, a joint company formed by Finnish timber companies. It took a couple of days for Finnish carpenters to install and considerably longer for prisoners...
• Officers' club and cultural activities during the war

  On this spot, sheltered by earth ramparts, probably stood the local officers' club, which the Germans called the casino. The club wasn't actually a casino, however. The servicemen had their own canteen along the present-day Lukkarinkatu and possibly elsewhere, too. The officers' club was a place of leisure for officers, hosting song nights and occasional guest performers such as singers or magicians...
• German supply lines and coexistence with Finnish locals

  In this area, too, some remains of German porcelain tableware can be found, although nearly everything visible above-ground has long since been cleared away. The porcelain stamps reveal that the tableware have been imported from Germany's own factories. For example, Rosenthal tableware has been found in large numbers in the camps used by the Luftwaffe. Large amounts of porcelain were also imported from the Porsgrunn factories in Norway...
• In and around the barracks of the Air Reconnaissance Regiment

  During the Continuation War, the Ounasvaara area of Rovaniemi was used extensively by the Germans. The area included several barracks, a hospital, bakery, veterinary and transport corps, prison camp used by the security services, front line headquarters, canteen for service personnel and, of course, Rommel's field. The area above the children's home and Ranuantie on the southwest slope of Ounasvaara hosted a fairly large barracks camp built by the Luftwaffe in 1942 and 1943. A part of the Luftnachtrichten-Regiment 56 transferred to Rovaniemi in December 1941...
• Generaloberst Eduard Dietl

  Generaloberst Eduard Dietl was the longest-serving commander of the German army in Lapland during the Continuation War. Hitler appointed him as the new commander to replace Nikolaus von Falkenhorst in January 1942. Dietl was a true believer in the Nazi ideology and a staunch National Socialist. Despite this, according to his own words, he never would have even dreamed to attempt to preach this ideology in Finland...
• Ounasvaara shooting pavilion and range and Ounasvaara winter games

  The old Ounasvaara ski stadium and shooting range includes a shooting pavilion designed by Viljami Kaltio for the Civil Guard. The pavilion, formerly known as Ampula, was completed in 1927. During the war, the pavilion housed a radio station for both Finns and Germans and accommodation for personnel. The Civil Guard's shooting range and its surroundings were used for shooting and field training exercises, among other things...
• Kumma puutarha

  The works of the Kumma puutarha environmental art exhibition engage in a dialogue with the greenery and familiar vegetation of the urban oasis of Kirkkolampi park, offering opportunities for new discovery trips in the familiar garden. In connection with the event, communal environmental artworks have also been produced in the Rovaniemi villages...
• Jaakonkatu 3

  Alvar Aalto designed three four-story commercial and residential buildings in a prominent location in the center of Rovaniemi for local businessman Aarne Aho. Later, Aalto also designed the private house Maison Aho for the same family. The Aho commercial and residential buildings are all located in the same block, forming a cohesive ensemble. The ground floors of the buildings house commercial spaces, while the upper floors originally contained apartments that have since been converted into office spaces...
• Koskikatu 18

  Alvar Aalto designed three four-story commercial and residential buildings in a prominent location in the center of Rovaniemi for local businessman Aarne Aho. Later, Aalto also designed the private house Maison Aho for the same family. The Aho commercial and residential buildings are all located in the same block, forming a cohesive ensemble. The ground floors of the buildings house commercial spaces, while the upper floors originally contained apartments that have since been converted into office spaces...
• Koskikatu 20

  Alvar Aalto designed three four-story commercial and residential buildings in a prominent location in the center of Rovaniemi for local businessman Aarne Aho. Later, Aalto also designed the private house Maison Aho for the same family. The Aho commercial and residential buildings are all located in the same block, forming a cohesive ensemble. The ground floors of the buildings house commercial spaces, while the upper floors originally contained apartments that have since been converted into office spaces...
• The Rovaniemi City Hall

  The Rovaniemi Civic Centre is, alongside Seinäjoki, the only completed urban center designed by Alvar Aalto in Finland. As early as 1961, the preliminary sketches for the library building included two other structures, which ultimately formed a seamlessly interconnected complex for administration and culture. The buildings are arranged in a fan-shaped layout on a park-like square known as Kansalaistori (Citizens' Square). The center's buildings open towards the city center...
• Rovaniemi Library

  The Rovaniemi Civic Centre is, alongside Seinäjoki, the only completed urban center designed by Alvar Aalto in Finland. As early as 1961, the preliminary sketches for the library building included two other structures, which ultimately formed a seamlessly interconnected complex for administration and culture. The buildings are arranged in a fan-shaped layout on a park-like square known as Kansalaistori (Citizens' Square). The center's buildings open towards the city center...
• Lappia Hall

  The Rovaniemi Civic Centre is, alongside Seinäjoki, the only completed urban center designed by Alvar Aalto in Finland. As early as 1961, the preliminary sketches for the library building included two other structures, which ultimately formed a seamlessly interconnected complex for administration and culture. The buildings are arranged in a fan-shaped layout on a park-like square known as Kansalaistori (Citizens' Square). The center's buildings open towards the city center...
• Alvar Aalto round -in Rovaniemi

  The architectural legacy of Alvar Aalto can be seen in the cityscape of Rovaniemi, both in the city center and a little further away. In the city center, along a walking route, there are five notable sites. A bit further, in Korkalovaara, there is a garden-like residential area called Korkalorinne. Aalto's famous reindeer antler plan, known as the "poronsarviasemakaava" in Finnish, served as the basis for construction during the post-war reconstruction period from 1944 to 1946...
• Puistolammen pysäköintialue 1
• Ounasvaara Summer trail

  The nearest point of the Ounasvaara Summer Trail is 1.6 km east of the Rovaniemi city centre. Ounasvaara is an ideal day-trip destination because of its easy accessibility. It is not only a famous sports centre but also a year-round recreation area near the city centre of Rovaniemi with marked and maintained trails and several great vantage points. At Ounasvaara, you can practise almost 50 different sports, and the selection keeps growing...
• Ounaspaviljonki lean-to

  The Ounaspaviljonki lean-to is located at approx. 2.6 km from the city centre of Rovaniemi in the Sodankylä direction in the Ounaspaviljonki area. Also the Koivusaari nature trail is nearby. It is a nature destination suited for spring, summer and autumn excursions...
• Puistolampi Accessible Trail

  The start of the Puistolampi Accessible Trail is 6.8 km north-east from the city centre of Rovaniemi, next to the Arctic Circle Housing Fair area. In the area, there is the beautiful Puistolampi, or Puisto Pond (actually a lake), with its beach, a popular summer recreation area, especially for families with children. Around the pond, there are diverse flowers and bushes and a playground.  The Puistolampi trail was made accessible by gravelling it in in the summer of 2017...
• Pöyliövaara accessible trail

  The Pöyliövaara Accessible Trail is around 3 km south of the city centre of Rovaniemi and the Kemi River. In the winter, ski trails connect to the Ounasvaara ski trail network. Pöyliövaara, or Pöyliö Hill, is a popular berry picking site in the summer.  You can reach the start of the trail by car via the Kemin itäpuolentie road...
• Pöyliövaara parking area
• Santapark parking area
• Puistolampi parking area
• Salmijärvi lean-to

  The Salmijärvi lean-to is located along the Kolpeneentie road, about 2.3 km south-east from the city centre of Rovaniemi, on the shore of Lake Salmijärvi.  The log-built Salmijärvi lean-to is situated on the shore of the lake in an atmospheric spit with a lot of birches. The lean-to area is graveled. There is a campfire site, sleeping platform, benches and a waste bin at the lean-to...
• Harjulampi Accessible Trail

  The Harjulampi Accessible Trail starts 1.5 km south of the Rovaniemi city centre, in Rantavitikka. The trail passes through the shoreline scenery of Harjulampi, a beautiful pond with a rich variety of birds. During the years 1967-1998, 85 bird species have been spotted there. 32 of them nest permanently...
• Parking area
• Parking hall
• Parking hall
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• Parking hall
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• Parking area
• Market parking area
• Central Stadium parking area
• Arktikum parking area
• Lappia Hall parking area
• Church parking area
• Healt center parking area
• Memory trail

  The Cultural Committee of Rovaniemi organised an open environmental art competition in spring 2010. The competition sought a piece or series of pieces that would unite the cultural attractions of Rovaniemi to form a cultural trail. The winning entry was entitled Muistojen reitti(memory trail) and submitted by Liisa Karintaus and Tiia Lepistö. The memory trail leads those going on foot or by bicycle to the historical sites of the city in addition to the cultural attractions of Rovaniemi...
• Old Church, 16–17 July 1932

  The photograph shows the Old Church of Rovaniemi at the time of the parish’s 300th anniversary on 16–17 July 1932. The old wooden cruciform church seated 1,200 people, and was located close to the current church. Just before their northbound withdrawal, the German troops set the church on fire with petrol bombs. The new, current church was completed in August 1950...
• View of Maantiekatu, around the 1910s

  Maantiekatu used to be the main road of Rovaniemi.  Over 30 shops varying from hardware shops to delicatessens were located along the street in the 1910s, not to mention the Rovaniemi markets. This photograph taken from the old church’s tower shows buildings on Maantiekatu; at the front are the post office and Ida Hannula’s book and paper shop, the Konttinen Manor is visible in the background...
• Ounaskoski bridge, 1930s

  The railway from Rovaniemi to Kemijärvi was completed in 1934. On the first part of the route, large and expensive bridges needed to be built, such as the Ounaskoski bridge. The old bridge in the photograph was used only for about 10 years, because the German troops blew it up when withdrawing from Lapland in October 1944. The current bridge was completed in 1951...
• Konttinen, 1910s

  The Konttinen Manor depicted from across River Kemijoki. The Konttinen Manor was commissioned by Norwegian timber businessman Terje Olsen in late 19th century. As of 1900, the manor housed the forest division of the Kemi company operating in the wood processing industry. The building was destroyed in the air raids of Rovaniemi in 1940...
• Tuisku’s house, around the 1910s

  Shopkeeper A. E. Tuisku had a shop along Maantiekatu and a house on the shore of River Kemijoki. Tuisku being a local force served as a municipal foreman in municipal administration in 1897–1899 and as the foreman of the municipal board in 1912...
• Beer factory, 1930s

  Before the war, the Tornio porter and beer factory operated in Rovaniemi along the current Koskikatu street. The factory building was completely destroyed in the war. After the war, the company considered transferring all beer manufacturing operations to Rovaniemi, but the new town plan did not allow for the factory site to be expanded. The factory was, however, rebuilt at the previous site and operated until 1972...
• Castrèn’s trestle bridge, late 1940s

  The bridges crossing River Kemijoki were destroyed in the Second World War. A temporary trestle bridge was constructed every spring between 1946 and 1951 after the ice had broken at the site of the current Jätkänkynttilä Bridge. For a few winters, the Kemijärvi trains crossed the river on rails that were installed on the ice. A ferry boat also crossed the rivers Kemijoki and Ounasjoki...
• Log floating on River Kemijoki, 1960

  The log floating on River Kemijoki began in the 1860s. Felling usually ended in March and then the logs were stored upstream, marked and measured. In the spring, the logs were debarked and, once the river had thawed, the floating of the logs along rivers to steam sawmills of the south began. The fall log floating started after salmon fishing ended on 15 August...
• Maantiekatu street, late 1910s

  Maantiekatu used to be the main road of Rovaniemi.  Over 30 shops varying from hardware shops to delicatessens were located along the street in the 1910s, not to mention the Rovaniemi markets. This photograph taken from the old church’s tower shows buildings on Maantiekatu; at the front are the post office and Ida Hannula’s book and paper shop, the Konttinen Manor is visible in the background...
• Wiiri boat, 1910s

  Although Rovaniemi was accessible by rail in the 1910s, northbound road connections from Rovaniemi were still rather modest. Steamboats Wiiri and Wanttaus transported passengers upstream from Lainaanranta along rivers Kemijoki and Ounasjoki in the 1910s. When cars became more frequent, the boat connections were considered slow and were terminated at the end of the 1920s...
• Pitkäniemi Sawmill, 1910s

  The sawmill industry grew in Northern Finland in the latter half of the 19th century. The first steam sawmill of Rovaniemi, Pitkäniemi steam sawmill, was established in Sahanperä by River Ounasjoki in 1901. During the depression of the 1930s, the difficulties of the Pitkäniemi steam sawmill grew unbearable and it ended its operations in 1934...
• Marttiini 9 December 1955

  Janne Marttiini established the Marttiini Knife Factory in 1928. As the operations of the factory grew, a functionalist factory building was completed in Vartiokatu street in 1940. The building was partly destroyed in the war, but was repaired right after the war. It is the sole industrial building of Rovaniemi to have survived the war...
• Ahon Auto, late 1950s

  The current Kukkola company building was built in 1939 to serve as facilities for the Ahon Auto car shop. The building housed also a service station. The building is one of the few pre-war buildings representing functionalism in Rovaniemi...
• Lauri’s workshop, 1950s

  Johannes Lauri established a company called Laurin Tuotteetand a knife factory in 1924. Besides knives, products made of reindeer antlers and bone were produced by the workshop, for example, as souvenirs. The original production building was destroyed during the Lapland War and a new one was built at its site. The current workshop and shop operate in a house built in the late 19th century that was transferred from the village of Namma to the workshop’s courtyard in the 1970s...
• Postal vehicle depot, 1940s

  Finland’s first postal vehicle line between Rovaniemi and Sodankylä was inaugurated in 1921. The postal vehicle depot was completed in 1931–1933. After the Second World War, the depot was expanded and housing was also provided to depot workers who had lost their homes. Bricks collected from the city’s ruins were used as construction material...
• First railway station, around 1910s

  Rovaniemi’s first railway station was completed in 1909. Rovaniemi was enlivened by the railway; transport of goods became easier and passengers travelled. Once the new track was completed in 1934, the old station was transformed into housing for railway workers. Since the war, the building has served, among other things, as a post office, temporary railway station, women’s work house and the Provincial Museum of Lapland...
• Workers’ hall, 1920s

  The hall of the local workers’ association built in part as voluntary work by loggers served as the headquarters of the Red Guards during the Finnish Civil War in 1918. In February 1918, the White Guards had a strong hold on Rovaniemi and the local workers’ association did not get the hall back for their own use until 1920. The building burnt down during the Lapland War in 1944, but a new hall was built at the site in 1949...
• Second railway station, 7 July 1935

  The second railway station became necessary, when the train connection to Kemijärvi was constructed. The photo shows people waiting for the train transporting President Pehr Evind Svinhufvud to arrive at the station...
• Virikkolampi trail

  The Virikkolampi Trail is in Pöyliövaara, a hill 3.1 km south of the Rovaniemi city centre and the Kemi River. In the winter, there are cross-country ski trails that connect to the ski trail network of Ounasvaara. Pöyliövaara is a popular berry-picking site in the summer. The circular Virikkolampi Trail is 6,8 km long...
• Koivusaari nature trail

  The Koivusaari Nature Trail is located 2.3 km from the city centre of Rovaniemi toward Sodankylä, on Koivusaari, or Koivu Island, in the Ounas River delta. It is a part of Rovaniemi’s city centre trail network. The Koivusaari Nature Trail is well suited for spring, summer and autumn excursions. The delta islands of the Ounas River are low sand islands and sandbanks that get flooded in the spring...
• Lähdelampi lean-to

  The Lähdelampi Lean-to is 3.2 km south of Rovaniemi on the shore of Lähdelampi, a pond in Pöyliövaara. The large board-built lean-to features a campfire site, table and benches. There is a woodshed. Directions: drive 3.9 km out of the city centre of Rovaniemi along the Kajaanintie road, which turns into Ranuantie; turn right on Kemijoen itäpuolentie; drive 500 m; turn left on Kotikairantie; drive 400 m to the starting point of the Pöyliövaara accessible trail...
• Lähde lean-to

  The Lähde Lean-to is 3.8 km south of the Rovaniemi city centre along the Virikkolampi trail in Pöyliövaara. The log-built lean-to is on the edge of a dry coniferous forest, featuring a campfire site and a woodshed...
• Ounasvaara lean-to, Väiski lean-to

  The Ounasvaara Lean-to (also known as Väiski’s Lean-to) is 6.8 km east of Rovaniemi on the Ounasvaara Hill. The log-built lean-to is along a fitness/ski trail on the east side of Ounasvaara. The lean-to features a campfire site and woodshed. In the winter, walking is prohibitted on the ski trail...
• Ounasvaara nature trail lean-to

  The Ounasvaara Nature Trail lean-to is 3.8 km east of Rovaniemi, along the nature trail on the southern edge of the Ounasvaara hill. The log-built lean-to is below massive outcrops, featuring a campfire site and woodshed. There is a clear, bubbling spring around 100 m down to the left from the lean-to. In the winter, you can access the lean-to from the same place along a marked winter trail, or by snowshoe through the forest...
• Ounasvaara observation tower lean-to

  The Ounasvaara Observation Tower Lean-to is 2.2 km east of Rovaniemi, on the western hillside of Ounasvaara, near the SantaSport Institute. The log-built lean-to features a campfire site and woodshed. It stands on a rocky hillside next to the observation tower, which offers magnificent views over the city and the Kemi River...
• Jyrhämänkuja lean-to

  The Jyrhämänkuja Lean-to is in the city centre of Rovaniemi behind the health centre in Sairaalanniemi. The log-built lean-to is on a spit in the bank of the Kemi River, featuring a campfire site, firewood and benches. You can reach the Jyrhämänkuja parking area by car. The path to the lean-to is 100 m...
• Koivusaari bird-watching tower

  Arrival instructions: The floating bird-watching tower of Koivusaari can be accessed either by boat or via a nature trail. Main road 4 (E75) passes at Rovaniemi through Koivusaari Island which is located at the confluence of rivers Ounasjoki and Kemijoki. On the Saarenkylä side, immediately on the western side of main road 4 is located the Ounaspaviljonki recreational area and marina. The Koivusaari nature trail begins at edge of the marina, near main road 4...
• Harjulampi bird-watching tower

  Arrival instructions: Drive from the Church of Rovaniemi along Yliopistonkatu Street towards Rantavitikka. The first pond on the right is Kirkkolampi and the second pond on the right is Harjulampi. The bird-watching tower is situated at the junction of Yliopistonkatu and Korvanranta and signposts lead from the junction to the tower. You can park your car, for example, in the yard of the nearby Rantavitikka School...
• Syväsenvaara observation tower

  The Syväsenvaara Observation Tower is 5.7 km north-east of the Rovaniemi city centre, on top of Syväsenvaara, or Syväsen Hill. The massive tower stands on the rocky hilltop at 190 m above sea level. You can access the observation platform via stairs and an intermediate platform. The tower is covered, and it offers magnificent views over the city centre and riverside...
• Ounasvaara observation tower

  The Ounasvaara Observation Tower is 2.2 km east of the city centre of Rovaniemi, on the western slope of Ounasvaara. The massive tower stands on the rocky hillside of Ounasvaara, amidst a pine forest along the Ounasvaara Winter Trail, at 160 m above sea level. You can access the observation deck via stairs and an intermediate platform. The tower has a roof, and it offers magnificent views over the city centre and the Kemi River...
• Pöyliövaara spring trail

  The Pöyliövaara Water Spring Trail is 3.1 km south of the city centre of Rovaniemi and the Kemi River. In the winter, there are ski trails that connect to the Ounasvaara ski trail network. Pöyliövaara, or Pöyliö Hill, is a popular berry-picking site in the summer. The water spring trail is clearly marked in the terrain with red paint...
• Ounasvaara nature trail

  The Ounasvaara Nature Trail is 2.9 km east of the city centre of Rovaniemi. It is an ideal day-trip destination because of its easy accessibility. Ounasvaara, or Ounas Hill, is not only a famous sports centre but also a year-round recreation area right by the city centre, with marked and maintained trails and several great vantage points. Ounasvaara offers the opportunity to practise almost 50 different sports, and the selection keeps growing...
• Ounasvaara parking area
• Ounaspaviljonki parking area 4
• Ounaspaviljonki parking area 3
• Ounaspaviljonki parking area 2
• Ounaspaviljonki parking area 1