Peräseinäjoki – Kalajärvi, nature and special stories

Peräseinäjoki brings together the landscape around Kalajärvi, trails for active days, and museums that tell stories from Finland and other parts of the world. You can shape your stay in many different ways: with a cycling route around the lake, a section of a long hiking trail, or time to explore historic buildings and collections. So it makes sense to consider which holiday rental in Peräseinäjoki suits your trip based on what you would like to focus on during your stay.

Enjoy the outdoors at Kalajärvi

A marked, 22-kilometre cycling route runs around Kalajärvi. It follows gravel and paved roads. The change in road surfaces is part of the route’s specific description and can be useful when planning your day: if you want to cycle, you can take the distance and road surface into account. The route is one way to explore the area around the lake.

If you prefer to explore on foot, the signposted Seinäjoki hiking trail offers a much longer route: it is about 170 kilometres long and runs from Ylistaro to Peräseinäjoki. There is no fixed start or end point; you can begin anywhere along the route. This means you do not have to cover the entire trail on your hike.

Winter brings a different kind of activity: an illuminated skating rink is set up in the forest near Kalajärvi. The cycling route, hiking trail and skating rink offer different ways to spend time outdoors. Together with the scenic lake landscape and opportunities for outdoor activities, they make this a destination where a stay at Kalajärvi can be a focus in its own right for nature lovers.

Open-air museums and stories of migration

Maailman Raitti is a three-hectare open-air museum and visitor destination on the shore of Kalajärvi. The buildings on display include the Unkuri House: Matti Unkuri, who had been deported to Siberia, built the aspen log house for his family in Bugene in 1879. Today, it is presented in its original appearance. The story of the house brings personal journeys and a specific historic building into focus.

Another building takes visitors in their imagination far beyond Finland. The open-air museum displays a corrugated iron dwelling built for workers on a sugar cane farm. It originally stood in Ingham, Queensland, Australia. The building dates from the 1920s and was still in use in the 1960s. The contrast between its original location in Australia and its present-day display in Peräseinäjoki gives the collection an international perspective.

The open-air museum of Siirtolaisuusmuseo also tells stories of people moving from place to place: four residential buildings from different parts of the world convey stories of migration. The Knuuttila House was brought to Finland from the village of New Finland in Saskatchewan. Its oldest section dates from 1893, and the original interior has been preserved. The buildings of Siirtolaisuusmuseo can be entered during the museum’s opening hours; inside, you will find authentic objects and furnishings. If you enjoy reflecting on emigration, everyday life and origins when you travel, this museum visit offers a different perspective from the nature trails by the lake.

Church and local history

The present-day church of Peräseinäjoki, Pyhän Paavalin kirkko, is the parish’s second church and was completed in 1892. Provincial architect Ivar Aminoff designed the wooden cruciform church with three galleries; it was built by master builder Juho Karjalahti from Haapajärvi. These details make the church interesting for travellers who are also interested in architectural history and the design of sacred spaces.

A special detail can be found in the sacristy: a votive ship dating from the late 19th century. It is a donated model of a sailing ship. Votive ships are rare in inland churches. The model therefore adds a surprising maritime touch to the story of a church far from the coast.

The Peräseinäjoki Riihimuseo traces the development of Peräseinäjoki from the past to the present, but is currently closed. The old threshing house displays objects used in the processing of grain in the past, as well as old tools and agricultural machinery. Its current closure is important to bear in mind when planning your trip; at the same time, the exhibition themes show that local history is shaped not only by migration and church architecture, but also by agriculture and work.

Peräseinäjoki offers a variety of themes, without requiring you to limit your stay to just one way of exploring.

For more ideas about places to visit, you can also discover Alavus, Soini, Kurikka, Kuortane, Närvijoki, Länsikylä, Isojoki and Kauhava.

For the broader travel overview: South Ostrobothnia.