Book a guide for your trip to Ähtäri, whether you are travelling with a larger group or just your family. The guide can hop on your tour bus or join you for a ride in your own car! Contents: During this guided tour, you will learn a lot about Ähtäri, its history and present day, and about the local dignitaries.
Duration: 1–3 h (minimum 1 h) Price: First guided hour 50 €/guide, the following hours 25 €/h/guide.
Please note! The price does not include bus/fuel costs.
Adaptability: For an additional fee, the tour can be complemented with visits to different destinations or coffee/meal in a selected location.
Availability: Around the year, anytime. Please book your guide well in advance and consider the opening hours of the possible destinations. Languages: Finnish, English, Swedish Other: No minimum group size.
Ähtäri Zoo
Finland’s first natural animal park, where you will see over 50 animal species from Finland, the Nordic countries and Asia. Snowpanda House, Zoo, Farm, Snowpanda Deli & Cafe and Zoo Shop
Address: Karhunkierros 150, Ähtäri
Enquiries: 030 62150, info@ahtarizoo.fi
Website: www.ahtarizoo.fi
Museums – Ähtäri local history museum
A great window to the everyday life of people in different historical eras. The abundant display of items depicts the versatility of life in the 19th and 20th centuries. The common room is from the 18th–19th century, the hall from 1930s, and the master’s chambers from the early 20th century. There is a young girl’s room from the 1950s. The museum premises feature several buildings ranging from windmills to sheds. Open Jun-Aug.
Admission fee: voluntary
Guided tours: for groups 30 €/hour
Adress: Hankolantie 28, Ähtäri
Website: www.ahtari.fi/index.php/vapaa-aika-ja-liikunta/kulttuuritoimi/museot
Museums – Village school and forest school museum
Tuomarniemi Forestry School hosts two interesting destinations, namely the village school and forest school museums. The museums are located in their own building within the school premises. The displayed items, posters and pictures show what school life was like, starting from the early 20th century.
Address: Tialankuja 12, Inha
Open: by reservation
Website: www.ahtari.fi/index.php/vapaa-aika-ja-liikunta/kulttuuritoimi/museot
Toy Museum
Located in the Findogs store facility, visitors can also find the Toy Nostalgia (Lelujen Nostalgia) exhibition, with free admission during Findogs’ opening hours. The exhibition consists of items from Rita Halttunen’s collection. The store also sells dollhouses and related accessories.
Address: Ratakuja 2, Ähtäri
Open: Mon-Fri 10-17
Enquiries: 0400 569114/Rita
Website: www.findogs.fi
Art – Pirkanpohja Art Centre
Pirkanpohja Art Centre consists of the Blue House, Red House, and sculpture park. The collections are built around the work of the late Ähtäri-born professor and sculptor Eero Hiironen (1938–2018) and European high-end art. Pirkanpohja Art Centre also hosts changing exhibitions.
The Blue House dates back to 1934, and it was designed by architect Elsi Borg. Originally, the building was to be a parish meeting house, but it also functioned as a church in 1935–1937 after the third church in Ähtäri burned down. Eero Hiironen bought the house in the early 1970s as his home and atelier, and since then, it has served as a space for changing exhibitions.
The Red House was designed by architect Kimmo Levanto. It was commissioned as an art centre by the city of Ähtäri in 1995. Pirkanpohja Art Centre is maintained by the Pirkanpohja Foundation.
Open: in the summer; around the year by request.
Address: Ähtärintie 36, Ähtäri
Open: in the summer; around the year by request. Pirkanpohja Art Centre is a Museum Card destination.
Enquiries: 040 544 2537
Website: www.ahtari.fi/pirkanpohja
Cultural route Water Trail
The cultural route Water Trail takes you to see sculptor and professor Eero Hiironen’s artwork in downtown Ähtäri. It is also a tour of the cultural heritage and surroundings of our municipality. The tour is approximately two kilometres long and can be taken either on foot or by bike.
Enquiries: 040 544 2537
The Citynomadi mobile app gives you more information about the sights along the Water Trail, and you can even take a cultural tour virtually while sitting on your own sofa.
Churches – Ähtäri Church
The parish’s current, fourth church was built in 1937 according to designs by architect Bertel Liljeqvist.
The church is a rare sight in Ostrobothnian church architecture as it is a modern long church built in the 1930s. In terms of landscape, the church dominates the old centre of the parish village, where the businesses and commercial buildings have been maintained as they were in the late 19th and early 20th century. The altarpiece was painted by Vilho Sjöström in 1906, and it originally belonged to the previous church that burned down in 1935. Guided tours are organised in the area.
Address: Kirkkotie 3, Ähtäri
Enquiries: 06 515 1600 ahtarin.seurakunta@evl.fi
Website: www.ahtarinseurakunta.fi
Churches – Honkiniemi’s log church
The Honkiniemi church was completed in 1999 and it is built of logs. The church with its magnificent landscape altar draws people to quiet meditation and brings the vibrant and ever-changing lakeside scenery close. In the summer, the doors of the roadside church are open, offering a unique rest stop along your way – whether you are on a business trip or family holiday.
Address: Honkiniementie 150, Ähtäri
Enquiries: 06 418 4450, honkiniemi@evl.fi
Website: www.honkiniemi.fi
Churches – tourism area chapel
The chapel was originally the house of Eerik Perander, chaplain of the local parish. It was built in 1772 and is presumably the oldest residential building in Ähtäri.
In the 1990s, the chapel served as a retreat for tourists in Ähtäri’s old Mini Finland area. Farmer Bruno Rantakömi donated a building from his courtyard for the frame. The chapel, altar furnishings and bell tower were designed by Church Council’s architect Jari Reponen.
The building was moved in 2017 to a beautiful pine forest near Hotel Mesikämmen.
Guests can visit the church by borrowing the key from the hotel reception. You can read about the building’s history on an information board placed on the chapel wall.
The chapel has room for 70 persons. The chapel has electricity, which means it can be used also during the winter. The chapel can be booked for free through the church registry office.
Address: Karhunkierros 149, Ähtäri
Enquiries: 06 5151600 ahtarin.seurakunta@evl.fi
Website: www.ahtarinseurakunta.fi
Memorials
There are many different memorials to be found in Ähtäri.
Here you can see the home-front memorial.
Nature Paavola, Soini
Visit our organic farm, taste birch sap beverages, and spend time in nature, far from the busy beat of your ordinary life.
Address: Multiantie 2969, 63800 Soini
Enquiries: 040 5623 604, naturepaavola@gmail.com
Website: https://www.nature-paavola.fi/