Pylkönmäki: Lakes, Hills and History

Pylkönmäki combines hilly forest landscapes and water with a distinctive local cultural history. A historic church, the Mulikka–Laatokka cultural landscape route and a range of opportunities for outdoor activities give the area its own character. You can plan your trip around whether you would most like to experience the landscape, history or outdoor activities.

Five things to discover in Pylkönmäki

• The hilly forest landscape is dotted with around 60 lakes and ponds, farms and pastureland.
• Pylkönmäki Church was designed by Jaakko Kuorikoski and inaugurated in 1864.
• The Mulikka–Laatokka route features six small farmsteads dating from 1900 to 1920 and a chapel.
• Several ski trails of varying lengths are partially lit and serve as running and walking routes in summer.
• The free disc golf practice course has seven holes; its course markers are incomplete.

Forest hills, water and rural landscapes

Pylkönmäki’s landscape is shaped by several features working together: hilly forests, numerous lakes and ponds, farms and pastureland. Water and cultivated land are as much a part of the local scenery as the forest landscape. If you are interested in rural cultural landscapes, you will find not only natural scenery here, but also traces of life and work in the countryside.

The roughly 60 lakes and ponds give you a sense of how strongly water shapes the landscape. Together with the hills and open areas, they create a varied impression of the place. When planning your trip, this combination of nature and an agricultural setting is a distinctive feature alongside the cultural attractions and sports opportunities.

The church: original furnishings and an Aalto design

Pylkönmäki Church was designed by Jaakko Kuorikoski and inaugurated in 1864. Its original furnishings include a pulpit carved by local farmer Taavetti Pajunen and an offering box shaped like a poor man. These details also make the church interesting for its craftsmanship and local history: some of its furnishings are linked to a person from the area who is known by name.

A later architectural chapter is associated with Alvar Aalto. In 1926, renovation drawings were commissioned based on plans by the young architect. Following his design, the church was given vertical wooden cladding and its spire was lowered. The church thus combines its original furnishings with later alterations designed by a prominent Finnish architect.

Mulikka–Laatokka: farmsteads and a chapel

The Mulikka–Laatokka route showcases typical local architecture and landscapes. Along the route are six small farmsteads built between 1900 and 1920 for poor people and smallholders, as well as a small chapel. The farmsteads give the route a tangible social and historical dimension: they represent buildings intended for people of limited means and smallholders.

This cultural attraction is different from a visit focused on a single building. The route connects several small farmsteads and a chapel with the character of the landscape. For anyone interested in architecture and the history of rural life, it is a destination in its own right on a trip to Pylkönmäki.

Outdoor activities and practical considerations

The ski trails vary in length and are partially lit. In summer, they are used as running and walking routes. Their purpose therefore changes with the seasons: in winter, they are available as ski trails, while in summer they offer opportunities for exercise on foot. Specific trail lengths are not provided; the existing routes are described as being of varying lengths.

There is a free disc golf practice course with seven holes at Pylkönmäki School. It is suitable for all skill levels, but the course markers are incomplete. There is also a lit artificial turf field at the school centre, which can be used freely outside school hours. When planning around these facilities, the distinction is important: access to the artificial turf field is time-restricted, and you should take the incomplete markers into account when playing disc golf.

Fishing is also part of the local experience: Pylkönmäki has numerous fish-rich rapids that are particularly interesting to anglers. A very different activity is “Pönkkä Pulling,” a tractor hill-pulling competition held in the hilly landscape. Its course is just under 300 metres long and has an elevation difference of 20 metres.

When choosing a destination and accommodation, you can consider which aspect you would like to focus on. The church and the route offer cultural and landscape history; the ski trails serve different purposes in winter and summer, while disc golf and the artificial turf field offer different kinds of sport. If you are particularly interested in fishing, the fish-rich rapids provide another distinctive connection with the landscape.

If you would like to explore more destinations, you can also visit Uurainen, Muurame, Haapamäki, Lievestuore, Multia, Suolahti, Kinnula and Lannevesi.

Frequently asked questions about Pylkönmäki

What characterises the landscape of Pylkönmäki?

Hilly forest landscapes, around 60 lakes and ponds, farms and pastureland are the area’s defining features.

What is special about Pylkönmäki Church?

The church, inaugurated in 1864, was designed by Jaakko Kuorikoski. Its original furnishings include a pulpit carved by Taavetti Pajunen and an offering box shaped like a poor man. Later, the church was given vertical wooden cladding and a lowered spire according to a design by Alvar Aalto.

What is there to see along the Mulikka–Laatokka route?

The route showcases local architecture and landscapes. It features six small farmsteads dating from 1900 to 1920 and a small chapel.

How long is the Pönkkä Pulling course?

The course for the tractor hill-pulling competition is just under 300 metres long and has an elevation difference of 20 metres.

For the broader travel overview: Central Finland.