Pelkosenniemi | Exploring Finland
Pelkosenniemi, or Pelkosenniemen Kirkonkylä as it is also known, is a village in Northern Finland, in the province of Finnish Lapland. It is the seat of the local municipality that shares its name. The municipality has a population of around 950 inhabitants, out of whom around 300 lives in the urban area of Pelkosenniemi Church Village. Yes, kirkonkylä is Finnish for “church village”.
This is where you will find a statue of the musician Andy McCoy at the central square. If that’s not interesting enough, you can also compete in the annual mosquito swatting championship.
A Short History of Pelkosenniemi
The first settler in this region was a Paavali Pelkonen in 1664. He moved here without the proper permissions. It was initially a part of the Sodankylä Parish and the settlement went under the name Sodankylän Alaperäks. Pelkosenniemi became an independent parish in 1916. It was at this time that the Pelkosenniemi was chosen for the village and parish. The name is derived from the first settler Paavali Pelkonen. The local church was built in 1929.
Things to Do and See
The central square, right next to the river, houses not only a scene but also several monuments. The two most prominent sculptures here is the one of two jumping salmons and the one of Andy McCoy. Antti Hulkko, as is his real name, was born in Pelkosenniemi in 1962. He has been the lead guitarist for the band Hanoi Rocks as well as playing with the band Iggy Pop. Other monuments include the memorial of the first settler Paavali Pelkonen. In addition, the center of the village has a few small stores and other communal services.
Otherwise it is mostly the surrounding wilderness that attracts the nature lovers. One option is the Pyhä-Luosto National Park, but there are several more hiking and biking trails to explore in the region.
How to Get to Pelkosenniemi
- Flights: The nearest airport is Rovaniemi Airport (RVN) with both seasonal international flights as well as regular domestic flights.
- Car: Pelkosenniemi is located along the road E63 between Sodankylä and Kemijärvi.
The driving distance from 5 major Finnish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Helsinki – 943 kilometers (11 h)
- Turku – 954 kilometers (11 h 30 min)
- Vaasa – 655 kilometers (8 h)
- Oulu – 340 kilometers (4 h 20 min)
- Joensuu – 649 kilometers (7 h 20 min)
Looking to Explore more of Finland and Europe?
