Museums and Churches

There are two fishing museums in Kalajoki. One is on the islet of Maakalla and the other in the Plassi area by the old marketplace.

The fishing museum in Plassi boasts about 300 exhibits related to fishing, the catching of river lampreys, and seal hunting.

Open by request. For more information, call Kalajoki Tourist Information +358 (0)8 4694 449.

The Kalajoki museum of local history and culture is situated in Siltasaari in the centre of Kalajoki. The famous district court sessions against Pietists were started in this house, which originally belonged to the Törnvall family.

These court sessions held in 1838-1939 made Kalajoki the centre of public attention for a while.  

The museum is open during the summertime, otherwise by request.

For more information, call Kalajoki Tourist Information +358 (0)8 4694 449.

The Havula Manor representing the Art Nouveau style, which once belonged to Mr Oskari Santaholma, a sawmill owner, is an exceptionally complete example of a bourgeois home from the beginning of the 1900s. Its parlours, studies, guest rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms have been preserved in their original style, and with the life of a wealthy sawmill owner`s family. The Havula Manor, the size of which is about 800 square metres, is situated in the Plassi area. Guided tours during the summertime, otherwise by request.

For more information, call +358 (0)50 536 5519.

The Kalajoki church was completed in 1879, but it was destroyed in a fire in 1930. All that remained were the foundations and the brick walls, upon which the present-day church was built in 1931. The campanile, which was completed in 1815, was built by Heikki Kuorikoski.It originally had two floors, and it was raised to its present height in 1858. There have been seven churches in all in Kalajoki. The first one was completed in the Tynkä area in 1525.

The wooden cruciform church and campanile in Rautio were completed in 1800. 

They are the last ecclesiastical buildings built by Simon Jylkkä, a local master church builder.      

At the present time there are three churches in Kalajoki. The oldest one of these is a fisherman church (1780) on the islet of Maakalla. In addition to the church, there is also a little vicarage on the islet.