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Town in North Ostrobothnia, Finland
Photo: Mikkoau, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Haapajärvi is in the Southern Oulu region.
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A quite large yellow wooden church, this is Haapajärvi's main landmark, right next to the eponymous lake.
Ståhlbergin lapsuudenkotimuseo
Finland's first president (serving 1919-25) lived for some of his childhood in the town's clergy house, as his father worked as a priest in Haapajärvi. Today the house is a museum.
The medals of one of the most successful cross-country skiers in the 1990s, Mika Myllylä, are on display in the town hall.
About 8,000 years ago lake Päijänne flew north-west into the Bothnian Bay through the river Kalajoki. Lohijoki gorge is an ancient river bed, reminiscent of the much larger river that once flowed on the site. For the same reason, at many sites in Haapajärvi the riverbanks are surprisingly tall. The gorge and Tynnyrinkoski rapids are inside a nature reserve (Lohijoen lehtojensuojelualue), so fishing is forbidden and pets must be kept on a leash all the time. Nature trail. There is a lean-to shelter by the trail, which leads downstream to an information board and the Tynnyrikoski rapids
Pizza and kebab place.
Service station with a restaurant and a Kotipizza pizzeria.
Bed and breakfast with two rooms.
By car
Highways 27 and 58 meet in Haapajärvi. The former comes in from Nivala in the west (providing access from Oulu or Kokkola), and Pyhäjärvi on Highway 4 and Iisalmi on Highway 5 in the east.
By bus
There are bus connections from Oulu and nearby towns, such as Nivala, Kärsämäki, Pyhäjärvi and Ylivieska. Paakinaho is a local bus company, see timetables.
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Kokkola / Kruunupyy · Regional · KOK
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