Nykarleby: Churches, Museums and Cultural Routes

Discover Nykarleby through its churches, museums and cultural events. The town’s history is reflected in different ways: in a wooden church that is still in use, in collections about life in the 19th century and in annual celebrations. A hiking trail on a ski track and a cultural route in the wider region also offer different ways to shape your stay.

Church and Town History

Nykarleby Church, also called St. Birgitta’s Church, was inaugurated on the first Sunday of Advent in 1708. It is one of Finland’s oldest wooden churches still in use. Its vaulted ceilings were decoratively painted by Daniel Hjulström. The church thus combines a specific construction date with an artistic design that visitors can discover inside.

The Nykarleby Museum focuses on the lives of bourgeois families in Nykarleby in the second half of the 19th century. Its collections include furniture and other household furnishings, traditional costumes and toys, as well as objects related to seafaring and trade. The different groups offer several ways to explore the subject, from domestic life to connections with trade and shipping. The collection also includes more than 7,000 photographs.

The museum is housed in the former northern customs house. It is one of the few buildings to have survived the town fire of 1858. The museum collections and a piece of Nykarleby’s architectural history thus come together under one roof. Visits to the Nykarleby Museum are by guided tour only. Check the seasonal details before travelling.

Another museum site is Kuddnäs, which has been preserved in its original condition and now serves as a museum. The Town Hall houses the Rådhusgalleriet art gallery and Lilla galleriet for children and young artists. Brostugan is also part of the town’s cultural history: it is one of Nykarleby’s most valuable buildings of cultural and historical significance.

Festivals and Events

Nykarleby Week is Nykarleby’s largest annual event. In August, it offers a varied programme of cultural activities over an entire week. Another regular event is the Topelius Festival: held every year on January 14, it celebrates the birthday of writer Zacharias Topelius. If you would like to plan your stay around one of these events, check the exact dates and programme details before travelling.

The Juthbacka Market attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year. Together with the cultural events, it shows that the calendar has a range of different highlights: a cultural week in August, a festival on a specific day in January and a market with a large annual attendance. These dates and occasions may be a factor when choosing when to travel.

Hiking Trail and Cultural Route

During the snow-free season, the ski track in central Nykarleby can be used as a hiking trail. The starting point is behind Stjärnhallen at Idrottsgränd 1–3. As maintenance arrangements may change, it is a good idea to check the route information again before setting out. The seasonal change between ski track and hiking trail makes the time of year relevant to your plans.

Beyond Nykarleby, the “På spåret med Topelius och Runeberg” cultural route continues from the Juthas Battlefield in Nykarleby to Jakobstad and is about 35 kilometres long. There are 20 places to visit along the route. It can be explored by car, bicycle or on foot, and divided into several stages. If you would rather not travel in person, you can also explore the route digitally. The stages and different ways of getting around offer various ways to engage with the sites; check the route details before travelling.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Nordanå, Isokyrö, Vaasa, Ylihärmä, Kristinestad, Jakobstad, Vörå, Larsmo.

Return to the main travel overview: Ostrobothnia.