Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church
Finland · Lapland · Inari
An 18th-century log church standing alone on a birch-covered isthmus between two lakes, reachable only on foot or by ski. One of the most atmospheric places in Finnish Lapland.
Built in 1760 and enlarged in 1800, Pielpajärvi is Finland's oldest surviving church in Lapland — and one of the most isolated. It stands on a narrow isthmus between Lake Pielpajärvi and a smaller unnamed lake, surrounded by birch forest, about 10 km from the nearest road. The church served the Sami and Finnish settlers of the Inari region for over a century before a new church was built in Inari village. Today it functions as a protected monument and is accessible via a 3-hour hike or a 6 km ski trail in winter. The building is small, severe, and entirely unadorned — the landscape does all the work. A short walk from the church leads to a traditional Sami cemetery. Services are still occasionally held here in summer.
Practical info
Cost — Free