There are a lot of weird and wonderful nature destinations in Finland. These nature sights include peculiar rock formations, caves and giant’s kettles that remarkable forces of nature have carved. In fact, many mysterious nature sights have been puzzling people’s minds for centuries. Some of these strangest nature sights have been here since the last Ice Age. When something is too difficult for the mind to comprehend, stories of elves, goblins, giants, and demons are born. And oh boy, do these places have many stories to tell!
Here’s our top 10 strangest nature sights in Finland
1. Kummakivi balancing rock in Ruokolahti
Kummakivi balancing rock in Ruokolahti is probably the strangest nature sight in Finland. It is a massive glacial erratic, balancing on top of another rock. It’s not very easy to find and it’s not even close to being among the most visited nature destinations in Finland. So what makes Kummakivi so special? Did a giant place the rock in such a strange place? Read more: Kummakivi balancing rock at Ruokolahti, Finland
2. Högberget erosion cave
Melting waters of the last Ice Age created this womb-like cave. Rushing water carved a unique vertical giant’s cauldron into the granite. As a result of this erosion, it’s possible this place has been worshiped precisely due to its Mother Earth-shape. Read more: Högberget erosion cave takes you the Mother of Earth
3. Giant’s kettles in Askola
The Giant’s Kettle Park of Askola is a well-known nature sight in Southern Finland. Giant’s kettles or giant’s cauldrons are called hiidenkirnu in Finnish (hiisi = a troll or a giant, kirnu = butter churn). This is because ancient Finns thought that magical beings in the forest would drill these holes into the hills when humans weren’t watching. The Askola giant’s kettle park has 20 kettles and has the most butter churns in one place in Finland. Read more: Magic of the giant’s kettles in Askola
4. The silent people of Suomussalmi
This extraordinary artwork called Silent People (Hiljainen kansa in Finnish) is located the middle of nowhere, at Suomussalmi in Kainuu region of Northern Ostrobothnia. Why are they standing there? What is their story? Read more: The Silent People of Suomussalmi to see why it deserves to be on our list of top 10 strangest nature sights in Finland.
5. Sami sacret site Taatsi seida in Lapland
Taatsi seida, or Taatsin seita in Finnish, by Taatsi lake is an ancient Sámi culture site where the local Sámi people brought offerings to the gods. It is located in Pokka village between Kittilä and Inari. The seida is about 10m high rock structure rising from a lake, and it was believed that a spirit or an elf lived in it. Read more: Sami sacret site Taatsi seida is a magical place
6. Giant’s sarcophagus in Tammela
Giant’s sarcophagus, jättiläisen hauta, is a large retangle boulder in Tammela in Tavastia Proper region in Finland. It lies hidden in the forest, and by the looks of it, it could really be a coffin for someone fairly large. If you knock on the side of the boulder, it eerily sounds like it’s hollow. What is the story of this Iron Age giant’s sarcophagus? Read more: Odd giant’s sarcophagus in Tammela was a sacrificial altar
7. Hell of Lapland
We once noticed a little star on the map with a text “Hell of Lapland”, and we knew we have to go and check it out. Hell of Lapland turned out to be a saivo lake called Pakasaivo in Muonio. Pakasaivo lake is very deep and the steep cliff walls surrounding the lake reach up to 60m above water. The strangest thing about these saivo lakes is their mythology. People used to believe that saivo lakes have two bottoms and that on the other side of the lake was another world where souls live. Are you fascinated by the Finnish mythology? Read more: Pakasaivo, the Hell of Lapland
8. Devil’s gate in Rantasalmi
The devil’s gate near the Putelo croft estate at Rantasalmi may not be a well-known nature destination in Finland. However, it definitely deserves to be on our list of the strangest nature sights in Finland. It’s an enormous rock bridge standing about 6m wide and 3-5m in height. It may be the largest natural rock arch formation in Finland. Does this rock arch lead to another realm? Read more: Devil’s gate at Putelo leads to another world
9. Pyhäkangas pruned forest
The pruned forest of Pyhäkangas and corpse road, Pyhäkankaan karsikko ja ruumistie, is a strange nature sight worth visiting at Saarijärvi in the Central Finland region. There are several historical pruned forests in Finland that are dedicated to dead people. Why do the pruned forests exist, and what makes Pyhäkangas so special? Read more: Are Pyhäkangas pruned forest and corpse road haunted?
10. Astuvansalmi rock art
Imagine reading a message that someone wrote 5 000 years ago. Well, there is no need to imagine it. The rock paintings at Astuvansalmi in the Finnish Lakeland are direct messages from our ancestors in the past. The stunningly vivid images that cover dozens of motifs are included in the largest in Northern Europe. Read more: Finest rock art in Finland at Astuvansalmi
How many of these strangest nature sights in Finland have you visited? What would you add to our list? Comment below!
