Tourist attractions Varkaus

Varkaus is home to one of the most unique museums in Finland, the Museum of Mechanical Music, which houses the largest collection of mechanical musical instruments in the Nordic countries. Included here is the world’s largest orchestrion, the 75-man Popper Goliath, an extraordinary Amadeus Street organ. This internationally significant collection also contains music boxes, mechanical pianos, violins and accordions, hurdy-gurdies, small hand organs, and lots of gramophones and juke boxes. Another treat for music lovers is the nearby Joroinen Music Days festival where visitors can enjoy some of the finest chamber music in historic settings or in a more traditional rural setting. Joroinen is just a little to the south of Varkaus, and the festival begins at the end of July every year, lasting for 5 days.

Travelers to Varkaus should visit the Taipale canal area and the Varkaus Canal Museum. The old canal is over 170 years old, and presents its history in a series of information boards placed along the canal path, and in the exhibitions displayed in the Canal Museum. Elsewhere in the town you’ll find the local history and art museums housed in the former factory hotel which was built in 1914. The upper level houses an exhibition entitled ‘City in Layers’ which outlines the history of Varkaus, while downstairs there are changing art exhibitions. A short stroll will bring you to Taidekeskus Väinölä Art Centre, a delightful wooden building housing changing exhibitions and a café where you rest while enjoying a coffee. From there, the visitor can walk to the Water Tower, which was Finland’s tallest inhabited building when it was built in 1954, and the viewing platform, at a height of 45m, offers a fine panoramic view of the town and the surrounding lakes. There are also some lovely churches in Varkaus, chief among them being the Evangelical Lutheran Church which contains the largest altar fresco in Scandinavia, ‘Thy Kingdom Come’, covering an impressive 240 square metres.

For nature lovers, or outdoors enthusiasts, the region offers some of the best hiking and canoing trails in Finland. Right in the middle of the city you’ll find Kämari island, an untouched green area where a 3km nature path winds it way between the Ämmäkoski rapids and the Taipale canal. Further out, there are bird watching towers at Lake Ruokojärvi and Lake Mula, 6m in height and accessible by wheelchair. These are ideal for spotting the Eurasian bittern and the Western marsh harrier.

The Härkämaki Observatory at nearby Kangaslampi has the latest telescopes, and at 160m above sea level in an area devoid of light pollution is ideal for observing the heavens. There is also a Lapland hut, a lean-to, and a camp fireplace for visitors to avail of. Varkaus is also the perfect starting point for anyone wishing to explore the Linnansaari and Kolovesi national parks. Linnansaari is a paradise for canoeists, kayakers, and boaters in general, and the islands here are home to the endangered Saimaa ringed seals, and many ospreys. Kolovesi is likewise popular with everyone who travels over water, its landscape dominated by the 40m cliffs which were carved out in the last Ice Age.

Finally, we should mention the Orthodox Monastery of New Valamo in Heinävesi, just 45 minutes from Varkaus, as it has become a significant centre of Orthodox culture in Finland over recent decades. The monks who live here communally ascribe to the principle that the monastery should be self sufficient, and as a result it has become an important tourist attraction, providing accommodation and a fine restaurant, as well as a crafts centre where hand made items can be bought as souvenirs.