Discover Nykarleby: Culture, History and Festivals

Nykarleby offers several different ways to shape your stay: a historic wooden church, museums with distinct focuses, art at the Rådhuset and recurring cultural events. There is also a ski track used as a hiking trail during the snow-free season, and a cultural route that extends beyond the city. You can choose what to explore based on whether you are interested in architecture, local history, art, events or outdoor activities.

Church and Museum History

Nykarleby Church, also known as 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 inauguration date and ceiling paintings give the church both historical and artistic significance.

Kuddnäs has been preserved in its original condition and now serves as a museum. The Nykarleby Museum has a different focus: it shows how bourgeois families in Nykarleby lived in the second half of the 19th century. Its collections include fine furniture and other furnishings, traditional costumes and toys, as well as objects related to seafaring and trade. Household items are thus presented alongside themes of trade and seafaring.

The Nykarleby Museum is housed in the former northern customs house, one of the few buildings to survive the city fire of 1858. Its photo collection is also extensive, comprising more than 7,000 photographs. The museum can only be visited on a guided tour; check the seasonal details before your trip.

Art and Historic Buildings

The Rådhuset is home to the Rådhusgalleriet art gallery and the Lilla galleriet for children and young artists. Both galleries are worth a visit if you are interested in visual art; the Lilla galleriet is especially aimed at young artists and children. Brostugan, one of Nykarleby's most valuable historic buildings, is another cultural landmark.

Annual Events in Nykarleby

Nykarleby Week is Nykarleby's largest annual event. It offers a varied programme of cultural activities for a whole week in August. The Topelius Festival is held every year on 14 January to celebrate the birthday of the writer Zacharias Topelius. Juthbacka Market attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year. These events differ in timing and purpose: Nykarleby Week features a full programme in August, while the Topelius Festival takes place on a fixed date.

If you want to include an event in your travel plans, check the dates and programme for your visit. This will help you distinguish general information about annual events from the specific details of a particular edition.

Hiking and the Cultural Route

The ski track in central Nykarleby can be used as a hiking trail during the snow-free season. The starting point is behind Stjärnhallen at Idrottsgränd 1–3. Its seasonal use offers a different way to explore Nykarleby from the cultural attractions in its museums and galleries.

Further afield, the cultural route “På spåret med Topelius och Runeberg” runs through the region. It officially begins at the Juthas battlefield in Nykarleby and continues to Jakobstad. The route is about 35 kilometres long and includes 20 visitor attractions. It can be travelled by car, bicycle or on foot, and divided into several stages. Alternatively, you can explore it digitally without travelling the route in person. This gives you two distinct options: a seasonal hiking trail in the city centre and a regional cultural route with multiple stops and a digital way to explore it. Before your visit, check the latest information on maintenance of the ski track and details of the route.

Discover more destinations: Lappfjärd, Kristinestad, Ylihärmä, Larsmo, Korsholm, Nordanå, Jakobstad, Vörå

For the regional travel overview: Ostrobothnia.