Killinkoski – Ribbon Factory, Photography and Village History

Killinkoski is located on Highway 68, roughly halfway between Virrat and Ähtäri. The village in Virrat is best known for its old factory complex: the protected ribbon factory, museums and preserved buildings tell the story of the area's industrial past. There is also a wooden church, photography-related attractions and a fitness trail. When planning your trip, you can choose between architecture, local history and outdoor activities.

Ribbon Factory and Village History

The old ribbon factory was designed by Josef Stenbäck; its oldest sections were completed in 1908. Its history goes back further: Holms Ribbon Factory was Finland's first factory of its kind and began operating in 1898 in a former, short-lived macaroni factory building. The village developed around the ribbon factory and a wood-grinding mill. The mill operated from 1911 to 1954. The old factory was later converted into a ribbon industry museum.

The preserved factory complex includes structures dating from the early 20th century to the 1950s. The factory settlement is considered a well-preserved example of the small rural industrial communities that arose near waterways and rapids in the late 19th century. Near the industrial buildings, the former homes of the managers of the ribbon factory and wood-grinding mill have been preserved. The old factory, built of wood and concrete, is also part of the area's defining character. The facilities of its successor, Inka Oy, are located on the shore of Vuollejärvi.

The industrial settlement lies on the isthmus between Vuotteenjärvi and Metterinjärvi, through which the small Kivipuro stream once flowed. Even a single tree is named after the place: the Killinkoski spruce grows right at the edge of the pavement on Inkantie. Killinkoski was named Pirkanmaa's Village of the Year in 2005; in 2009, it was selected from the Virrat area as one of Finland's nationally significant built cultural environments.

Museums, Photography and Guided Tours

Killinkosken Wanha Tehdas is home to the only ribbon industry museum in the Nordic countries. The factory complex also houses a café, a flea market hall and Kirjakirppu, a second-hand bookshop. Check the current services before your visit. Another exhibition is dedicated to I.K. Inha, the Finnish national photographer born in Virrat: the Into Centre presents his work and career.

Photography also has a place in Killinkoski. The Kamerataivas Museum, a photography gallery and the working spaces of the Finnish Society for the History of Photography are located here. Anyone interested in the beginnings of local industry can explore them through Aikamatka, which invites visitors on a journey back to the origins of the factories in the final decades of the 19th century.

Guided tours of the old factory complex are organised for groups throughout the year by arrangement. Confirm the date before your trip. This lets you include a possible tour in your plans without assuming that it is available for a spontaneous visit.

Church and Village Events

Killinkoski's wooden church was designed by Josef Stenbäck and built in 1928 by the Killinkoski Prayer Room Association. It can accommodate approximately 130 people. A small parish hall, used for coffee and catering events, is part of the church. Outside the winter period from Christmas to Easter, a service is held in the church once a month. If you would like to plan your visit around one, check the parish calendar.

A traditional part of the local annual calendar is a collectors' gathering with a market day, organised by the village association on the Saturday of the last weekend in July. Check that year's programme before your trip. This keeps your plans tied to the actual event date rather than assuming that the recurring timing means the event is available on every day of your visit.

Fitness Trail and Winter

The fitness trail includes approximately 3 km of lit trail and 1 km of unlit trail; the total out-and-back distance is almost 8 km. This round-trip figure is useful when planning your time, as it covers the route in both directions. In winter, a cross-country ski trail is groomed depending on snow conditions. Grooming therefore depends on the snow and is not guaranteed every winter.

Discover more destinations: Mänttä-Vilppula, Akaa, Suodenniemi, Ikaalinen, Vammala, Ylojarvi, Kolunkylä, Suinula.

For the regional travel overview: Pirkanmaa.