Pielpajarvi Wilderness Church

This is a place you just won’t find accidentally. Literally in the middle of nowhere in Inari community, Finnish Lapland there’s a church that’s not located near any main roads and it’s completely inaccessible without hiking a few kilometers. Pielpajarvi used to be a winter village for the people of Inari where they used to gather for markets and listening to religious ceremonies. Anyway there was never any real village with people living there, people used to come there when the lake was frozen and hence the church and the surroundings were more easily accessible. The first church in that location was built already 1646-1648 but it was rotten and hence destroyed. The current church was built to the site and was finished 1760. The church used to be in regular use until late 19th century when it was replaced by a new church that was built near the habitation. But the wilderness Church is still occasionally in use, every year there’s a Midsummer ceremony and some couples can also use the church for their weddings. The church is located about 10 km north from the village of Inari. The address to the parking where the hiking route to the church starts is Sarviniementie 249, Inari. There’s no services and no admission fee to the church but nearby wilderness hut offers some shield against bad weather and also fireplace, simple cooking facilities and an outdoor restroom. #inari #finland #lapland #church #historicculture#naturalwonders#roadtrip#summervacation#hikingtrails#urbanexplorer