HISTORY OF KIRKONMÄKI
The area is classified by the Finnish National Museums Agency as a "Built Environment of National Interest" and has served as the home of the enlightenment figure and priest Anders Chydenius, whose Freedom of the Press Act was recently recognized as a UNESCO Memory of the World.
Kirkonmäki is a former central area of Kokkola Rural Municipality, located two kilometers from the center of Kokkola. Kirkonmäki’s most well-known landmarks are the medieval church of Kokkola and the adjacent vicarage, as well as the local heritage museum.
A medieval meeting place
Kyrkbacken rose out of the sea around the 9th century and a permanent settlement emerged around the 13th century. Thanks to its steep shores and close connection to the sea, Kyrkbacken (or Holmbacken), which was then still an islet, was an excellent harbor, and has been so possibly since the 13th century.
Kirkonmäki became the center of the Kaarlela parish, which was established following its separation from the Pedersöre parish in 1489. Kaarlela then became an independent vicarage, and the Kaarlela parish church was built around the turn of the 15th century. The church was constructed at a crossroads that remains visible to this day. It is believed that a wooden church may have stood on the same site before the current stone structure.
Southwest of the church lies Tararant Meadow, where in 1595, during the War of the Clubs, local farmers from Kokkola defeated cavalry forces led by the bailiff of Klaus Fleming. The War of the Clubs (1596–1597) was a peasant uprising in Finland against the harsh rule of the nobility and military conscription during the late 16th century.
According to Claes Claesson’s map from 1649, an earlier vicarage stood next to the parish church on the same site as the current one. The map also indicates that a newly built Finnish church was located where the Kaarlela Parish Hall stands today.
In 1620, King Gustavus Adolphus (Gustav II Adolf) founded the town of Gamlakarleby, which later received the Finnish name Kokkola. In 1977, the town merged with the surrounding Kaarlela parish, officially adopting the Swedish name Karleby and maintaining Kokkola as its Finnish name.
According to Claes Claesson's map from 1649, there was an older rectory next to the parish church on the same site as the current rectory. The map also shows that a newly built Finnish church was located where Karelby parish hall is today.
In 1620, Gustav II Adolf founded the town of Gamlakarleby, which later received the Finnish name Kokkola. In 1977, the town merged with Kokkola parish and took the Swedish name Kokkola.
Kirkonmäki became the center of the Kaarlel parish, which was established following the administrative separation from the Pedersöre parish in 1489. At that point, Kaarlela became an independent parish, and the Kokkola parish church was built around the turn of the 15th century. The church was constructed at a crossroads that is still visible today. It is believed that a wooden church may have stood on the same site earlier.
Southwest of the church lies Tararant Meadow, where in 1595, during the War of the Clubs, farmers from Kokkola defeated cavalry troops led by the bailiff of Klaus Fleming. The War of the Clubs was a peasant uprising against noble rule and military oppression in late 16th-century Finland.
Kaarlela Church is one of the seven medieval stone churches in Ostrobothnia. It was built in the late Middle Ages at the mouth of the Vetil River, near a sheltered harbor that was the most densely populated area of the parish at the time. The church was constructed on a narrow headland, but due to post-glacial land uplift, Kirkonmäki is no longer connected to the sea.
The oldest part of the church dates back to the 1460s. In the late 18th century, it was rebuilt into a cruciform church based on plans approved by King Gustav III. The reconstruction was overseen by Vicar Anders Chydenius, a key figure in the development of democratic ideals in Finland and Sweden.
Anders Chydenius Vicarage
The adjacent vicarage, dating from the 1730s with its courtyard, is the only surviving Carolingian vicarage in Finland. It is a fine example of Carolingian vicarage architecture, characterized by its high hipped roof. The vicarage’s current appearance dates back to the time of Anders Chydenius.
Alongside his religious duties, Chydenius was an Enlightenment thinker, economist, and politician active in the Riksdag. He advocated for freedom of trade, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and democracy, as well as defending workers' rights.
He served as vicar in Kokkola from 1770 until his death in 1803. While focusing on parish work, he also took an interest in musical activities, including founding an orchestra that performed works by leading European composers.
Kokkola Local History Association
In the 1930s, Karleby Local Heritage Association was founded. The association began to relocate cultural and historical buildings from the surrounding countryside to Kyrkbacken to preserve them and establish an open-air museum.
The association’s work centers on the Kaarlela Museum of Local History and Culture at Kyrkbacken, which focuses on 19th-century rural life. The museum grounds include a forge, storage sheds, a smoke sauna, a leather tannery, a carding mill, a windmill, and a historic stone building from 1775 commissioned by Anders Chydenius.
The museum hosts exhibitions, guided tours, research projects, and public events—all aimed at passing on knowledge of the region’s rich heritage to future generations.
Anders Chydenius Vicarage
The adjacent vicarage, dating from the 1730s with its courtyard, is the only surviving Carolingian vicarage in Finland. It is a fine example of Carolingian vicarage architecture, characterized by its high hipped roof. The vicarage’s current appearance dates back to the time of Anders Chydenius.
Alongside his religious duties, Chydenius was an Enlightenment thinker, economist, and politician active in the Riksdag. He advocated for freedom of trade, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and democracy, as well as defending workers' rights.
He served as vicar in Kokkola from 1770 until his death in 1803. While focusing on parish work, he also took an interest in musical activities, including founding an orchestra that performed works by leading European composers.
In the 1930s, Kaarlela Local Heritage Association was founded. The association began to relocate cultural and historical buildings from the surrounding countryside to Kyrkbacken to preserve them and establish an open-air museum.
The association’s work centers on the Kaarlela Museum of Local History and Culture at Kirkonmäki, which focuses on 19th-century rural life. The museum grounds include a forge, storage sheds, a smoke sauna, a leather tannery, a carding mill, a windmill, and a historic stone building from 1775 commissioned by Anders Chydenius.
The museum hosts exhibitions, guided tours, research projects, and public events—all aimed at passing on knowledge of the region’s rich heritage to future generations.