Paistjärven Pirunkirkko

Useful Information

Location:	Pirunkirkko 109, 18300 Heinolan kirkonkylä. Highway 5 between Heinola and Mikkeli, turn off at Paaso, follow 15019 east 13 km, turn left on Pirunkirkko 600 m to car park. 1.2 km/15 minutes hike. (61.3074874, 26.3994502)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Erosional Cave Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	W=40 m, H=8 m.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Matkailuneuvonta, Kauppakatu 4, 18100 Heinola kk, Tel: +358-447693045. E-mail: Kaupungintalon (citty hall), Rauhankatu 3, 18100 Heinola, Tel: +358-3-849-30. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1713-1721

used as a hideout by the locals during the Great Troubles.

Description

Paistjärven Pirunkirkko is one of numerous Pirunkirkkos (Devil’s Church) in Finland, and most of them are caves or shelters. This one is an overhanging cliff forming a huge shelter, and to keep it apart from other Devil’s Churches the name of the nearby village Paistjärvi was added. The cliff consists of Precambrian 1.6 Ga old rapakivi granite. The official explanation for its existence is the glacier covering the land during the last cold age which transported the loose rock material away, sculptured the cave and made the cliff surface smooth.

Local lore tells that the site was a hideout during the hostile Russian invasions in the 18th century. This is actually not unlikely. During the so-called Great Unrest (1713-1721), the Russian army marauded through the country.

The area has other interesting stops, like former kolmilor (charcoal piles) which were used to produce charcoal during World War II. It was used in coal gas generators on vehicles, which were necessary due to the fuel shortage. There are also so-called tjärdalar (tar pits), in which tar was made from the resin of coniferous trees.