At the Stone Warehouse (Kivimakasiini), located in the inner courtyard of the Trade House of Lang, you can visit Tuija Rajamäki’s “Valon Taika” (Magic of Light) Himmeli Exhibition from 22 June to 2 August 2026.
The exhibition is open Monday–Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission is free.

One stunning himmeli after another has been created by this skilled artist. Come and be inspired!

Traditionally, the himmeli is best known as a Christmas decoration. Its origins date back as far as 1150–1500 in Central Europe, and the tradition came to Finland via Sweden. The word himmeli itself refers to the Swedish word himmel, meaning “sky” or “heaven”.

For ancient Finns, straw was a highly significant material symbolizing the success of the coming harvest year. It was believed that the larger the himmeli, the better the grain harvest would be. A completed himmeli was brought into the freshly cleaned home on Christmas Eve and hung above the table.

When making traditional himmelis, rye straw has been considered the best material. A good alternative natural material is marram grass, which withstands handling slightly better than rye straw.

The atmospheric 1840s stone warehouse at the Trade House of Lang hosts an exhibition featuring traditional himmelis and small straw stars made from rye straw and marram grass.

The event is part of the official Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme.

Culture