Known for its pure nature and energy, Pyhäjoki is located in the heart of maritime Northern Ostrobothnia. In the embrace of the sea and the river, nature is close to people, and everyday services are easily accessible.

The Pyhäjoki River, flowing into the Gulf of Bothnia, boasts numerous rapids favored by fishermen and kayakers. From coastal villages to the inland, the landscape varies from vast fields to nearly untouched wilderness and striking wind farms.

History

Several Stone Age artifacts, such as stone axes and chisels, have been found in the Pyhäjoki area. The area was long dominated by the Sámi people, who eventually yielded to Finnish colonization in the Middle Ages. Pyhäjoki was part of the borderlands between Sweden and Novgorod. The Hanhikivi rock north of the Pyhäjoki estuary in Parhalahti is believed to be a possible border stone from the Treaty of Pähkinäsaari in 1323.

Pyhäjoki was separated from Saloinen as an independent parish in 1573. Initially, it included Pyhäjärvi, Kärsämäki, Haapavesi, Oulainen, and Merijärvi, which became independent in the late 19th century. The first church was built in 1586. It was replaced by a cruciform church designed by C.L. Engel, completed in 1844, which was destroyed by lightning in 1974. A new church was built in 1976-1977.

In the mid-17th century, Pyhäjoki village had 67 houses, but famine reduced the population. People made a living from agriculture, livestock farming, river, and sea fishing. Seal hunting and hunting in general were also practiced initially. Pyhäjoki was once an important waterway for transporting tar, and there was a tar court near the river mouth port. In the early 20th century, A. Santaholma Oy's sawmill operated near Hourunkoski in the northern branch of the Pyhäjoki river mouth.

For more information, visit the Pyhäjoki municipality website.