Saloinen

History of Saloinen

Saloinen was founded in the early 14th century and was one of the old mother parishes of Ostrobothnia. Settlement in Saloinen dates back to the Iron Age. In the Middle Ages, the people of Saloinen hunted and fished, tended livestock, cultivated barley and rye, and were active seafarers who sailed especially to Stockholm. In addition to its harbour, Saloinen was also known as an excellent marketplace.

In the 15th century, Saloinen was a large parish that extended from Kalajoki to Hailuoto, and eastward as far as Paltamo. In the 16th century, the population of Saloinen had grown so much that the area was first divided into chapel parishes. Kalajoki became its own parish in 1540, Pyhäjoki in 1568, and Hailuoto in the 1590s.

Count Per Brahe founded the town of Salo in 1649. A few years later, Salo became part of the County of Kajaani. At the same time, the town was named after its founder as Brahestad, that is, Raahe. At first, the town was planned to be located in the area of the former harbour of Salo, but due to land uplift that had made the harbour too shallow, the town was decided to be built further north at its present location.

Siikajoki became its own parish in 1689. Many small inland villages within the parish were founded in the 18th century as settlement spread along the Piehinki and Haapajoki river valleys toward the inland. During this period, villages such as Mattilanperä and Kettukangas were established. The landscape of the church village changed dramatically as Salo Bay dried up due to land uplift.

Sweden and Russia fought in the Finnish War in 1808–1809. An armistice was negotiated at the rectory of Saloinen and was ultimately concluded at the Lassila House in Olkijoki, today known as the Olkijoki Treaty Museum, on 19 November 1809.

Ecclesiastical and secular administration were separated in 1865, marking the beginning of modern municipalities. The large parish area of Saloinen was divided into several parts to clarify administration. The Saloinen chapel parish included the villages of Salo and Piehinki. The Saloinen mother parish included Pattijoki, Palo, and Olkijoki. Vihanti, in turn, consisted of the villages of Vihanti, Alpua, and Ilveskorpi.

The first western steelworks, Rautaruukki (today SSAB), was founded in Saloinen in 1961. Previously dominated by agriculture, Saloinen suddenly became an industrial centre. Many new residents moved to Saloinen, which led to the creation of the villages of Tarpio and Honganpalo, as well as the Ollinsaari apartment district. The operations of Rautaruukki contributed to Saloinen being incorporated into the City of Raahe in 1973. Saloinen and Raahe had become a single, integrated area for work and living. The municipal merger created better conditions for managing the urban structure that developed around heavy industry. You can explore Rauturuukki as well as the industrial development of Raahe and Saloinen in more detail at the Crown Granary Museum of Raahe.

Ancient Sites of Saloinen

The Saloinen area contains a wealth of ancient sites, more than 100 of which have been discovered in the region. Most of the archaeological finds date to the Comb Ceramic period, approximately 5200–2000 BCE. The most important ancient monument areas are located in Kettukangas, Laivavaara, and Tervakangas.

Giant’s Churches are a type of ancient monument characteristic of Ostrobothnia. There are four Giant’s Church structures in Saloinen. The largest of them is located at Pirttivaara and dates to approximately 2000–2500 BCE. The Giant’s Churches of Ketunkangas and Pirttihaudankangas originate from the same period. As seal hunting was widely practised in the area at that time, the Giant’s Churches are believed to be connected to it. Seal hunting was carried out especially in late winter, when seals came to give birth on the ice of the Bothnian Bay. When the climate began to cool at the end of the Stone Age, seal hunting declined and the Giant’s Churches of the area fell out of use.

• Kettukangas: Kettukangas features a Giant’s Church, more than 30 stone cairns used for storing seals, 30 dwelling depressions, around ten pit structures used for processing seal fat, and 16 fire-cracked stone mounds. Hundreds of quartz flakes, charcoal, and soot have been found in these mounds.
• Tervakangas Burial Ground: Tervakangas is an Iron Age burial ground and a possible settlement area. More than a dozen cremation and inhumation graves have been discovered at the site. Finds also include two bronze bracelets and a ring, a whetstone, an iron knife and buckle, and ceramics.
• Laivavaara: Laivavaara is home to the Pirttivaara Giant’s Church and a small Stone Age village that once surrounded it. The area includes cairns, stone-pit features, a stone circle, dwelling depressions, and a tar pit.

You can also explore the ancient sites of Saloinen along two signposted heritage trails: From the Iron Age to Rautaruukki and the Laivavaara Ancient Trail.

Sights of Saloinen

The Saloinen Local Heritage Museum in Arkkukari is an extensive museum complex that tells the story of the lives of farmers and fishermen in Saloinen in the past. The Saloinen Local Heritage Museum is open in July. The oldest building in the museum area, the old main cottage of the Mutala farm, dates back to the 18th century. The courtyard also features the Red Cottage, which hosts photography exhibitions in the summer and a summer café. At the end of July, St. Olaf's Day Market is held in the area. The market tradition has been preserved since the Middle Ages.

The Church of St. Olaf in Saloinen was built in 1932. The church bell tower was designed by King Gustav III in 1783. The Church of St. Olaf in Saloinen closely resembles Saloinen’s second church, a more than 400-year-old wooden post-supported church that burned down to its foundations in 1930. The first church of Saloinen was located on Kirkkoluoto, which today is on dry land due to land uplift, and Highway 8 runs through it. The second church was also located on the same site, but it was moved to its present location on Church Hill because land uplift caused accidents involving church boats. The Russians destroyed the first church during the Old Hatred in the 1490s. The altarpiece cabinets of the Virgin Mary and the patron saint St. Olaf, along with their sculptures, were saved from the church and can now be seen in the current Church of St. Olaf in Saloinen. A memorial stands on the site of the old church.

The farmhand’s cottage of the Saloinen rectory was built in 1799, and the old rectory in 1816. Over the years, the rectory housed a brewery, a bakery, and communal living quarters. Today, the rectory buildings are no longer in use. Bones, fragments of tools, red earthenware ceramics, porcelain, glass, and coins dating back to the 16th century have been found in the area.

In Arkkukari in Saloinen, along Highway 8, you will find the Järvelänjärvi Grill Café and the Särkkä Perennial Nursery located side by side. At the Järvelänjärvi Grill Café, you can enjoy Salme burgers awarded with the Arctic Food Lab label, as well as delicious café treats. During your break, your eyes can rest on the beautiful scenery of Lake Järvelänjärvi. The grill café yard also has a motorhome and caravan stopover. Open from May to October, the Särkkä Perennial Nursery is a paradise for green thumbs. The nursery offers a wide selection of perennials, ornamental trees and shrubs, as well as fruit and berry plants. You will also find rare species and native plants here. Flower lovers are further delighted by the Arkkukari Allotment Garden, which features an idyllic community garden and 24 small allotment cottages.

The Haapajärvi reservoir is a popular outdoor recreation area. Its waters are rich in fish for anglers, and there is a birdwatching tower on the lakeshore. The routes surrounding Haapajärvi are suitable for both jogging and cycling. In winter, the lake is used for ice skating and cross-country skiing. For swimming, the Oravajärvi beach is the most suitable option.