Eat, drink & party

Kerkonkoski Oasis

Kerkonkosken Keidas is a terrace restaurant open during the summer and a cheerful meeting place for villagers and tourists alike. You'll find more personalized pizzas at Pohjola! Come and enjoy your own Lätykkä, Röllykkä, or even Mölkerö. And wash it down with a cold beer or two!

Oasis Website

Kerkon kauppa

Onni on pieni kyläkauppamme Kerkonkosken sydämessä. Kerkon kauppa on pieni, viihtyisä kyläkauppa ja kahvio – kylän olohuone kesät talvet. Kyläkaupasta löydät päivittäisruokaostosten lisäksi lähiruokaa ja lähituotteita sekä Veikkauksen palvelut ja apteekin palvelupiste. Kaupassa on kyläläisten ja matkailijoiden iloksi myös pieni kirjasto. Kaupan ulkoseinästä löytyy defibrilaattori.

Kerkon kaupan facebook-sivu

Village Hall Seurala

Kerkonkosken Seurala is available for rent for various celebrations, events, and meetings. The log village hall is particularly idyllic for traditional Finnish summer weddings. Seurala offers a wonderful setting for all kinds of celebrations and events.

more info

The Old Mill

Built in the 1800s, the mill is the little red heart of Kerkonkoski. It has had an eventful history, but stepping inside the mill is like stepping back in time. Today, the mill is used as an event venue and is also available for private hire.

more info

Moving on the water

Port services

Our port offers the following services:
– Refueling point
– barbecue shelter
– Beach
– Toilet, shower & mixed waste bins
– Rental of Ketterä SUP boards in Kerkonkoski
– Summer restaurant Kerkonkosken Keidas
– Kyläkauppa Kerkon kauppa

LOCATION

Kerkonkoski Canal

The Kerkonkoski Canal connects Lake Niinivesi and Lake Kiesimänjärvi. The canal, which is over a kilometer long, was built between 1919 and 1926 and is an integral part of our village's history. The canal currently operates on a self-service basis.

CANAL

Canoeing & SUP boards

Kerkonkoski offers excellent conditions for canoeing and kayaking. Our central location provides countless route options to nearby villages, and the Etelä-Konnevesi National Park is also easily accessible by water from Kerkonkoski. The area's numerous rest stops offer relaxing breaks along the way.

CANOEING ROUTES

SUP BOARD RENTAL

Kerkonkoski tour

The Kerkonkoski tour is a classic long waterway route, which has traditionally been rowed and paddled in church boats in Rautalampi. The route is a demanding circular route with one class II rapid, Konnekoski, along the way.

Along the way, there are cultural and natural attractions such as Konnekoski, Kivisalmi, Noitasen Island, and Murhaluoto, as well as the Kiesimä and Kerkonkoski canals, Säynätsalmi and Nokisenkoski, Tyyrinvirta and the Hankavesi archipelago, as well as the Sahala, Korhola, Karjala, and Ropola manors located on the shores of Äijävesi in Rautalammi.

MORE INFO

Village life and attractions

Village environment

See the canal lock, pop in to experience the atmosphere of the old mill, and visit the authentic village shop. Explore the village environment at your leisure and take a dip in the sea at the sandy beach by the harbor. Whether you're coming from near or far, it's easy to reach us by boat, car, motorcycle, or even bicycle!

LOCATION

Kerkonkoski Canal

The canal, the rapids area, and the waterway have been an essential part of the village of Kerkonkoski and the development of its settlement, economy, and entire way of life. It has been the community's main thoroughfare.

– Jukka Vesterinen, Kerkonkoski Village Book –

CANAL

The Old Mill

The charming Kerkonkoski Mill now hosts various events, village celebrations, and parties.

Mill operations at the Kerkonkoski mill ceased in the mid-1950s. When in operation, the mill also produced electricity for the village of Kerkonkoski.

Located along the Kerkonkoski rapids, next to the canal, Wanha Mylly is open to visitors during the summer!

MORE INFO

Anna Wildrose Art Gallery

Anna WildRose (Pirkko Toiviainen) is a self-taught visual artist and one of our village's sources of pride. Her works mainly consist of collages, assemblages, and installations. The artist uses recycled materials in her works, which are characterized by their abundance and the unprejudiced combination of techniques and materials.

Anna WildRose teaches the techniques she uses in her art workshops. The summer gallery is located at artist Anna WildRose's home in Kerkonkoski and is open by appointment.

ANNA´S WEBSITE

Rastunsuon lintujärvi

Lintujärvi Lake in Rastunsuo is a peaceful destination for excursions near Kerkonkoski. Birds that nest at Lintujärvi include common terns, black-headed gulls, little gulls, black-necked grebes, mallards, teals, and whooper swans. The destination is particularly popular with birdwatchers in the spring. There are two birdwatching towers, a hut, and a toilet on site.

MORE INFO

Kiesimä Canal

There is another canal near Kerkonkoski. The historic Kiesimän Canal was built around the same time as the nearly 100-year-old Kerkonkoski Canal.

The channel has forest instruments and a giant swing, as well as a barbecue hut for snacks.

LOCATION

Temple of the Giants

Throughout history, people have marveled at different types of rocks and the formations made from them. These oddities have been explained through myths and stories, as people at that time did not understand the changes that occurred in nature.

The Temple of the Giants is a stone formation discovered in the 19th century by Henrik Laitinen in the village of Kiesimä on Tulenpalavanmäki hill. Location in Google Maps

MORE INFO

Katariina Spring

Located in Kiesimä, Katariina Spring has been providing cool, fresh spring water to local residents and passers-by for over half a century. The spring was renovated in the early 2000s.

To prevent contamination, please use only the source's own scoop to collect water from the source into your own container. The water has not been tested. Use the water at your own risk!

LOCATION ON MAP

Karhuniemi Lapp cairn

Numerous Lapp cairns have been found in Finland, mainly inland. They are usually located near the shore, often in a prominent position on top of a cliff. The majority of Lapp cairns are burial sites. The lapp cairns in Karhuniemi were discovered by Aarne Europaeus-Äyräpää in 1927. Access to the ruins is via the yard of Urho and Seija Karhu.

LOCATION ON MAP

School and daycare

Renovated during the 2017–2018 school year, Kerkonjoki school is a village school built in 1938 in Rautalampi, in the Kerkonkoski area. The school was closed in 2025.

Our school building also houses a group family daycare center, and the building can also be rented for public events and tourist use.

Group family day care Satakieli

Satakieli operates in connection with Kerkonjoki School, 18 kilometers from the center of the municipality. Satakieli provides early childhood education that complements preschool education.

Further information and contact details can be found on the Rautalampi website.

Municipality of Rautalampi

Remote work at our school?

Kerkonjoki School has a bright office room available for remote working, where you can concentrate on your work in peace and quiet. You can use the municipality's fixed network connection via cable or your own wireless internet connection. The workspace is available during the school year from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Please make a reservation with the principal of basic education by calling 040 703 5598.
Welcome to work!

Services and housing

Many residents of Kerkonkoski still earn their living from farming, and many work remotely from home or commute to nearby towns and cities.

Kylämme ytimessä koulu, päiväkoti ja Kerkon kauppa sekä kesäravintola Kerkonkosken Keidas. Harrastustoimintaa järjestää virkeä kyläyhdistys, Kerkonkosken Ketterä. Kattavat kauppa-, pankki-, ym. palvelut ovat lyhyen ajomatkan päässä Rautalammilla sekä Suonenjoella.

Kerkonkoski has a number of municipal rental apartments, and occasionally there are several houses and cottages for sale in the peaceful countryside. You can find available apartments for sale and rent below.

Kerkonjoki School

Kerkon Kauppa

Restaurant Kerkonkosken Keidas

Apartments for sale in Kerkonkoski

Plots for sale

Apartments for sale

House in Koipiniemi

7 bedrooms + kitchen + hall + living room + bathroom + toilet + shower room + toilet + attic

240 m² | 1904 | 246 000€

Kariniementie 16 A, Koipiniemi, Rautalampi

The atmospheric Koipiniemi Manor is looking for new residents on the shores of the pristine Lake Konnevesi! The house was completed in 1904, but it has been thoroughly renovated over the past 20 years. The old living room is almost in its original condition and exudes a sense of history. Possibly also available for rent over the winter!

House in Kiesimäki

4 bedrooms + kitchen + living room + bathroom + toilet x 2 + attic

123 / 143 m² | 1957 | 55 000€

Kiesimäntie 373, Kerkonjoensuu, Rautalampi

A red cottage in the peaceful countryside near the lively village of Kerkonkoski. This house offers many possibilities for either permanent living or leisure use. There are fish-rich waters in the surrounding area, and active boaters will find easy access to major waterways.

House in Kerkonkoski Village

3 bedrooms + living room + kitchen + bathroom + toilet + storage room + 2 storage rooms + utility room + attic

103 / 166,5 m² | 1984 | 74 900€

Kerkontie 60, Kerkonjoensuu, Rautalampi

A bright home in the village of Kerkonkoski. The open-plan living room and kitchen area with its baking oven is the heart of the house. The large yard offers plenty of space to play. This home is a short walk from the village shop, and the nature-oriented village school and daycare center are only 1 km away.

House in Kerkonkoski

4mh + tupak + khh + kph + s + tekn

126 / 143 m² | 2012 | 99 500€

Kerkonkoskentie 1044, Kerkonjoensuu, Rautalampi

A spacious and modern house with a contemporary floor plan, located along good transport connections. Several bedrooms for even larger families. Modern building technology keeps living costs low and improves living comfort. Large garage/storage building.

For Rent

Apartments by the river

Kerkontie, Kerkonjoensuu, Rautalampi

This small housing company is located in the center of the village of Kerkonkoski. You can hear the sound of the rapids in the yard, and there is a village shop next door. The beautiful Wanha Mylly is also close to these apartments. The village hall, school, daycare center, and Kerkonkoski harbor are just a stone's throw away!

For further information, please contact: Rautalammin Kiinteistökeskus – Heli Haukka
Tel. 020 1550 509, heli.haukka@sjnkk.fi

You can find more information about municipal services on the Rautalampi municipal website.

Municipality of Rautalampi