Vibrant Karstula - town of culture and entrepreneurship
Basic information
Karstula is located in northern Central Finland. Highway 13 runs through it. The surrounding neighbouring municipalities are Kyyjärvi, Kivijärvi, Kannonkoski and Saarijärvi.
Karstula has a population of about 3500. About half of the population are of working age. The municipality covers an area of 963.2 km².
The main livelihoods in the municipality are the wood, metal and plastic industries. There are about 400 companies in Karstula, the largest of which are Finn–Savotta and Honkarakenne.
Distances near and far
You can quickly get from Karstula to nearby municipalities in about half an hour. Larger cities are about an hour or two away.
Public transport runs to Saarijärvi and back, and there is a bus to Kyyjärvi during school hours. So your own car is useful.
To nearby municipalities and towns
Kyyjärvi 20 minutes
Saarijärvi 30 minutes
Kannonkoski 35 minutes
Kivijärvi 35 minutes
To bigger cities
Jyväskylä 1hr 20 minutes
Seinäjoki 1hr 25 minutes
Kokkola 1hr 50 minutes
Vaasa 2hr 15 minutes
Lively everyday life and a spirit of getting things done in Karstula
In Karstula, cooperation is active and carried out in a positive spirit. For this reason, there is a lot of entrepreneurship in Karstula, and active cooperation also maintains opportunities for hobbies. Karstula has a long tradition in music, Karstula‘s music lovers actively organize concerts, and Karstula hosts a traditional music week every year. In addition to cultural offerings, Karstula has good sports opportunities and a wide range of services.
Services
There is plenty to choose from in Karstula‘s range of services. In the city centre, you can go to the village shoemaker to repair shoes or even go shopping at the Handicraft House. You can also get tools for renovation from the local hardware store.
Living
Karstula offers a wide range of housing, both in the city centre and in active village communities. The municipality also offers housing allowance to settlers if they buy or build their first home in Karstula.
Hobbies
Various hobbies are available in Karstula, from culture and film, to shooting and motorsports. Also ask the locals about different hobby groups if you can‘t find a suitable hobby group directly from the club activities.
Work, start a business or study
If you are looking for vacant business premises or a business plot and are planning to locate your company in Karstula, ask for help from the Karstula Region Development Company. If you are looking for a job or a place to study, find out more about jobs and study opportunities in Sydänsuomi. Karstula Upper Secondary School and Karstula Evangelical College offer the opportunity for further studies in the municipality.
Did you know?
1. Apartment for a trial period
Karstula has three apartments offered by the municipality, which can be used to try living in the municipality. The apartment can be used free of charge for the trial period of the employment relationship when you come to work in Karstula from elsewhere. There is a queuing system for the apartments. The experiment will be valid at least until the end of 2025.
2. Artist Aunt Kylli
Artist Kylli Koski, aka Aunt Kylli, has lived in Karstula and she also had a summer cottage where she spent her time in the municipality. She was chosen as Karstula‘s Kopes in 1986, and Aunt Kylli‘s paintings are on display at Karstula Town Hall. Kylli Koski is also buried in Karstula.
3. Storyteller Nätti-Jussi
Nätti–Jussi was a legendary storyteller, he was from Karstula and had an impact for a large part of his life in Lapland. Lasse Lehtinen and Arto Paasilinna have written a book called Nätti–Jussi, which is based on this lumberjack who came from Karstula.
Visit Karstula
In Karstula, tourists can find both natural and cultural attractions. The municipality is suitable for a wide range of tourists and there are also a few restaurants in the municipality where you can have lunch and coffee.
In Karstula, for example, check out the observation tower made of Kirkkovuori logs or go for a walk along the duckboards on the Kilpisuo nature trail. The Karstula Local History Museum is open in the summer, and there is a Kopeskaari at the market square, which is also surrounded by market events.
The jewel of the town
Kirkkovuori observation tower
The observation tower made of logs is a vantage point in Karstula, where you can observe the municipality from above. The tower is about 20 metres high and it was opened to tourists in 2008. The observation tower is located in Pääjärvenmäki, right next to the city centre. You can also enjoy a picnic lunch at the foot of the observation tower, as there is a lean-to with a fireplace. Read more and learn more about the history of Kirkkovuori below.
Events
Karstula has annual traditional events such as the Local Heritage Festival, Karstula International Shooting Week and a cruising motorsport event called Carstunekruisinki. Check out the current events in Karstula through the links below.
Social media channels
The Facebook pages maintained by the residents of Karstula are Puskaradio, Karstula and Karstulassa tapahtuu. These pages are actively used and provide up-to-date information, e.g. about events. In addition, you can also ask about hobby opportunities and ask about available apartments, for example. The websites also provide information on the services offered by companies.
Also follow the social media channels maintained by the municipality of Karstula (Karstulan kunta) and the Development Company (Kehittämisyhtiö Karstulanseutu) below. These social media channels are in Finnish, but in order to get the information you can use a translator.