National Landscapes: Finland’s National Emblem

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as the saying goes. The most memorable beautiful sights are born in the eye of the beholder when standing at a scenic lookout point. National landscape is the term we use for our most well known landscapes, which come to mind for most people when asked what are the best features of Finnish natural and cultural landscape. National landscapes have also inspired artists, who have pictured them in works of art, described them in literature and written music about them.

In 1992 in celebration of 75 years of Finnish independence 27 national landscapes were named in locations around the country.

Eight of these national landscapes are completely or partially within nature conservation areas. Come take a scenic tour of Finnish natural and cultural history!

Archipelago National Park is part of the Archipelago National Landscape.
Aulanko Nature Reserve is part of the Vanajavesi National Landscape.
• Visitors can see Olavinlinna Castle and the Pihlajavesi National Landscape in
Pihlajavesi Nature Reserve.
Punkaharju Nature Reserve has been a popular tourist destination for over 200 years already.
• The views in
Koli National Park are the most famous in Finnish art.
Kermajärvi Nature Reserve and Kolovesi National Park are part of the Heinävesi Trail National Landscape.
The Kvarken National Landscape has several conservation areas within it.
Hailuoto is known for its fishing villages and for the land lift coastline along the Bothnian Bay.
• The Oulankajoki National Landscape is mostly made up of
Oulanka National Park.
• The most famous part of
Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park is the Pallastunturi National Landscape.
• Additionally there are state-owned protected sites with the Aavasaksa, Utsjokilaakso and the Helsinki coastline National Landscapes.
  
  All 27 national Landscapes can be found on list made by the Ministry of the Environment (www.ymparisto.fi, in Finnish)