Rokua's Keisarintie

Keisarintie is 46 kilometres long. Initially, it served mainly as a bridle path in summer and as a winter travel route. The road began to be improved during the construction of Kajaani Castle in the 17th century. The route between Oulu and Kajaani ran from Oulu along the southern side of the River Oulujoki to Utajärvi, where it turned towards Ahmasjärvi and continued along the western shore of the lake. From Ahmasjärvi, the road passed along the south-western edge of Rokuanvaara to Rokuanjärvi and on to the village of Neittävä. The road reached the shore of Lake Oulujärvi at Hautakangas and continued from there to Säräisniemi.

Previously, Keisarintie was known as Kuninkaantie (the King’s Road), as King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden used the route in the winter of 1622 when returning from the Livonian War. At that time, Finland was part of the Kingdom of Sweden. Keisarintie has also been known as Säräisniemen maantie (the Säräisniemi Road) and Ouluntie. After the road between Utajärvi and Vaala was completed, it was also referred to as Vanha maantie (the Old Road). From the 17th century until the late 19th century, the road also formed part of the postal route between Vyborg and Stockholm, especially at times when the Åland Sea could not be crossed.

The name Keisarintie refers to a story according to which Emperor Alexander I of Russia travelled along the road during his visit to Finland in August 1819. The plan was for the emperor to travel by boat from Kajaani to Säräisniemi and then continue by road to Oulu. The Governor of Oulu prepared for the journey of the distinguished entourage by ordering local farmers to repair the road. For the stage between Säräisniemi and Oulu, as many as 139 relay horses were reserved for the emperor, waiting at the coaching inns along the route. However, due to a storm on Lake Oulujärvi, the travel plans changed, and the emperor instead travelled to Oulu via Vuolijoki, Vieremä and Pulkkila.

Responsibility for maintaining Keisarintie was divided between the parishes of Oulu and Kajaani, each maintaining the road within its own area. From the mid-17th century onwards, the boundary between the parishes was marked by Isokivi, which also served as the boundary for road maintenance. Isokivi is located on the western edge of Rokua National Park and is a striking feature in the area’s sandy terrain. Finding another boulder of similar size – or even stones larger than a hand – is rare in the area.

Keisarintie was still the only road in the Oulujoki valley in the 18th century, but the road network expanded during the 19th century. The road on the southern side of the river from Mustikkakangas in Utajärvi to Vaala was completed in the late 1840s, and the road from Vaala to Kajaani on the northern side of the River Oulujoki was taken into use in the early 1850s. As traffic shifted to these new roads, Keisarintie lost its former importance.

Coaching inns provided transport for travellers who did not have their own horse. They were also required to offer overnight accommodation and stabling for horses. The inns were funded through transport fees, and in return they were granted tax exemption.

Of the coaching inns along Keisarintie, three operated for nearly the entire period of the coaching-inn system from the 17th century onwards. The longest-serving were the inns in Rokua, Manamansalo and Säräisniemi. The Juusola coaching inn in Säräisniemi was founded in 1634 and was among the first in the Kainuu region. In Ahmaskylä, travellers were hosted by Kolehmainen from 1643 onwards. The Rokua farm served as a coaching inn from the 1680s until the 1860s.

Keisarintie’s status as a main road was officially abolished by decision of the governor in early 1851 after the new roads were completed. Nevertheless, some traffic continued along the route, and coaching-inn operations remained in place for several years.

Keisarintie can still be seen in places where it has not been covered by newer roads or the railway. Parts of the road are still in use today – for example, the parking area at Pitkäjärvi in Rokua National Park can be reached via Keisarintie. The longest hiking trail in the national park, the approximately 20-kilometre-long Keisarinkierros circular route, takes its name from Keisarintie, even though it does not follow the original road alignment.