Kierikki Centre, Yli-Ii, Finland - SpottingHistory.com

The Kierikki Centre and the reconstructed Stone Age village, located on the banks of the river Iijoki, form a unique combination telling about Finnish prehistory. Ongoing excavations, an archaeological exhibition with finds dating up to 5,000 BC, and hands-on activities at the Stone Age Village enhance the fascinating view of how people lived in Stone Age Finland.

The architectural award-winning Kierikki main building is the largest log building in Scandinavia. It houses an archaeological exhibition, a well-equipped auditorium with film presentations, and a restaurant. The museum shop offers unique gifts and souvenirs.

User Reviews

Milena Kostadinova (3 years ago)
Very good organised place. Me and my class has enjoyed a lot!

Leo Thai (3 years ago)
Nice

Petteri Hamalainen (3 years ago)
Stone age outdoors museum and an excavation site

Ilkka Ylitie (3 years ago)
- The route could be marked more clearly + Infoboards, live examples + Helpful, knowledgeable staff = An interesting dip into the stoneage and how life was then. So interesting and capturing (with the do-it-yourself checkpoints) that a "quick visit" easily extends to an 2-4 hour experience. Wheelchair accessible, children welcome. The walkway is in good condition and short enough (~1.5km?) for a 4+ year old child to walk it. You can try things such as spear throwing, archery, boating, jewelry making etc, all in the stone age fashion. There's visitable dwellings, trap examples and even an archaeology site you can visit & dig yourself. In short; Stoneage made interesting & fun for the whole family.

Johan Sl (5 years ago)
Not the best park for a authentic view.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Me in ME

Historic Site of the week

Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba

The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba, also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba and the Mezquita is regarded as one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture.

According to a traditional account, a small Visigoth church, the Catholic Basilica of Saint Vincent of Lérins, originally stood on the site. In 784 Abd al-Rahman I ordered construction of the Great Mosque, which was considerably expanded by later Muslim rulers. The mosque underwent numerous subsequent changes: Abd al-Rahman II ordered a new minaret, while in 961 Al-Hakam II enlarged the building and enriched the Mihrab. The last of such reforms was carried out by Almanzor in 987. It was connected to the Caliph"s palace by a raised walkway, mosques within the palaces being the tradition for previous Islamic rulers – as well as Christian Kings who built their palaces adjacent to churches. The Mezquita reached its current dimensions in 987 with the completion of the outer naves and courtyard.

In 1236, Córdoba was conquered by King Ferdinand III of Castile, and the centre of the mosque was converted into a Catholic cathedral. Alfonso X oversaw the construction of the Villaviciosa Chapel and the Royal Chapel within the mosque. The kings who followed added further Christian features, such as King Henry II rebuilding the chapel in the 14th century. The minaret of the mosque was also converted to the bell tower of the cathedral. It was adorned with Santiago de Compostela"s captured cathedral bells. Following a windstorm in 1589, the former minaret was further reinforced by encasing it within a new structure.

The most significant alteration was the building of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the middle of the expansive structure. The insertion was constructed by permission of Charles V, king of Castile and Aragon. Artisans and architects continued to add to the existing structure until the late 18th century.

Architecture

The building"s floor plan is seen to be parallel to some of the earliest mosques built from the very beginning of Islam. It had a rectangular prayer hall with aisles arranged perpendicular to the qibla, the direction towards which Muslims pray. The prayer hall was large and flat, with timber ceilings held up by arches of horseshoe-like appearance.

In planning the mosque, the architects incorporated a number of Roman columns with choice capitals. Some of the columns were already in the Gothic structure; others were sent from various regions of Iberia as presents from the governors of provinces. Ivory, jasper, porphyry, gold, silver, copper, and brass were used in the decorations. Marvellous mosaics and azulejos were designed. Later, the immense temple embodied all the styles of Morisco architecture into one composition.

The building is most notable for its arcaded hypostyle hall, with 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, granite and porphyry. These were made from pieces of the Roman temple that had occupied the site previously, as well as other Roman buildings, such as the Mérida amphitheatre. The double arches were an innovation, permitting higher ceilings than would otherwise be possible with relatively low columns. The double arches consist of a lower horseshoe arch and an upper semi-circular arch.

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