Kivijärvi – Church, Parks and Sports

If you are looking for a hotel in Kivijärvi, you can plan your stay around what you want to focus on: architecture and local history, parks and beaches, or exercise. Kivijärvi combines a neo-Gothic church and a local history museum with several specifically named sports facilities. Leisure options range from a mini-golf course to a 55-kilometre cross-country ski trail network.

Church and Local History

The present-day church in Kivijärvi is the town’s third church. It was completed in 1874 and consecrated in 1875. Its neo-Gothic design is combined with an equal-armed cruciform ground plan, a shape unusual for neo-Gothic churches. Equal-armed means that the four arms of the cross are designed to be the same length in the ground plan. You can arrange a separate introduction to the church with the verger.

The Kivijärvi local history museum is on Pappilantie, near Juurikkaharju Cemetery, and is housed in a former granary. This building is part of the oldest layer of construction in Kivijärvi’s church village. The church and museum therefore offer two different ways to explore local history: the architecture of the church and the former use of the museum building.

Parks and Play

Kirsikkapuisto has a 12-hole mini-golf course, a mini-arboretum and a water feature. The park also has a monument commemorating the 150th anniversary of the municipality of Kivijärvi. A mini-arboretum is a small tree garden; its collection of plants adds a botanical touch to the play area, while the monument connects the park to the municipality’s history.

Sports and Winter Activities

Peltokangas Sports Park has a three-kilometre fitness and cross-country ski trail, as well as a fitness staircase with 103 steps, completed in summer 2024. The sports park also includes an artificial-grass tennis court with two playing areas and an 18-hole disc golf course. The small ski slope in the sports park is 130 metres long, with a vertical drop of 19 metres. The cross-country skiing options differ in scale: the fitness and cross-country ski trail in Peltokangas is three kilometres long, while Kivijärvi has a 55-kilometre trail network. The availability of this trail network depends on snow and maintenance conditions. This comparison helps you distinguish a single named trail from a network of trails. The golf options also differ in format: Kirsikkapuisto has a 12-hole mini-golf course, while Peltokangas has an 18-hole disc golf course.

Beaches and Boat Trips

Kukkoniemi Beach has a beach volleyball facility, a playground, a jetty and a changing room. Nousulahti Beach has a family disc golf course, introduced in 2025. Kirkonkylä Harbour has 58 berths for boats and 21 boat storage spaces. Marked boating routes on Lake Kivijärvi are located within the municipality of Kivijärvi, which is responsible for maintaining them. You can use the marked routes to plan a trip. As route conditions may vary, it is advisable to check their current condition before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Äänekoski, Saarijärvi, Juokslahti, Luhanka, Kannonkoski, Keuruu, Vahanka, Toivakka

For the wider travel overview: Central Finland.