Utsjoki
Utsjoki is the northernmost municipality in Finland, home to more than 1,200 people and
half of its inhabitants speak Sámi as their mother tongue.
Utsjoki is the only municipality in Finland with a Sámi majority.
Utsjoki Church
and
Ulriikkas Path
Utsjoki Church, the historic cabins and parsonage form an impressive ecclesiastical environment on the shore of Lake Mantojärvi, about 5 km before reaching the center of Utsjoki from the direction of Inari.
The church was built in 1853 by Tsar Nicholas I of Russia.
The Utsjoki parish is bilingual; Finland and Sami.
The Ulrika Trail, which is a couple of kilometers long, runs through the church landscapes of Utsjoki. The path goes around also through the surviving sacristy of St. Ulrich's Church, which preceded the present church. The area is also a former marketplace. The starting point of the path is near the historic cabins in the parking lot.
The Sámi
The Sámi are a Finno-Ugric indigenous people whose area of residence is called the Sámi land. It consists of the northern parts of Finland, Norway, Sweden and Kuola, a part of Russia.
The Finnish Sámi area covers the municipalities of Enontekiö, Inari and Utsjoki as well as some parts of Sodankylä. In Finland there are about 10,000 Sámi in total.
The historic cabins
On the shore of Mantojärvi, there is a historic churchyard area.
It is evident that the cabins have been in the area since the late 18th century, perhaps even earlier. There are a total of 13 buildings left in the area.
There is a Café and a handicraft shop in the churchyard during summers. Also guided tours are arranged during summers.
Siida
Siida is a Sámi Museum and Nature Center that offers its visitors experiences and information about the Sámi culture and the northern nature.
Opened in 1992, Siida is the most popular visitor destination in Northern Lapland.