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Klaus Kurki Road
 

Klaus Kurki Road -"The first inhabitants of inner Finland came here eight thousand years ago!"

The Klaus Kurki road is named after a real historical person Klaus Kurki, who lived in the Laukko manor. He was lord over the manor and a judge in Upper Satakunta.

The famous Finnish poet, Elias Lönnrot, composed the Finnish national epic Kalevala, collected folk poetry in the Vesilahti region in the 1800's.

The Klaus Kurki Road tour consists of all the historically interesting places in the area and are loosely connected with one of the most famous folk ballads in Finland. Klaus Kurki plays the main role in the ballad.

A look inside this ballad of...

Love...


"Klaus Kurki asks for the hand of Elina in marriage" - A photo of an actual picture at the Laukko manor.
Klaus Kurki riding with one hundred horses proposes to Elina
At the end of 1400s, As the tale says: The 'In love' Klaus came riding with one hundred horses, to propose to the beautiful Elina. The road which he took with his horsemen still exists today.

The story is about...

...jealousy

After the judge Klaus Kurki brings Elina to his manor, Kirsti, the former lady of the manor's sister, becomes jealous. SINCE...Kirsti was entitled to become the next Lady of the Laukko Manor.

Could Klaus of made a Mistake to bring Elina to the manor? ...

Kirsti schemes to get rid of the woman who "stole away her position" as #1 Lady of Laukko Manor. So...

 She locks up Klaus's baby son and Elina with Uolevi...A farm hand.

Kirsti's sheme works; making it sound like Elina is pregnant with Uolevi's baby?

After hearing this happen, Klaus Kurki returns from his journey and like most men...becomes very jealous.

...murder

Klaus...in an outrage, locks Elina and her son inside a hut.

Elina asks for mercy by begging Klaus to save his son. Instead, Klaus cuts Elina's ring finger off. Elina's mother is brought into the hut as well.

!! -All pleads for mercy are in vain- !!

Kirsti urges Klaus to throw tar and gunpowder into the fire. All three perish in the flames.

A few weeks after the murder, all cattle and horses at Laukko manor die.

 Later, Jesus comes to visit Klaus in the form of an old man. Klaus tells Jesus that he murdered the three. He is told that Elina, Uolevi and the baby are in heaven, but Klaus and Kirsti will go to hell.

...unfortunate fate for Klaus

After Klaus understands that he had been betrayed by Kirsti, he drives his chariot of the cliff Tuhnunvuori. The legend tells that his golden chariot is still in the lake.


 


The Klaus Kurki road tour identifier - Showing you are on the right road. 
 
  Klaus Kurjen tie symbol and attraction indicator
Klaus Kurki Road
Attraction

The Klaus Kurki road guided tour consists of 16 featured attractions. Here is more of what you'll 'Hear' and 'See' On The Tour.

Travel the same landscape Kurki and his men traveled along like hilly terrain, through small villages, and thickets of small fur and birch trees.

Hear and see what Archeologists say influences modern jewelry design. 

The link: Stone and ceramic artifacts from the Iron-age in Vesilahti

Vesilahti is where the first settlers to Finland arrived after the Ice-age and has attracted lots of people historically because of it's hunting and fishing ground.

There are small private streams fit for Pike breeding...fish are extremely old and large. 

Around 500 AD Vesilahti participated in fur trade with what we know today as southern, central Europe and the Baltics. In return, for delivering fur, the tradesmen of Vesilahti received precious metals, jewellery, spices etc.

During the dark winter days, the smiths in Vesilahti, beside making weapons, spent evenings making jewellry for their wives.

 Little did the smiths know that...

...these metals and designs serve as models for the 21st century
                                            

What Klaus Kurki Road tour-guide has to say:

Today’s fashion jewellery means...Finnish jewellery designed by Kalevala Koru. The best example of this is the Käärmesormus or Snake ring that was originally found in Narva Karholanvuori(Vesilahti) and is now re-made by Kalevala Koru.

Very popular!

The snake ring discovered in Vesilahti Finland

 Jewellry discovered in Karholannoka, Vesilahti

Today's design of the Snake Ring by Kalevala Koru - Very Popular

Today - Kalevala Koru Snake Ring design in white gold

The model with spiral ring and snake head dates back to 7th century.

The Snake Ring has been in Kalevala Koru´s collection since the 1940´s. - A classic.
 
For more information about the original...See: Ella Kivikoski: Suomen rautakauden kuvasto 1 & 2


Another view of the Snake Ring - Two are displayed together - Missing tail and head
Golden like ring discovered in Vesilahti

Popular Finnish Jewellry - The Gold Snake Ring

Kalevala Koru Oy's
Golden
Counterpart Snake Ring


You can see this ring and many other Iron Age jewelries that are in reproduction today by Kalevala Koru.

Kalevala Koru Oy (Kalevala Jewelry) is one of the largest jewelry manufacturers in northern Europe. Other Iron Age Snake ring type discoveries in Vesilahti are rare.  Only two other regions in Finland have uncovered similar... 1.Vähä-Kyrö 2. Karjala.


Visit the oldest wooden church in the Tampere Pirkkala region - On the Klaus Kurki Road Tour

Historic snapshot of the Vesilahti church
  • Missionaries came from continental Europe such as Hunnun Herra which may mean: Herr Hunn in German.

  • 1250s the Church is under Roman influence. The pope approves Swedish ousting of Finnish Iron Age chieftains. 

  • The catholic parish of Vesilahti dedicate St. Peter and St. Paul to the church...hence becomes, the 'Mother' church of Pirkanmaa, in the Tampere area and surroundings.

  • The Vesilahti Church contains documented data from 1346.

  • During the summer of 1824, and between 1827-1828, Elias Lönnrot spends time at the Laukko manor in Vesilahti, collecting content and  learning about singing old poems. From this came the Kalevala metre song. The Vesilahti Church contains such mediaeval epics.

See inside of the wooden church...


Laukko Manor - The people who made history at Laukko influence Finnish society today

The inhabitants and geography of Laukko, inspired the famous Finnish poet, Elias Lönnrot in the creation of the oldest and most popular ballad “The Death of Elina. Elias Lönnrot, and other key writers, impact Finnish culture and theatre today. Find out more on the tour, or see more about the history of Laukko and what it looks like

Tuhnunvuori 'Devils Mountain' -  A short hike in the woods

See where Klaus Kurki, in the story drives his golden chariot off a cliff. At the end of this trail you will find a quiet place to rest and have a picnic. This is a stop along the Klaus Kurki Road.

Hinsala - See more ancient memorial areas in Vesilahti

Hinsala - an area where the ballad, "the Death of Elina" was sung until end of the 18th century. Then try out some Finnish cuisine at Hukianhovi, and top the day off with an award winning Finnish smoke sauna.



The Klaus Kurki Road tour contact
Satu Karvinen
e-mail: satu.karvinen"at"vesilahti.fi
Lindinkuja 1, 37470 Vesilahti
Phone: Use 050 389 5265 calling within Finland

When calling from outside of Finland use the country code like this:
+358 50 389 5265, without the zero.


See a map of these attractions along the Klaus Kurki Road. The second and third map on this map page show both these attracions and the location of all 16 attractions.

VESILAHDEN KUNTA, Lindinkuja 1, 37470 VESILAHTI, puh. 03-287 5111, fax 03-287 5231 vesilahdenkunta@vesilahti.fi
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