KALKKITIE IN VIMPELI — KRAATTERIJÄRVI GEOPARK

Kalkkitehtaantie in VimpelI is a unique place which combines geology and cultural history.

Three kilometres northeast from Vesterbacka in Hallapuro are well-preserved limestone kilns and Terakivi, a memorial stone dedicated for limestone burning history in the area.

Please note that lime kilns are subject to the monument protection act.

Because of limestone rocks, the Vesterbacka area is also rich in rare limestone plants. The area became a nature reserve.

What is it all about?

The carbonate deposits were formed from limestone deposits that accumulated at the bottom of the ancient sea and crystallised about 1,900 million years ago.

Carbonate rocks are usually hundred meters wide and are found in the center of volcanic (metavulcanic) rocks deposited on the seabed. The width of the deposit in the Nordkalk area is just over half a kilometre. The main product is gardening lime. Magnesium is an important nutrient for plants. Moreover, significant amounts of crushed stone are formed from the gangue. Industrial limestone mining and grinding in Vimpeli began in 1949, but the first limestone deposits in the area were discovered already in the 1850s.

History of lime burning in Vimpeli

Before the creation of the limestone industry, it was used in landfill sites to make mortar. Mortar was made from quicklime and used to build stone fortresses, walls, churches, as well as chimneys and stairs.

The Vimpeli lime deposits have been exploited since the 19th century.

Limestone from the area is said to have originated from an "evil spirit" after Priest Jakob Fellman visited lord of Vesterbacka in nineteenth century. The fireplace, made of limestone, crumbled to dust when heated. Fellman immediately saw a white ghost rising into the air.

Since then, limestone has been mined for gardening use. The Finnish Heritage Agency has discovered more than 40 old limestones in the area. The limestone industry in Vimpeli has retained its peasant character for over hundred years.

The location of the quarry is considered to be ideal. Due to sulphuric acid large agricultural areas of southern Ostrobothnia are naturally acidic, so the yields in these areas have improved since Fellman's times.

The tradition of lime burning

The lime kiln in Hallapuro (Vimpeli) was lit again in August 2019 (the last time was in 1992). Esko Mäkelä has revived an almost lost tradition. The fire was kept in the kiln for a week, day and night, and produced about 60,000 kilograms of lime.

Kalkkitie: link to Google Maps

Limestone kiln and monument in Versterbacka: link to Google Maps