Parikkala Sculpture Park: Is This The Weirdest Place in Finland?

I had the opportunity to visit Southeastern Finland for two weeks on a business trip. This gave me the perfect opportunity to plan a bleisure travel weekend and do a short self-drive road trip. I love discovering roadside attractions on a driving holiday!

Google Maps is great for finding off-the-beaten-path destinations and activities. In fact, that’s how I came to visit Parikkala Sculpture Park in Eastern Finland near the border with Russia.

What is Parikkala Sculpture Park? It is by far the oddest roadside experience that I’ve been to anywhere in the world. I am not exaggerating! This unusual Finnish hidden gem is free to visit, but donations are accepted to help maintain the works of art.

A close-up, vertical photograph focusing on the raised feet and legs of several concrete sculptures. The rough, earthy-toned limbs are pointing skyward, with the feet and toes heavily covered in bright green moss. The background shows other indistinct figures and the dark wooden wall of a building.

In fact, I would argue that Parikkala Sculpture Park is the weirdest place in Finland. The park was the creation of Veijo Rönkkönen, a reclusive man who carved sculptures in this corner of Finland for nearly 50 years.

Now, Parikkala Sculpture Park lives on even after his death with visitors stopping by to view his creations. Read on to learn more about what you can expect from a visit to this unique Finnish roadside attraction.

Table of Contents

Parikkala’s Mossy Yoga People

What is this place? That was my first reaction to Parikkala Sculpture Park.

You won’t find Parikkala Sculpture Park on Wikipedia; you’ll need to visit Finland to experience these secret sculptures for yourself.

Dozens of sculptures lie at the heart of Parikkala Sculpture Park and they all appear to be doing yoga poses. The sculptures feel all the more lifelike thanks to mossy growth that has developed over the years.

A vertical photo of several nude concrete figures crouching or kneeling in the middle of a forest clearing. The figures, which are heavily covered in bright green moss, have intense, expressive faces. The area is overgrown with lush ground cover, and more figures are visible in the background.

A wide-angle photo of numerous nude, life-sized concrete figures scattered throughout a forest clearing. The figures are posed in various yoga or physical fitness positions, many bending or stretching, with some showing moss growth. In the background, a small, dark wooden cabin is visible through the dense trees.

Rönkkönen’s Sculpture Garden: Mischievous Kids

A vertical photo of two concrete figures, a man and a woman, facing each other near a wooden log cabin. Both figures are wearing lime green outfits. The woman has an elaborate dark hairstyle, and the man has bright yellow, corn-rowed hair. The man has his hands behind his back and the woman is holding a small, gray bowl or basket.

A concrete sculpture of a young boy with a pale face and a black faux-hawk haircut, wearing a green vest. He is holding a small black cat with green eyes in his arms, while two other black cats stand at his sides, their paws linked together. The figures stand in front of a dark, rustic log cabin wall.

Another section of Rönkkönen’s sculpture garden features mischievous children. These sculptures feel decidedly more modern and lack the mossy covering.

Either Rönkkönen used different material and treatment for these sculptures to prevent moss growth or these sculptures are much newer.

Common and Exotic Wildlife

A low-angle close-up of a concrete sculpture of a large frog head resting on the ground. The frog has a wide, open-mouthed smile, and its head and body are thickly covered in bright green moss. The sculpture is surrounded by leaves and dirt.

Wildlife statues abound at Parikkala Sculpture Park. We saw common animals like frogs, owls, and an ostrich. We also saw animals that were more exotic like an Australian kangaroo.

A vertical photo of a brown and tan concrete sculpture of a female kangaroo with a joey in her pouch, standing on a grassy path. The sculpture is framed by two tall, stylized concrete palm trees that arch overhead. A small wooden building is visible in the background.

A vertical close-up of a dark, textured concrete sculpture resembling the head and long neck of a tall bird or serpent, emerging from behind bright green foliage. The head is partially covered in moss and lichen, and a white, wooden building with a dark, moss-covered roof is visible in the background.

T-Rex Time

A close-up, horizontal photo of a large concrete sculpture resembling a dinosaur or fantasy creature, heavily covered in bright green moss. The sculpture's rough texture and one exposed eye are visible. The background shows many other nude, moss-covered human figures scattered amongst the trees of the dense forest.

The sculpture park just got odder and odder as we walked along. An angry T-Rex dinosaur seemed to be running amok among the mossy yoga people.

Gimme a Hug!

A concrete sculpture of a muscular, nude man with dark skin color and a head of green moss for hair. He is standing with his arms outstretched and palms open, wearing white shorts. He stands on a dirt path in front of a dense wall of bright green bushes, with a small red-roofed building visible in the background.

We found a narrow path around the back of the sculpture park and I discovered this fellow who seemed to be saying “Gimme a hug!”

Modern Caricatures

A vertical photo of a concrete sculpture of a woman standing and holding a gray, basket-like bag. She is wearing a simple red dress with a white collar and has short, dark hair covered in moss. She has an open-mouthed, surprised expression and stands on a path surrounded by tall green grass and forest foliage.

A vertical photo showing a line of concrete figures dancing or marching next to the red log-style wall of a wooden building. The figure in the foreground is wearing a reddish-brown jumpsuit with a beaded necklace and has its right hand raised in a wave. Others behind are partially obscured and painted blue or flesh-tone.

We found a number of modern caricatures around the log cabin at the center of Parikkala Sculpture Park.

Ancient Greeks Steppin’ Out

Styles from all periods of history seemed to be represented at this quirky roadside attraction in Finland. Three ancient Greeks in togas and laurel wreaths seemed to be stepping out in unison.

Washerwomen

Two concrete sculptures of smiling, nude women with long, braided hair leaning over a large, blue wash tub. They appear to be washing or kneading red objects. The scene is set on a grassy path surrounded by lush greenery and tall pine trees.

Emaciated and naked women seemed to be washing clothes.

A Provocative Corner

Want to know the strangest thing that we saw at Parikkala Sculpture Park? This statue. There almost seems to be a twinkle in its eye.

All the sculptures in the park have strange eyes and teeth! Some say that Veijo Rönkkönen used human teeth in his sculptures.

An extreme close-up, vertical photo of the face of a concrete sculpture. The figure has a pale, rough-textured face, black eyebrows, and wide-set eyes with painted blue irises. The mouth is open, showing a row of small, human-like teeth. A piece of dried plant material hangs from the nose.

A dramatic scene featuring two sculptures in a forest setting. On the left, a clothed man in a blue jacket, white shirt, and boots holds a whip (or knife) over his head with a menacing smile. On the right, a blond man with his pants pulled down is pressed against a large, dark tree trunk, with his arms raised against the bark. His butt is covered with earth colored clouds.

It’s only when you take a step back to look at the scene that you realize what’s happening. I didn’t want to look but I couldn’t turn away from this surprising scene.

Overall, is Parikkala Sculpture Park worth visiting on a road trip in Southeastern Finland? Unequivocally yes.

Veijo Rönkkönen’s labor of love was by far the most bizarre and interesting thing that we saw on our self-drive around Southern Finland. Definitely check it out if you’re in the neighborhood.

You can find more information about the park on the official website.

For more on visiting Finland, check out:

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