The Paikkari Croft

The Paikkari Croft is where Elias Lönnrot (1802-1884), The creator of the Finnish national epic the Kalevala, was born and where he spent his childhood. The Paikkari Croft was built by Lönnrot‘s father, who was a tailor, around 1800 on the common grounds of the village of Haarjärvi. In 1889, the Finnish senate declared the croft as a historical landmark to protect the memory of the early years of the national hero. The oldest part of the croft is the main room, which was later supplemented with a vestibule and a chamber. In the main room, you can see Lönnrot‘s cradle and his kantele (a traditional Finnish zither) stained in black. There are objects that Lönnrot used and made himself on exhibition in the chamber: a writing stand, a manuscript stand, and a bookcase.