Keitele

Keitele, located on the shore of Lake Nilakka, is a forward‑looking municipality. Positioned “in the middle of everything,” it offers nature, peace and quiet, and a safe environment for children to grow up in. Basic services are close by, and for example, free hobby activities are offered for people of all ages.

The nature‑oriented municipality is also a significant industrial locality. From Keitele, 860,000 cubic metres of sawn timber are shipped around the world each year from one of Finland’s largest sawmills. The town also manufactures roof trusses and noise‑barrier elements for Finland’s leading house factories and infrastructure builders. There are also jobs in the service sector, making the municipality one of the most self‑sufficient in employment within the region.

Keitele lives from wood. The newest outdoor route, Puupolku (“Wooden Path”), offers visitors diverse AR content about forests and wood, while also presenting training opportunities in the field and local operators. In summer 2022, the Finnish Championships in Chainsaw Carving were held in Keitele. The wooden sculptures created during the competition have been placed around the town for everyone to admire.

Those looking for a sauna experience can rent the municipality’s lakeside sauna and take a refreshing dip in the waters of Lake Nilakka. The Keiteleranta lakeside sauna can be booked electronically via the Johku service — see more at keitele.fi.