Liperi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Liperi Libelits
Municipality
Liperin kunta Libelits kommun
View towards the centre of the municipality from the church tower
Coat of arms
Location of Liperi in Finland
Country	Finland
Region	North Karelia
Sub-region	Joensuu sub-region
Charter	1875
Area  (2018-01-01)
• Total	1,161.23 km2 (448.35 sq mi)
• Land	727.19 km2 (280.77 sq mi)
• Water	434.33 km2 (167.70 sq mi)
Area rank	118th largest in Finland
Population  (2023-12-31)
• Total	11,969
• Rank	85th largest in Finland
• Density	16.46/km2 (42.6/sq mi)
Population by native language
• Finnish	97.5% (official)
• Others	2.4%
Population by age
• 0 to 14	18.2%
• 15 to 64	59.3%
• 65 or older	22.5%
Time zone	UTC+02:00 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+03:00 (EEST)

Liperi (also known as Libelits in Swedish) is a municipality in Finland. It is located in the North Karelia region. Liperi is home to about 11,969 people. The municipality covers an area of 1,161.23 square kilometres (448.35 sq mi). A big part of this area, 434.33 km² (167.70 sq mi), is water!

The official language spoken in Liperi is Finnish.

Liperi shares borders with several other municipalities. These include Heinävesi, Joensuu, Kontiolahti, Outokumpu, Polvijärvi, Pyhäselkä, Rääkkylä, and Savonlinna.

Liperi's population has been growing for many years. This is partly because it's close to the city of Joensuu. Areas like Ylämylly, Honkalampi, and Jyrinkylä are growing especially fast.

Did you know that the highest temperature ever recorded in Finland was in Liperi? It was 37.2 °C (99.0 °F) on July 29, 2010, at Joensuu Airport. Also, in 2021, a place called Saariston Puoti in Liperi was named the best rest stop in Finland!

Exploring Liperi's Church Village

A beautiful view of Liperi harbour on a summer night.

The main part of Liperi is called the church village. It's easy to spot the big, red brick church built between 1854 and 1858. There's also an old wooden municipality house. It's one of the oldest buildings around! People have been talking about protecting it since the 1990s.

The center of the church village changed a bit in 2007. A new highway connection was built, and the summer market had to move for a while.

Discovering Liperi's Villages

Lake Kuorinka, one of Liperi's many beautiful lakes.

The dairy in Liperi makes pure products from Finnish nature.

Liperi is made up of many smaller villages. Some of these include Härkinvaara, Kaatamo, Korpivaara, Mattisenlahti, Risti, Roukalahti, Salokylä, Tutjunniemi, Vaivio, Viinijärvi, and Ylämylly.

Learning in Liperi: Schools

Liperi Gymnasium: A Look Back

The Liperi gymnasium (a type of high school) was located in the center of Liperi. It was about 25 km from Joensuu. The gymnasium and Liperi school (for grades 5 to 9) together formed a community for about 700 people.

However, the number of students at the Liperi gymnasium had been going down. In 2006, only two 9th-grade students from Liperi wanted to go to their local gymnasium. Many others wanted to go to schools elsewhere. Because of this, the municipal council decided that the gymnasium would no longer accept new students starting in autumn 2007.

Other Schools in Liperi

Besides the former gymnasium, Liperi has other schools. You can find schools in Ylämylly, Viinijärvi, Käsämä, and Mattisenlahti.

Faith and Community: Parishes

The Evangelical Lutheran church, the fifth one built in this spot at Church Bay.

The Evangelical Lutheran parish of Liperi covers the entire municipality. This happened when the Viinijärvi parish joined it in 1995.

The Orthodox chapel in Liperi.

Viinijärvi is also important for the Orthodox community. It's the center of the Taipale Orthodox parish, which also includes Polvijärvi and Outokumpu. The current Taipale church was built in 1906.

Summer Fun: Cottage Activities

Liperi is a popular place for summer cottages! The first society for cottage owners in Northern Karelia was started here in 2004. This group helps connect people who own summer cottages. They can also suggest ideas to the municipal council.

Every spring, the council sends a letter to cottage owners. It shares general information and explains how they can choose representatives. Liperi also organizes fun events for cottage owners, like fishing and summer theatre nights. There are about 3000 summer cottages in Liperi!

Getting Around: Traffic and Transport

Liperi used to have three special boats called cable ferries that carried cars across water. Two of them were replaced by bridges in 1974 and 1988. Now, only the Arvinsalmi ferry remains, connecting Liperi and Rääkkylä.

The Joensuu Airport is located right in Liperi. You can also travel by train from the Viinijärvi railway station. Trains connect to Joensuu and Pieksämäki. The nearest train station in the western part of Liperi is the Vihtari railway station.

Culture and Arts in Liperi

The "Snacks from bread" contest for seventh graders is held every year. The best-looking and healthiest snacks win awards!

Famous People from Liperi

Many talented people in arts and culture come from Liperi:

• Aino von Boehm (née Zitting), a painter.
• Bengt Broms, a professor and art curator.
• Bynolf Enwald, an education director who founded a home museum.
• Lauri Holopainen, a writer.
• Albin Kaasinen, a sculptor.
• Anu Kaipainen, a writer who taught Finnish in Viinijärvi.
• Olli Karjalainen, a national poet.
• Ilmari Kivinen (Tiitus), a writer.
• Jouko Lehtonen, a writer.
• Erkki Räsänen, a tango dancer.
• Wimme Saari, a Sápmi artist.
• Marja-Leena Tiainen, a writer who won the Savonia award in 2007.
• Hannu Virolainen, an actor and director.
• Minna Maaria Virtanen, an actor.

Summer Theatres: Enjoy the Show!

Liperi has three summer theatres where you can enjoy plays outdoors:

• The Roukalahti summer theatre at the village's cultural house.
• The Risti summer theatre in the village of Risti.
• The Liperi summer theatre at the Liperi stage.

Dance: Moving to the Beat

The Liperi stage in the church village is also a place for dance! In June 2007, it even hosted the humppa Finnish championships.

Sports and Recreation in Liperi

The main sports center in Liperi is Pärnävaara. It's the biggest ski contest center in Northern Karelia. Pärnävaara hosted the famous Jukola relay orienteering contest in 2000.

The women's baseball team, Viinijärven Urheilijat (ViU), joined the top league, Superpesis, in 2007. ViU has even won a championship in the Superpesis league!

Sports Clubs in Liperi

Liperi has many sports clubs for different activities:

• Honkalampi-Ylämylly sport club
• Karjalan Kopse (riding)
• Karjalan Käki
• Kivekkäät
• Leppälahden Uskallus
• Liperin Avantouimarit
• Liperi Ski Club
• Liperin Kelo
• Liperin Kiekko (ice hockey)
• Liperi Women Gymnasts
• Liperi Riders
• Liperin Taimi
• Sulkaman Kipinä
• Vaivion Tarmo
• Viinijärvi Women Gymnasts
• Viinijärvi Sports Club
• Ylämyllyn Tennis
• Ylämyllyn Yllätys (football)
• Liperi Volley

Famous Sportspeople from Liperi

• The ski brothers Martti and Tauno Lappalainen were from Liperi. They represented Liperin Kivekkäät.
• Kari Lehtola, a volleyball player.
• Yrjö Pesonen, who won many marathon races. He won 7 Finnish Championships between 1992 and 2006.
• Pirjo Vihonen (née Ståhlberg), an endurance runner.

Global Connections: Twin Towns

Liperi has a special connection with another town far away! It is twinned with:

• Aalborg, Denmark

Images for kids

• 

  Lake Kuorinka

• 

  The dairy in Liperi produces pure products from Finnish nature.

• 

  The Evangelical Lutheran church, the fifth in this place at Church Bay

• 

  The orthodox chapel

• 

  The contest "Snacks from bread" for the seventh graders at school is held every year. The best looking and healthiest snacks are awarded.

See also

In Spanish: Liperi para niños