Kontiolahti (; literally meaning "bear bay") is a municipality in Finland. It is located in the North Karelia region, about north of Joensuu. The municipality has a population of ()

Kontiolahti hosted the Biathlon World Championships in 1990, 1999 and 2015.

History

Kontiolahti originally belonged to the parish of Liperi. It became an independent municipality in 1873. The flood nuisance of Lake Höytiäinen and the desire for water abandonment inspired residents to try to build a canal to lower the water level, but the dam broke uncontrollably in 1859, and the landscape changed dramatically. After World War II, the Ruskeala's migrants were stationed in Kontiolahti.

Geography

thumb|left|Lake Valkealampi in Kontiolahti

Kontiolahti has 183 lakes, and water bodies cover 22.3 percent (230&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of the municipality's surface area. The largest of them are Lake Höytiäinen, Lake Kangasvesi and Lake Herajärvi. There are 11 Natura sites in all or part of Kontiolahti: Teerisaari-Sisuslahti, Soikkeli Forest, Pöllönvaara-Kruununkangas, Paihola Forest, Kolvananuuro and surrounding areas, Koli National Park, Jouhteninen, Huurunlampi-Sammakkolampi-Huurunrinne and Huuhkajanvaara.

Villages

  • Harivaara
  • Herajärvi
  • Iiksenniitty
  • Jakokoski
  • Kontiolahti (Kirkonkylä)
  • Kontioniemi
  • Kulho
  • Kunnasniemi
  • Kupluskylä
  • Kylmäoja
  • Lehmo
  • Mönni
  • Onttola
  • Paihola
  • Puntarikoski
  • Puso
  • Pyytivaara
  • Rantakylä
  • Romppala
  • Selkie
  • Varparanta
  • Venejoki

Transport

Joensuu Region's Public Transport (Joensuun seudun joukkoliikenne; JOJO) is responsible for local and school traffic in the Kontiolahti area. Kontiolahti also has a railway station, which, however, no longer has passenger traffic. Highway 6 passes through the municipality.

Food

In the 1980s, Kontiolahti's parish dishes were named "shoemaker's roast" (suutarinpaisti) and stockfish soup.

Notable people

  • Tero Mustonen (born 1976 or 1977), environmental leader, scholar, scientist, and fisherman
  • Jukka Nevalainen (born 1978), former drummer of Nightwish
  • Markku Pölönen (born 1957), film director, screenwriter, editor and owner of film production company Suomen Filmiteollisuus
  • Antti Puhakka (1816–1893), national romantic poet

See also

  • Koli National Park
  • Pielinen River

References

  • Municipality of Kontiolahti – Official website
  • Sirnihta Holiday Villa's