Vanha Kirkko Northern Lapland

One of the few buildings in Lapland to survive the Nazis' scorched-earth retreat in WWII is this, the region’s oldest church, dating from 1689. It stands in a graveyard encircled by a low wooden fence and is noteworthy for its decorative shingles and prominent prong-like standards. The interior is simple and charming, with gnarled wooden benches and pulpit, and a simple altar made from leftover beams. The stone church nearby was built in 1859.