The Kaarlela Vicarage

The Kaarlela Vicarage in Kokkola is one the oldest in Finland. It was built in 1736-37 by Karl Gustav Werander, who was the local vicar at the time. The size of the vicarage is unusual, the average size at the time was 15m x 10m, but this one is almost twice as big, 30 m x 10m.

One of the reasons why they built such a large vicarage is that the town of Kokkola financed the building with two more rooms and vicar Werander wanted the vicarage to have a large hall. The purpose of the hall was used for parish meetings and it served its purpose till the 1870´s.

The most famous vicar to live in the vicarage was Anders Chydenius. He followed his fathers footsteps as a vicar in the same vicarage from 1770 until his death in 1803. During Chydenius time the roofing of the vicarage was changed from thatched to wood. The exterior walls were covered with handmade wood paneling which still remains. Vicar Chydenius held parish meetings in the vicarage after church on Sundays. He also hosted also poetry reading  as well as musical sessions there.