Keuruu, formerly Keuru (Swedish: Keuru), is a Finnish city located in the province of Central Finland, 60 kilometers west of Jyväskylä. The city is home to about 9,500 people, in addition to which there are plenty of holiday homes in Keuruu.
The old wooden church of Keuruu was built in 1756–59 by Antti Hakola,
but has been out of use since the consecration of the new brick church
in 1892 and currently functions as a museum.
The Keuruu Market is
a popular summer event every summer, with even Matti Nykänen attending.
Camping is possible on the shore of Keurusselä, about 3.5 km from
Keuruu center. Next to the camping site is the Nyyssänniemi residential
area, which has a mini golf and disc golf course, as well as a
playground and a football field.
In 2017, Keuruu, together with
entrepreneurs from Keuruu and the city, initiated its own GoKeuruu
mobile application, which helps both local residents and tourists get to
know what Keuruu has to offer.
The neighboring municipalities of Keuruu
are Jämsä, Multia, Mänttä-Vilppula, Petäjävesi, Virrat and Ähtäri.
Of the neighboring municipalities, Ähtäri belongs to Southern
Ostrobothnia, Virrat and Mänttä-Vilppula to Pirkanmaa and others to
Central Finland.
Highway 23 divides the city in an east-west
direction, from the south becomes main road 58. Haapamäki is a
railway crossing station: the railway from Haapamäki to Jyväskylä
runs through the center of Keuruu.
Keuruu is a hilly and
forested municipality, the nature of which reflects the presence of
Suomenselä. There are many lakes and bogs in Keuruu. The church
village of Keuruu is also located by the water. There is a little
over a tenth of the surface area of Keuruu. The largest lake is
Keurusselkä and the associated Ukonselkä.
There are nine
Natura sites in the Keuruu area, in whole or in part: Hirvijärvi,
Huhkojärvi's long and narrow gorge lake, Pihlajavesi and upstream
small waters, Pihlajavesi route favored by otters and trout, Raiski
forests, Siipikangas, Tuomistonjoki, Vesilahdensuo - Kurkisuo ja -
Kurkisuo
Loila, Suojärvi, Suolahti, Kurkiniemi, Ketvelniemi, Kivelä, Keuruunkylä, Pappilanniemi, Nyyssänniemi, Otava, Mustasaari, Melonsaari
South Keuruu, Haapamäki, Jukojärvi, Liesjärvi, Pihlajavesi, Valkealahti, Ampiala, Karimo, Kivijärvi, Lavikko, Riiho, Lihjamo, Kaleton
The area around Keuruu was settled around 1560, and was subsequently
divided between the parishes of Pirkkala and Ruovesi. Since 1628, Keuruu
has been an independent church community with its own parish. After the
towns of Multia and Pihlajavesi separated from Keuruu, Pihlajavesi was
rejoined in 1969. In the 1970s, Keuruu was supposed to become a
municipality. This was delayed, and in 1986 Keuruu even met the criteria
for a town.
Since 1967, part of the Finnish armed forces has been
based in Keuruu. The pioneer regiment trained around a thousand
conscripts in the areas of pioneering and nature conservation every
year. It comprised 250 men and was disbanded at the end of 2014. The
last recruits entered service in January 2014.
The organization of the city of Keuruu consists of a "personnel
organization" and a "trustee organization".
The personnel
organization is responsible for preparing matters and implementing
decisions, as well as for practical operational activities. The
officials also have independent decision-making powers according to the
governance rules. The cooperation committee acts as a cooperation body
between employer and personnel.
The trustee organization
exercises political decision-making powers and includes the council, the
city administration and the boards. The highest decision-making power
lies with the city council. The council delegates its powers to
officials and other institutions and trustees of the municipality
through administrative regulations.
For the current legislative
period of 2021–2025, there are 31 council members in the Keuruu city
council. They consist of 8 representatives from the SPD and the same
number from the Center Party (KESK). There are 5 representatives from
the Christian Democrats (IOC) on the city council and the same number
from the True Finns Party (PS). The local electoral list (Keuruun
Sitoutumattomien Kunnallisjärjestö ry:n yhteislista) is represented by 3
members, the Green Alliance (VIHR) has 2 council members and an
authorized person represents the Left Party (VAS).
Keuruu has
twin towns with the following places:
Tingsryd, Sweden (since 1974)
Solrod, Denmark (1982)
Szarvas, Hungary (1983)
Skaun, Norway
(1984)
Uglich, Russia (1988)
Kalevi Sorsa (1930–2004), politician and Prime Minister
Salla
Sipponen (* 1995), discus thrower