The story of us
Nurmes’ North Karelian roots in the midst of the purest nature
Experiences and cultures can surprise you closer than you think. Lakeland Bomba is one example of how Finland is full of unique destinations, cultures and tribes worth witnessing with your own eyes. Nurmes’ location at the crossroads of three provinces and in the middle of three national parks ensures that there is plenty to experience for nature and culture lovers.
Although the Bomba House is always the spiritual home of Karelian cultural heritage, tourists can associate their Bomba holiday with nature experiences on the Pielise and the small-town atmosphere of Puu-Nurmeksi. The strongest common factor between the many different aspects of the destination is the unspoilt nature and its peace, to which the Karelian roots, local culture and the immediate people add their own special touch. When you’re looking for something authentic, you’ll find it here.
Go deeper into your nature
A destination in the Karelian foothills, in the middle of the purest nature
Experiences and cultures can surprise you closer than you think. Bomba is one example,
that Finland is full of unique destinations, cultures and tribes worth witnessing
with your own eyes. In Bomba, in the town of Nurmes, in the middle of three national parks
from a unique Karelian spa to breathtaking nature trails and Karelian
traditional Karelian dishes and menus.
While the Bomba House will always be the spiritual home of Karelian heritage, the traveller can associate it with
Bomba holiday can equally include experiences on Pielinen, at the Puukari Stop or even at the Puu-
Nurmes. The strongest common factor between the many different aspects of the destination is the unspoilt nature and its
peace, to which the Karelian roots, local culture and direct people add their own special touch. When you are looking for
something authentic, you will find it here.
Bomban house story
In 1855, a man named Yegor Bombin built a house for his son Dimitri Yegorvi in Suojärvi, a former municipality in Ladoga Karelia. The house was built during the summer without a single iron nail, mainly using an axe. When completed, the 24-metre long and 10-metre wide round log house was the most imposing in the region, and you could ride right in on horseback.
A few years later, Bombin decided to build an additional three-storey apartment at the other end of the house, where his extended family of 24 moved in. After Dimitri’s death in 1915, the land was divided between his five sons, who decided to demolish the house, and the five remaining piles of logs were drawn by lot between the brothers. From these logs, at least three of the brothers built their own house.
After the Second World War, the Karelian refugees from Suojärvi, which was handed over to the Soviet Union in 1944, found new homes in Pielinen Karelia and in the nearby municipalities of Kainuu. At the same time, a discussion about building a new common place was sparked among the evacuees.
Finally, in 1960, the Suojärvi Presidents’ Association put the Bomba house on the rebuilding site, and a four-man house committee set about drawing up a building plan and finding a suitable site for the new Bomba. The findings were presented to the Pitäjäseur, and the decision to build was made in 1975, when the city of Nurmes donated the plot and decided to support the building project. The Karelian League also participated in the project, which eventually led to the construction of a whole Karelian village on the Bomba site.
Construction of the new Bomba House, designed by architects Vilho Suonmaa and Jarmo Santala, began in 1977 and the magnificent new house was inaugurated in 1978. The Jykeähirche house was built according to the Swamp Lake model, without any iron pillars, although it was slightly larger than the original Bomba house.
Today, the Bomba House houses a café-restaurant, a tourist information centre, shops and exhibitions. In addition, the Karelian village of Bomba has a tsasouna, a spa, hotel and cottage accommodation, a programme service company, wellness centres and holiday apartments.
A Bomba for all
Over the years, Bomba’s popularity as a tourist destination had experienced ups and downs. In the early 1980s, Bomba was the fourth most popular tourist attraction in Finland, with tourist buses queuing up to the top, but gradually tourists’ interest began to wane. The pearl of traditional Karelian culture, loved by many but unknown to many, had a unique story that deserved to be better heard.
In August 2018, the Pielisen Karelia Development Centre (PIKES) launched the project New business networks as tourism signposts. Its goal was clear: to renew tourism in the region. The vision: to double the turnover of tourism businesses in the region in five years. An ambitious but clear objective brought enthusiasm to come up with new solutions to grow tourism in the region.
In the early stages of the project, entrepreneurs in the region were brought together to reflect on the nature of the Nurmes region: why do people come here? Why would travellers want to choose the region as a destination in the future? Many entrepreneurs expressed the wish for a common tourism brand and active cooperation under it.
When considering the name of the brand, a survey was commissioned and many people mentioned Bomba – that’s what the Nurmes region is known for. Often tourists know they have been to Bomba, but not to Nurmes. Re-launching the existing Bomba brand for the whole of Nurmes tourism was seen as the best way to promote the region’s nature, traditional Finnish landscapes and unique Karelian cultural heritage.
At the roots of the region’s shared Bomba brand story
2018
August – December
Bomba. An experience at the heart of traditional Karelian culture. Bring a stunningly beautiful tourist destination in the forests of North Karelia. A gem loved by many, but also unknown to many. Bomba had a story of its own that deserved to be better heard.
In August 2018, PIKES launched a project called New business networks as tourism signposts with a clear goal: to renew tourism in the region. The vision was to double the turnover of tourism businesses in the region in five years. So it was not the easiest way to start the journey, but the clear goal as a signpost supported the enthusiasm to find new solutions to grow tourism in the region.
That is why, in the early stages of the project, together with the entrepreneurs in the area, we pondered and weighed up, feverishly wondering: what is our region like? Why do we come there? Why would travellers want to choose the region as a destination in the future? From these and many other questions, raw materials were gathered to build a future brand. In particular, many entrepreneurs hoped for active cooperation in marketing the region, precisely through a common tourism brand.
But, what would be the name of that common brand? That was the next question. In a survey of around 90 respondents from inside and outside the region, the majority of them pointed to the fact that the region is known in particular for Bomba. There were discussions, reflections and redesigns. In the end, a familiar name was put forward. Could it be Bomba? And why not: Bomba is, after all, the best-known brand in the region, and many people know Nurmes from Bomba. In many cases, tourists even think they have never been to Nurmes, even though they have visited Bomba. Although the reintroduction of this existing brand generated debate, it was undoubtedly also the most cost-effective way to build a common tourism brand for the region.
2019
February
In February 2019, PIKES together with tourism entrepreneurs organised a Tourism Decision Makers Forum, where the tourism development plan was presented for the first time to the decision makers of the municipalities of Nurmes and Valtimo. Part of the tourism development plan was to improve co-marketing in the area.
April
In April, PIKES organised a meeting for tourism entrepreneurs, where it was decided to join hands in launching the branding work, if supported by project funding. April also saw the end of the New Business Networks as Tourism Signposts project, which had been launched the previous year.
August – December
After the summer, the new Tourists from around the world project was launched and PIKES finally got to work on the brand. Fabrik Oy, an advertising agency familiar with the region, was chosen to help with the branding work. At the autumn events, the name of the common tourism brand for the region was confirmed as Bomba and the name of the social media accounts as LakelandBomba. Work also started on the Bomba website.
2020
On 28 February, it finally happened. The Bomba brand saw the light of day for the first time at an event where tourism entrepreneurs, media and tour operators came together to celebrate the region’s role in driving tourism forward. The Bomba brand is used to promote tourism services throughout the Nurmes region.