Highway threatens to destroy 10,000-year-old boulder in Leppävirta

A 10,000-year-old glacial erratic in Leppävirta’s Oravikoski village may be destroyed by a planned highway, as the rock was not accounted for in the road’s design, Yle reports.

The Finnish Transport Agency (Väylävirasto) is now assessing whether the boulder—one of North Savo’s largest and a unique bouldering site—can be preserved with minor adjustments to the road plan.

Project manager Jarmo Niskanen of Väylävirasto admitted the agency was surprised by the boulder’s size. Weighing an estimated 1.1 million kilograms and measuring over six metres tall with a 10-metre diameter, it was not visible as a significant feature on terrain maps.

Local nature enthusiast Anssi Toivanen has raised concerns, noting the boulder, known as Isokivi, may have served as a sacrificial stone in ancient times. Climbers Jussi Pekkanen and Sami Romppainen also highlighted its value as a rare climbing spot.

Niskanen said the agency aims to keep the boulder as a landscape feature between the highway and a ramp, though moving it is not feasible due to its weight.