At the highest point of the Rokua Geopark area, Pookivaara hill in Rokua National Park, you can admire Rokua’s wild landscapes from the observation tower.
Pookivaara has played an important role throughout history. In the 19th century, one measuring point with the triangulation chain that measures the shape and size of the Earth, i.e. Struve’s chain, was located in Pookivaara. As Rokua was also a very fire-prone area, the first lookout tower and a fireman’s hut were built in Pookivaara to watch out for forest fires in 1936. During the Winter War, Pookivaara’s wooden fire watch tower was used for aerial surveillance throughout the war.
Both Pookivaara’s hut and the tower, which has since been renovated, are today important cultural and historical landmarks in the nationally significant landscape area of Rokua. The tower is also used by hikers to admire the scenery and take photos.
At Pookivaara there is also a day hut, a rental hut and a dry toilet. Pookivaara can be reached via the national park’s hiking and mountain biking trails. The nearest parking area is Pookivaara parking lot, about one kilometer down from the hill.
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