Red granite outcrops on the northern slope of Alkkianvuori (Alkkianvuori, Other areas)

The hill of Alkkianvuori consists of red granite that formed 1900 million years ago deep underneath an ancient mountain range. After millions of years of erosion, the granite was exposed to the surface. Today granite is the most common stone in Finland and also the national stone of the country.

Did you know that?

• Granite has been formed beneath a large mountain range at a depth of more than ten kilometers. More than ten kilometres thickness of rock has since been removed from above.
• The most important minerals in granite are feldspar and quartz. If there is potassium in feldspar, it is called potassium feldspar. Its red color gives the stone its color.
• There are many cracks in the rock. Granite is characterized by both horizontal and vertical cracking.
• The landscape is rugged because the soil on the northern slope of Alkkianvuori is thin. It was largely washed away by the waves of post-glacial Ancylus Lake.
• After the ice age, Alkkianvuori hill was an island, but the land rose rapidly. The shoreline was at this point about 9,000 years ago.

Nearby attractions: The ancient beach formations of Alkkianvuori, Forested scenery from Alkkianvuori's northern slope, Raatosulkonneva mire, Raatosulkonneva mire from above, Seasonal wetland

Coordinates (WGS84): 62.16490, 22.86333