:Karstula

The name of Karstula is likely derived from the Savonian surname Karstunen, encountered around Ristiina since 1541. First records of the surname in Northern Tavastia (modern Central Finland) are from the 18th century. Karstula was initially a part of the Saarijärvi parish, acquiring chapel rights in 1775 under it. Karstula was allowed to become a separate parish and municipality in 1858, but separated later in 1887. Kyyjärvi was a part of Karstula until 1929, though it only acquired a separate parish in 1944.{{Cite web|title=SuomalainenPaikannimikirja_e-kirja_kuvallinen.pdf|url=https://kaino.kotus.fi/www/verkkojulkaisut/julk63/SuomalainenPaikannimikirja_e-kirja_kuvallinen.pdf|page=140|access-date=December 23, 2022|website=kaino.kotus.fi|language=fi}}

Kannonkoski, Karstula, Kivijärvi and Kyyjärvi planned to merge into the {{ill|Suomenselkä (proposed municipality)|fi|Suomenselkä (kunta)|lt=Suomenselkä municipality}} from January 1, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11681395 |title=Pohjoisen Keski-Suomen uuden kunnan nimeksi Suomenselkä | last = Roiha | first = Marja |work=Yle |date=4 December 2020 |access-date = 13 December 2022 | language = fi}}{{cite web | url = https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11754161 | title = Kivijärvi kysyy asukkaiden mielipidettä kuntaliitoksesta | last = Kotilainen | first = Virpi | date = 25 January 2021 | work = Yle | access-date = 13 December 2022 | language = fi}} Karstula, Kivijärvi and Kyyjärvi accepted the merger proposal, but Kannonkoski did not.{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/a/3-11787587|title=Neljän kunnan liitos ei toteudu – Kannonkoski hylkäsi kuntaliitoksen| last = Heikkilä | first = Eija |work=Yle |date=15 February 2021 |access-date = 13 December 2022 | language = fi}} After Kannonkoski left out of the planned merger, Kivijärvi also left out. The merger project of the remaining Karstula and Kyyjärvi failed at the Kyyjärvi municipal council meeting held on May 17, 2021, and the Ministry of Finance does not propose a forced merger either.{{cite web | url = https://vm.fi/-/valtiovarainministerio-ei-esita-kyyjarven-kunnan-pakkoliitosta | title = Valtiovarainministeriö ei esitä Kyyjärven kunnan pakkoliitosta | publisher = Ministry of Finance | date = 25 May 2021 | access-date = 13 December 2022 | language = fi}}

• A number of historical buildings (from the beginning of the 20th century) has been preserved in the village centre, representing the original countryside buildings of the region.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}
• There's also a cottage designed by Alvar Aalto, though it is not listed in most Aalto's biographies.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

Highway 13 between Kokkola and Lappeenranta, main road 58 between Kangasala and Kärsämäki and main road 77 between Kyyjärvi and Siilinjärvi pass through the Karstula municipality.

Karstula is served by OnniBus.com route Helsinki—Jyväskylä—Kokkola.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2024}}

• Artturi Koskinen (1904–1981), Member of Parliament
• Jarmo Mäkinen (born 1958), actor
• Nätti-Jussi (1890–1964), legendary lumberjack
• Harri Koskinen (born 1970), designer

• The International Shooting Week{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

• {{flagicon|Denmark}} Broby Municipality, Denmark{{cite web|title=Kolme vuosikymmentä pohjoismaisia ystäväkuntasuhteita Karstulassa|url=http://files.mariamarkus.fi/30/www.mariamarkus.fi/edit/doc/historiikkinetti.pdf|publisher=Karstulan Pohjola-Norden ry|accessdate=7 May 2012|language=Finnish}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• {{flagicon|Sweden}} Ragunda, Sweden{{cite web|title=Kolme vuosikymmentä pohjoismaisia ystäväkuntasuhteita Karstulassa|url=http://files.mariamarkus.fi/30/www.mariamarkus.fi/edit/doc/historiikkinetti.pdf|publisher=Karstulan Pohjola-Norden ry|accessdate=7 May 2012|language=Finnish}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• {{flagicon|Norway}} Stjørdal, Norway{{cite web|title=Kolme vuosikymmentä pohjoismaisia ystäväkuntasuhteita Karstulassa|url=http://files.mariamarkus.fi/30/www.mariamarkus.fi/edit/doc/historiikkinetti.pdf|publisher=Karstulan Pohjola-Norden ry|accessdate=7 May 2012|language=Finnish}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

File:Pääjärvi2.jpg|Pääjärvi is the largest lake in Karstula.

File:Aussichtsturm Karstula.JPG|Kirkkovuori observation tower.

File:Karstula - Johan Knutson - Finland framställdt i teckningar - 102.jpg|Illustration of Karstula in Finland framstäldt i teckningar edited by Zacharias Topelius and published 1845-1852.

{{reflist}}

{{commons category-inline|Karstula}}

{{wikivoyage-inline|Karstula}}

• [https://karstula.fi/ Municipality of Karstula] – Official website {{in lang|fi}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906090551/http://www.karstulanseutu.fi/matkailu/eng/index.html Karstula official tourism site]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20040613062605/http://karmas.karstula.fi/englanti/frame_englanti.html The International Shooting Week]

{{Geographic location

| Centre = Karstula

| N = Kyyjärvi

| NE = Kivijärvi

| E = Kannonkoski

| S = Saarijärvi

| W = Soini (South Ostrobothnia)

}}

{{CentralFinland}}

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Category:Municipalities of Central Finland

Category:Populated places established in 1867

Category:1867 establishments in the Russian Empire

{{WesternFinland-geo-stub}}