Pihlajamäki Potholes

Pihlajamäki Hiidenkirnut


Useful Information

Location: Rapakiventie 20, Helsinki
Open: no restrictions.
[2008]
Fee: free.
[2008]
Classification: GeologyGlacial Mill
Light: n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: accessible
Bibliography:
Address: Pihlajamäki Potholes, Rapakiventie 20, Helsinki.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

02-OCT-1993 discovered.

Description

The Pihlajamäki Potholes are two dolly tubs or potholes located in the middle of the city of Helsinki. They were discovered when the adjacent residential area was built, and they were almost blown away to make room for new buildings. But instead they were protected and developed with a bridge and fence, and so they are a quite exceptional tourist site. The bigger tub is 6.9 m in diameter and 8.4 m deep. They were named Aarnipata and Rauninmalja.

One of the exceptional facts about these tubs is the age. They are 50,000 years old, which means they were not formed during the end of the last Ice Age, but an earlier one. This means they survived by being covered by 3.5 km of ice at least once.