Lieksa is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of 10,725 and covers an area of 4,067.60 square kilometres of which 649.14 km² is water. The population density is 3.14 inhabitants per square kilometre (8.1/sq mi). The municipality is unilingually Finnish.

Culture 

Lieksa is a city of music. The most important music event is Lieksa Copper Week and the most famous band is Lieksa Youth Wind Orchestra . Music education is provided by the Pielinen Karelia Music College. The Lieksa Cultural Center has a 400-seat concert hall, Brahesali.

Attractions

• Eva Ryynänen’s studio and Paater’s Church (1991)
• The main building of Hovila Manor, ( CL Engel , 1848)
• Bear bearer Väinö Heikkinen’s bear skull collection
• Koli , 347 m
• Lieksa Church , ( R. and R. Pietilä , 1982)
• Lieksa Cultural Center (1985)
• Lieksankoski Power Plant, Kemijoki Oy ( Alvar Aalto , 1960)
• Jongunjoki Border Region Church , ( Rafael Blomstedt , 1948)
• Pankakoski Church ( Veijo Martikainen , 1962)
• Patvinsuo National Park
• Pielinen Museum
• Animal Park PikkuKili
• Church of St. Elijah (Selim Savonius, 1960)
• You are touching Ruunaa
• Sarkkilan Hovi
• Water tower, 47 m, (1955) 
• Viekijärvi Church (AE Ollilainen, 1911)

Statues, sculptures and plaques 

• Statue of the Wraith (statue of a dude or logs), Eino Räsänen, 1959, Pielisentie 
• Peter Brahe, Eva Rynänen, 1953, bronze sculpture, original location in Kirkkopuisto, current location in Hovilanpuisto
• Ilmari Juutilainen , a monument to the most successful tastel pilot of the Finnish Air Force, next to the railway station.
• Blessing, memorial statue of those who fell in the Winter Continuation War, Heikki Varja , 1959, Kirkkopuisto 
• Kauppa kaivo, Taisto Martiskainen , bronze sculpture 1966, sculpture erected in front of the then Lieksan Kauppa Oy
• Encounter of East and West and Cultural Heritage, stone statue, Kauko Kortelainen , 1999, next to the old arch bridge
• Reed monument in the village of Savijärvi
• Fallen as martyrs for freedom and conviction in 1918, tombstone, Lieksa Old Cemetery 
• Jotos. Battles of Rukajärvi, July 4 – September 12, 1941, bronze sculpture, Erkki Karvinen & Heikki Häiväoja, 1966, Freedom Park
• The famine years 1866–68. A stone in an old cemetery near the intersection of Lamminkyläntie and Koulutie in Mähkö.
• Monument to the Battle of Jauhiaisensalmi (10.10.1808) (completed 1930), Vuonislahti , 
• Vorna, October 8, 1808, 100 people from Lake Lisisjärvi fought against the Russians under the leadership of Stenius, erected October 8, 1928 , Kelvä

Events 

• Lieksa Copper Week is held annually
• Twilight trading night
• log competitions , last held in Lieksankoski in the 1990s
• Lieksa fair
• praasniekat
• FAQ ski tours

Education

In 2018, there were five schools of basic education in grades 1–6 in Lieksa : Jamali School , Lieksa Central School , Koli School , Rantala and Vuoniskylien Schools (Vuonisjärvi). The upper secondary school is the upper secondary school. Due to declining student numbers, it has been decided in the early 2020s to further close the Yamal and Vuoniskylü schools. There is one high school in Lieksa , Lieksa High School. 

The North Karelia Vocational College has about 330 students and two offices in Lieksa: Kuhmonkatu and Rauhala, where there is a vehicle installer, automation installer, data engineer, local nurse, economist, sheet metal welder, paper processor and paper process manager, house builder and house builder. The Lieksa office of the North Karelia Adult Education Center is located in the Rauhala district, Oravatie.

Lieksa Christian College operates in Kylänlahti , about 15 kilometers north of Lieksa center. Pielinen Karelia Music College operates on Koski-Jaakonkatu in cooperation with Nurmes, Ilomantsi, Valtimo and Juua offices. There are about 26 teachers. The Lieksa Copper Week office operates in the premises of the Music College (formerly the hospital). In addition, the city has a civic college, organizing courses and lectures on history, literature, human community, information technology, languages, music, art, sports and practical skills.