Arctic Circle Line

Napapiiri

The 66°33' N line runs through Santa Claus Village. Stand with one foot in the Arctic Circle and one foot outside it. You can also buy a certificate of crossing.

The Arctic Circle is the theoretical latitude where the sun does not rise on the winter solstice and does not set on the summer solstice. In Finnish, it is called Napapiiri. The line passes right through Santa Claus Village. In the 1930s, Rovaniemi erected a marker here. A log cabin built when former U.S. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited in 1950 still stands. Today, a white line running across the village square, marked by a row of lamp posts, shows the Arctic Circle's position. In winter, the snow-covered line looks especially photogenic under evening lights, and almost every visitor poses with a foot on each side. Crossing certificates are sold at the visitor center or the Santa Claus Office for about €5. Strictly speaking, because of the wobble of Earth's axis, the true Arctic Circle moves north about 15 m each year, so it now lies a few kilometers north of the village. The symbolic meaning, however, remains the same. The site is free and open all day. It is usually visited together with Santa Claus Village, and you can reach it from the city center by taking bus 8 to the Santa Claus Village stop. Winter nights can drop to -25°C, so keep your phone's battery in mind when taking photos. To see the real polar night or midnight sun, visit near this line. On the winter solstice, the sun barely grazes the horizon, while from mid-June to early July it does not set all night. It is the best classroom for explaining polar day and polar night to children.

Arctic Circle Line

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