Lohja

Lohja (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈlohjɑ]; Swedish: Lojo) is a town in Finland, located in the southern interior of the country. Lohja is situated in the western part of the Uusimaa region. The population of Lohja is approximately 46,000. It is the 25th most populous municipality in Finland. Lohja is part of the Helsinki sub-region, but not directly part of the Helsinki metropolitan area.

Lohja
Lohja – Lojo
City
Lohjan kaupunki
Lojo stad
Coat of arms of Lohja
Coat of arms
Motto: 
Järvikaupunki – Insjöstaden
Location of Lohja in Finland
Location of Lohja in Finland
Coordinates: 60°15′N 024°04′E
Country Finland
RegionUusimaa
Sub-regionHelsinki sub-region (formerly Lohja sub-region)
Charter1926
City rights1969
Government
 • City managerPasi Perämäki
Area
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total1,109.73 km2 (428.47 sq mi)
 • Land940.16 km2 (363.00 sq mi)
 • Water91.78 km2 (35.44 sq mi)
 • Rank82nd largest in Finland
Population
 (2023-12-31)[2]
 • Total45,645
 • Rank25th largest in Finland
 • Density48.55/km2 (125.7/sq mi)
Population by native language
[3]
 • Finnish90.1% (official)
 • Swedish3.5% (official)
 • Others6.4%
Population by age
[4]
 • 0 to 1415.8%
 • 15 to 6459.5%
 • 65 or older24.7%
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)
ClimateDfb
Websitewww.lohja.fi

Lohja covers an area of 1,109.73 square kilometres (428.47 sq mi) of which 91.78 km2 (35.44 sq mi), or 8.3 percent, is water.[1] The population density of Lohja is 48.55 inhabitants per square kilometre (125.7/sq mi).

Lohja has the fourth most summer cottages of any municipality in Finland, with 8,468 in the city as of June 2018.[5] Lohja is close to the Helsinki metropolitan area and benefits from a good road network. It takes less than an hour to drive from Helsinki to Lohja on the E18 motorway, which, along with Hangonväylä, is one of Lohja's main road connections.

Lohja is a bilingual municipality with Finnish and Swedish as its official languages. The population consists of 90% Finnish speakers, 3% Swedish speakers, and 6% speakers of other languages. City's bilingual slogan is: Järvikaupunki – Insjöstaden which translates to "Lake city".[6]

The landscape of Lohja is characterized by manors and gardens. Its area is divided by the Lohja ridge, which forms a watershed for the largest lake system in Uusimaa, Lake Lohja (Lohjanjärvi); mostly that's why Lohja is also referred to as "Lake City" (järvikaupunki).[7] The medieval Church of St. Lawrence is the architectural highlight of downtown Lohja, which also includes a heterogeneous mix of buildings mostly dating from the 1960s onwards. The Lohja library, which was opened in 2005, is a distinctly modern building placed in the very centre of the city.

Lohja has been a focal point for the population and economy of western Uusimaa since the early 14th century. It was renowned as a trading centre in the Middle Ages. The local inhabitants were among the pioneers of the Finnish mining and construction material industries. Lohja has long-established traditions in horticulture and especially in market gardening. These traditions are represented by the symbols of present-day Lohja: limestone and an apple.

Politics

Local

Pasi Perämäki is the city manager of Lohja. The city manager oversees the city committee.[8] In addition to the city committee, Lohja has a 51-seat municipal council. The parties represented in the council as well as their seat counts are listed below.

City Council of Lohja[9]
Party Seats
Social Democratic Party 11
National Coalition Party 10
Green League 7
Left Alliance 6
Finns Party 6
Centre Party 5
Meidän Lohja 3
Swedish People's Party 1
Christian Democrats 1
Haloo Lohja 1

2015 parliamentary election
Results of the 2015 parliamentary election in Lohja[10]
Party Vote share
Social Democratic Party 25,5%
Finns Party 22,9%
National Coalition Party 16,5%
Centre Party 12,9%
Green League 7,2%
Left Alliance 5,9%
Swedish People's Party 3,1%
Christian Democrats 3,1%
Change 2011 1,1%

Culture

Lohja is famed for its cultural events. More than a hundred different events are arranged in the city each year by its residents and organizations. The most notable are the Lohja Summer Cultural Festival, the Apple Carnival organized by representatives of business and commerce, the retailers' Hurlumhei Carnival and the Old Time Christmas market continue the tradition of fairs dating back to the Middle Ages.

The Doom Metal band Reverend Bizarre hails from Lohja.

Elias Lönnrot, who wrote the Kalevala, was both born and died in Sammatti,[11] which has been part of Lohja since 2009.[12]

Sights

Museums
Lohja Museum
  • Lohja Museum
  • Paikkari Croft, the home of Elias Lönnrot
  • Johannes Lohilampi museum
  • Tytyri Mine Museum
  • Kaarre Military Museum
  • Kovela Agricultural Museum
  • Hyrsylän Mutka, the home of dancer Aira Samulin
  • Nummi Local History Museum
  • Pusula Local History Museum

Churches
  • The medieval St. Lawrence's Church
    The Church of St. Lawrence in Lohja
  • Karjalohja Church
  • Kärkölä Village Church
  • Nummi Church
  • Pusula Church
  • Sammatti Church

Other places of interest
  • Surroundings of Lake Lohjanjärvi
  • Alitalo vineyard
  • Paavola Oak and nature trail
  • Karkali Nature Park
  • Lohja Theatre
  • Liessaari Nature Trail
  • Torhola Cave
Limestone and cement factory in the Virkkala district, in March 2006

    Sports

    Lohjan Pallo is the football team of the city. Lohja also has a ice hockey team called Lohjan Jääankat.[13]

    Kisakallio Sports Institute is located in Lohja.[14] Other important sports venues in the town are Neidonkeidas Indoor Swimming Pool[15] and Lohja Spa Resort in Karjalohja.[16]

    Municipal consolidations
    Lohja Town Hall

    The municipality of Lohja was consolidated with the city of Lohja in 1997, and the municipality of Sammatti in 2009. The municipalities of Karjalohja and Nummi-Pusula were consolidated with Lohja in 2013.

    List of municipal consolidations into Lohja
    Municipality Year
    Lohja (municipality) 1997
    Sammatti 2009
    Karjalohja 2013
    Nummi-Pusula 2013

    Local subdivisions
    Saukkola in 2011
    Nummi Church in the Nummi village
    Pusula Church in the Pusula village

    A significant part of the city of Lohja is not yet part of any district, since after the 1997 municipal association with the former rural municipality of Lohja.

    Neighborhoods

    The official city districts within the city proper of the municipality of Lohja are:[17][18][19]

    • Ahtsalmi, Anttila, Gruotila, Gunnarla, Hiidensalmi, Immula, Keskilohja, Kirkniemi (Swedish: Gerknäs), Kukkumäki (formerly Luttula,[20] Swedish: Jönsböle), Kirkonkylä (Swedish: Kyrkstad), Lempola, Maksjoki, Metsola, Moisio, Muijala, Myllylampi, Neitsytlinna, Ojamo, Ojamonkangas, Paloniemi, Pappila, Pappilankorpi, Perttilä, Pitkäniemi, Routio, Röylä, Sammatti, Vappula (Swedish: Vabby), Ventelä (Swedish: Vendelä), Vienola and Virkkala (Swedish: Virkby).

    Villages

    The villages and hamlets of the municipality of Lohja are:[17][18]

    Lohja rural
    • Ahtiala, Askola, Hermala, Hietainen, Hiittinen, Hongisto, Iso-Teutari (Swedish: Stortötar), Jalassaari, Jantoniemi, Kaijola, Karjalohjan Ahtiala, Karjalohjan Pappila, Karkalniemi, Karnainen, Kittilä (Swedish: Kittfall), Koikkala, Kokkila, Korkenoja, Koski, Kouvola, Kunnarla (Swedish: Gunnars), Kutsila, Laakspohja (Swedish: Laxpojo), Lehmijärvi, Lieviö (Swedish: Skräddarskog), Lohjankylä, Lylyinen, Maksjoki, Mynterlä* (Swedish: Mynderlä), Niemi, Nummenkylä, Näätälä (Swedish: Mårbacka), Osuniemi (Swedish: Orsnäs), Outamo, Paavola, Paksalo, Pauni, Pietilä, Piispala (Swedish: Biskopsnäs), Pulli, Seräjärvi, Skraatila, Suittila, Särkijärvi, Talpela, Torhola, Vaanila, Valla, Vanhakylä, Varola, Vasarla, Veijola (Swedish: Vejby), Virkkala (Sardinian: Virkby), Vohloinen, Vähä-Teutari (Swedish: Lilltötar) and Yli-Immola.

    Sammatti
    • Haarijärvi (Haarjärvi), Karstu, Kaukola, Kiikala, Leikkilä, Lohilampi, Luskala, Myllykylä, Niemenkylä and Sammatti

    Karjalohja
    • Härjänvatsa, Ilmoniemi, Immola, Karkali, Kattelus, Kourjoki, Kuusia, Kärkelä, Lohjantaipale, Lönnhammar (Linhamari), Maila, Makkarjoki, Murto, Mustlahti, Nummijärvi, Pappila, Pellonkylä, Pipola, Pitkälahti (Långvik), Puujärvi, Pyöli, Saarenpää, Sakkola, Suurniemi, Särkjärvi, Tallaa and Tammisto

    Nummi
    • Haarla, Hakula, Heijala, Heimola, Huhti, Hyrsylä, Hyvelä, Immola, Jakova, Järvenpää, Jättölä, Korkianoja, Kovela, Leppäkorpi, Luttula, Maikkala, Maskila, Mettula, Miemola, Millola, Mommola, Mäntsälä, Nummi Church Village, Näkkilä, Oinola, Oittila, Pakkala, Pälölä, Raatti, Remala, Retlahti, Röhkölä, Salo, Saukkola, Sierla, Sitarla, Tavola, Varttila and Vivola

    Pusula
    • Ahonpää, Hattula, Hauhula, Herrala, Hirvijoki, Hyrkkölä, Hyönölä, Ikkala, Karisjärvi, Kaukela, Koisjärvi, Kärkölä, Marttila, Mäkkylä, Pusula, Radus, Seppälä, Suomela, Uusikylä, Viiala and Vörlö

    Twin towns

    Lohja is twinned with:[21]

    See also

    Districts of Lohja
    • Saukkola
    • Virkkala

    Neighbourhooding municipalities

    References
    1. "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
    2. "Population growth biggest in nearly 70 years". Population structure. Statistics Finland. 26 April 2024. ISSN 1797-5395. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
    3. "Population growth biggest in nearly 70 years". Population structure. Statistics Finland. 26 April 2024. ISSN 1797-5395. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
    4. "Population according to age (1-year) and sex by area and the regional division of each statistical reference year, 2003–2020". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
    5. "Kuopio on mökkipaikkakuntien ykkönen, mutta yhdessä Suomen kunnassa ei mökkeile kukaan – Hakukone kertoo, miten oman mökkikuntasi suosio on kehittynyt". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 23 June 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
    6. "Lohjan Kaupunki". Lohja (in Finnish). Retrieved 26 April 2021.
    7. Järvikaupunki Lohja yhdistää kaupunkielämän ja maaseudun rauhan (in Finnish)
    8. "Kaupungin johtoryhmä". Lohja (in Finnish). Retrieved 25 December 2020.
    9. "Lohjan Kaupunki". Lohja (in Finnish). Retrieved 23 June 2018.
    10. "Kokeile HS:n vaalikoneella, kenen ehdokkaan arvomaailma on lähimpänä sinua". www.vaalikone.fi. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
    11. "Elias Lönnrot – The Kalevala Society (Kalevalaseura)". Retrieved 18 August 2023.
    12. Tuominen, Tiina (28 August 2007). "Sammatti hyväksyi liitoksen". Länsi-Uusimaa (in Finnish). No. 200. p. 3.
    13. Ankat Online: Lohjan Jää-Ankat (in Finnish)
    14. Paloheimo, Nina (20 December 2023). "Kisakallio pysyy Lohjan jäähallin tulevana paikkavaihtoehtona – seurat vierastavat ajatusta, vaakakupissa painavat eurot ja sijainti". Länsi-Uusimaa (in Finnish). Retrieved 27 February 2024.
    15. "Etusivu". Virkistysuimala Neidonkeidas (in Finnish). Retrieved 27 February 2024.
    16. "Lohja Spa & Resort | Lohja". www.lohjaspa.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 27 February 2024.
    17. "Lohjan kaupunginosat ja kylät". Lohjan kaupunki. Archived from the original on 11 April 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
    18. "Lojo stadsdelar och byar". Lohjan kaupunki. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
    19. "Lojo stadsdelar och byar" (in Swedish). Lohjan kaupunki. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
    20. Luttula vesa.lib.helsinki.fi
    21. "Ystävyyskaupungit" (in Finnish). City of Lohja. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
    Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Lohja.
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