Lohja

Lohja is an interesting destination, close to Helsinki. The medieval St. Lawrence Church is one of the best-known sights in Lohja, and there are several charming manors and small, specialized museums. You can also lower yourself into the Tytyri Mine Museum and experience the everyday life of miners.

Start your holiday in Lohja by visiting the centuries old St. Lawrence Church. It is known especially for its down-to-earth wall paintings, and depicting events from the Old and New Testaments. The orthodox Chapel Tsasouna of All Saints is also worth a visit.

To see the history of Lohja, visit the Lohja Museum. Its regular exhibitions cover the history of the area from the Stone Age to modern times. Peek into the cabin of a nineteenth century steward, a living room from the 1930s, or a working-class home of the 1950s. For peasant history, visit the Johannes Lohilampi Museum in the village of Sammatti.

You will certainly meet with Elias Lönnrot on your holiday in Lohja. The Paikkari Croft is the modest birthplace of the famous educator and collector of folk poetry. Explore the history of the school founded by Lönnrot in the Männistö Cabin. Lammintalo, the house in which Lönnrot spent his old age, is situated near the Paikkari Croft.

For a change, try lowering yourself into the depths of the Tytyri Mine Museum to see the mine galleries and the equipment used by the miners. You can also see the mining history of Lohja at Ojamo Manor. In addition to the main building, built in Empire style, it includes a miners’ cabin and deep pitheads. You should also visit the Alitalo Estate, which produces wines and ciders from its own apples.

Lohja is centrally situated in Southern Finland, on a highway running between Turku and Helsinki, each with their own international airport, so that it is very easily reachable by car. There is also a bus service to Lohja from Helsinki. The city centre of Lohja can be explored on foot, but the easiest way to visit more distant attractions, like the Paikkari Croft, is by car.