- Lohja
Lohja (pronounced|ˈlohjɑ), or Lojo in Swedish, is a town and municipality of
Finland .It is located in the province of
Southern Finland and is part of theUusimaa region. The municipality has a population of 36.585 (2005-12-31 ) and covers an area of 356.24 km² of which 77.98 km² is water. Thepopulation density is 131.6 inhabitants per km².The municipality isbilingual , although it isn't required by the law, with majority being Finnish and minority Swedish speakers.Lohja has been a focal point for the population and economy of Western Uusimaa since the early 14th century. Lohja was renowned as a trading centre already in the
Middle Ages . The local inhabitants were among the pioneers of the Finnish mining and construction material industries. By Finnish standards, Lohja has long-established traditions in horticulture and especially inmarket gardening . These traditions are represented by the symbols of present-day Lohja: limestone and an apple.Lohja is advantageously located near the
Helsinki Metropolitan Area and it benefits from a good road network. It takes less than an hour to drive fromHelsinki to Lohja.The landscape of Lohja is characterized by manors and gardens. The Lohja area is divided by the ridge Lohja, which forms a watershed for the largest lake system of Southern Finland,
Lake Lohja .Culture
Lohja is a town famed for its cultural events. More than a hundred different events are arranged in the town 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.
Sights
One unique experience is the Tytyri
limestone mine, which has a museum 100 meters below the surface of the earth. This attraction and exhibitions can be reached using either an old mine wagon or a modern lift. [http://www.lohja.fi/tytyrinkaivos/default.asp?kieli=826] Other places worth visiting are:*Lohja museum area
*The surroundings of Lake Lohja
*The Gothic Church of St. Lawrence which dates from the 15th century
*Kisakallio Sport college
*Floating Restaurant-Café Kaljaasi
*Alitalo vineyard
*St. Lawrence Golf and the recreation bath NeidonkeidasExternal links
* [www.lohja.fi Official site]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
