Hollola facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hollola
Municipality
Hollolan kunta Hollola kommun
The medieval church of Hollola
Coat of arms
Location of Hollola in Finland
Country	Finland
Region	Päijänne Tavastia
Sub-region	Lahti sub-region
First records	1328
Charter	1865
Area  (2018-01-01)
• Total	727.47 km2 (280.88 sq mi)
• Land	651.41 km2 (251.51 sq mi)
• Water	68.66 km2 (26.51 sq mi)
Area rank	132nd largest in Finland
Population  (2023-12-31)
• Total	22,885
• Rank	45th largest in Finland
• Density	35.13/km2 (91.0/sq mi)
Population by native language
• Finnish	96.5% (official)
• Swedish	0.3%
• Others	3.2%
Population by age
• 0 to 14	16.9%
• 15 to 64	57.7%
• 65 or older	25.3%
Time zone	UTC+02:00 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+03:00 (EEST)

Hollola is a town in Finland. It is located in the western part of the Päijänne Tavastia region. The town speaks only Finnish. About 22,885 people live there. Hollola covers an area of 727.47 square kilometres (280.88 sq mi). A small part of this area, 68.66 km² (26.51 sq mi), is water.

Hollola is next to several other towns. These include Asikkala to the north and Lahti to the east. It is also close to Helsinki (111 km away) and Tampere (121 km away).

The main center of Hollola is Salpakangas. It is located near the city of Lahti. The old church village of Hollola is also nearby. In 2016, the town of Hämeenkoski joined with Hollola.

Hollola is home to Finland's tallest building, the Tiirismaa TV-Tower.

Messilä is a popular place to visit in Hollola. You can go cross-country skiing or downhill skiing there. It's also great for hiking and golf. Messilä has a hotel and a camping area. It is located by Lake Vesijärvi.

In 2018, Hollola hosted the Jukola Relays. This is a famous night orienteering event. Many people from all over the world take part in it.

Exploring Hollola's Nature

Beautiful Landscapes

Tiirismaa is the highest point in southern Finland. You can find it in Hollola, north of Salpakangas.

Hollola has 44 lakes in total. Some of these lakes are also in other towns. The biggest ones are Lake Vesijärvi, Lake Pääjärvi, and Lake Kivijärvi.

Lake Kiikunlähde is a special place. It is northwest of Hollola church. Part of a Finnish nature movie, The Story of the Lake, was filmed here. The water from Kiikunlähde is safe to drink. It is used for homes in the area.

Some areas in Hollola are known for their beautiful scenery. These include the Kastarin-Hatsinan-Kutajoki area. There are also traditional landscapes like the Heinlammi rock fields. Hollola has several Natura 2000 nature reserves. These are places like Kivijärvi and Tiirismaa, protected for their natural value.

Life in Hollola

How the Town is Built

Hollola is a town located west of Lahti. Many people have holiday homes here. In 2013, there were over 1,500 such homes.

The city of Lahti and Lake Vesijärvi divide Hollola. The lake is in the middle of the town. This creates two main parts: Maakansa on the west side of the lake and Vesikansa on the east side. Most of Hollola's land is in Maakansa.

Salpakangas: The Main Center

More than half of the people in Hollola live in Salpakangas. This is the town's main center. Other important villages are Kukkila and Kalliola.

During the Continuation War, Hollola's town offices moved. They first went to Lahti, then to Salpakangas. Hollola grew a lot in the 1960s. This was because of smart money choices. These choices meant lower local taxes than in Lahti. This helped bring businesses and people to Salpakangas.

Salpakangas has changed a lot recently. A large market, Prisma, was built there in 2017. A new apartment building called Huili was also built. It provides services for older people.

Hollola's Past

Early Settlements

People have lived by Hollola's Lake Päijänne since the Stone Age. They came for the fish. During the Viking Age, Hollola became an important place. The Vainio region was very busy. The Kirkailanmäki cemetery is also found here.

After the Swedish crusades, the area became a border region. A chain of 13 old fortresses has been found in Finland. Kapatuosia is one of these, located in Hollola. The Hankaa and Laitiala Kiiluanmäki fortresses are also in Hollola. We don't know their exact purpose. They might have been part of a defense system. Or they could have been places where people could hide.

How Lahti Became a City

In the Middle Ages, Hollola was part of the Häme castle county. Later, different areas were set up for managing the region.

The village of Lahti, which was part of Hollola, started to grow. This happened when the Riihimäki–Lahti Railway was built. A train station was also built by Lake Vesijärvi. Lahti became a busy hub for water, rail, and road travel. Lahti officially became a separate city from Hollola on November 16, 1905.

Hollola used to be mainly about farming. But in the late 1960s, it started to become more industrial. The Salpakangas area was planned for businesses. This area became Hollola's new center. In recent years, Hollola has grown faster than other towns in its region.

There have been talks about combining Hollola with other towns. One project was called Vellamo. Another idea was to merge six towns, including Hollola and Lahti. Hollola decided not to join these larger mergers. However, Hämeenkoski did merge with Hollola in early 2016.

How Hollola is Governed

Hollola has a municipal council with 43 members. These members belong to different groups. The largest group, as of 2021–2025, has 11 seats.

In 2008, the council decided to create neighborhood councils. These councils help manage local areas. There are five such councils. They cover areas like Southern Hollola and the Church Region.

Hollola's Economy

In 2011, most jobs in Hollola were in services (about 62%). About 31% were in manufacturing. Only a small part (4.7%) was in farming. In 2013, Hollola had one of the largest farms in Finland.

Some of the biggest companies paying taxes in Hollola in 2015 were Faba (for cattle farming), Bellmer Vaahto Paper Machinery (paper machines), and Etteplan Design Center.

Here are some of Hollola's largest employers from 2007:

• Makron (170 employees)
• Vaahto (119 employees)
• Andritz (113 employees)
• Sandvik Materials Handling – Roxon Oy (110 employees)
• Porkka Finland (81 employees)
• Rakennusbetoni- ja Elementti Oy (77 employees)
• Etteplan (73 employees)
• SEW Eurodrive (64 employees)
• Suomen Kotikylmiö (60 employees)
• Solmaster (55 employees)
• Naisten Pukutehdas (48 employees)
• Trelmec (45 employees)

Population Growth

Hollola's population has grown a lot over the years. In 1956, there were 9,316 people. By 2020, the population was 23,428. This shows how much the town has developed.

Where People Live

At the end of 2018, Hollola had 23,602 people. Most of them (18,481) lived in urban areas. About 4,818 lived in less populated areas.

Hollola's population is spread across seven different settlements:

The main center of Hollola, Salpakangas, is part of the larger Lahti city center area. This area mostly belongs to the city of Lahti.

Services for Young People

Fun Cultural Activities

Hollola's cultural services are managed by a special committee. They plan activities for everyone. This includes things like libraries, youth activities, and cultural events.

Education and Schools

Hollola and its neighbor, Kärkölä, work together on schooling. Their primary schools are run by a joint board.

After Hämeenkoski joined Hollola, there are now 11 primary schools in Hollola. These include:

• Herrala school
• Hälvälä school
• Hämeenkoski school
• Kalliola school
• Kankann school
• Nostana school
• Paimela school
• Pyhäniemi school
• Salpakkanka Unified School
• Tiilikanka school
• Hollola middle school (grades 7–9)

Hollola does not have its own high school anymore. Hollola High School closed in 2014. The Salpaus Education Center also moved its facilities. This makes Hollola the largest town in Finland without a high school.

Hollola's Culture

Hollola has many important cultural sites. These include the old church village with its historic center. There are also old farming landscapes in villages like Voistio and Vesala.

Hollola is famous for its näkkileipä, a type of crisp cracker. In the 1980s, some local dishes became well-known. These included a potato dish called perunatuvinki, salted Paimela bream, and apple pie.

A new main library building opened in Hollola in 2004. Besides the main library, there are smaller libraries in Kalliola and Hämeenkoski. A library car also serves the town.

Hollola has a medieval society called Medium Aevum Hollolense. They organize a medieval fair every two years.

There is a special park in Hollola called Hannu's Memorial Forest. It has many different types of wood. The Room of Silence, a religious space, was built in 2003.

Hollola in Books

Hollola's Hämeenkoski and Hyväneula villages are featured in a detective story. It's the fifth book in the Isaksson series, called Sieluttomat. The book was written by Markus Ahonen.

Religion in Hollola

Hollola is home to different religious groups. The Catholic Church has a parish here, called St. Ursula.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland has the Hollola parish. This parish also includes the Hämeenkoski chapel congregation. Since 2017, this congregation has also served the towns of Kuhmointe, Kärkölä, and Padasjoki.

Hollola's most famous historical building is its medieval stone church. It can seat 550 people. The church was built between 1495 and 1510. It is known for its old wooden sculptures. The church was renovated in 1934–1935 after a lightning strike in 1642.

Next to the church is a yellow bell tower. It was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel and built between 1829 and 1831.

The Orthodox Church of Finland also has a presence in Hollola. The Lahti Orthodox congregation serves the area.

The Hollola Pentecostal Congregation is part of the Pentecostal Church of Finland.

Past Parishes

The Hämeenkoski parish used to be separate. It merged with the Hollola parish in 2007.

Places to Visit

Kapatuosia Castle Hill

Kapatuosia castle mountain is north of Hollola church. It is a very old site, possibly from the Iron Age or Middle Ages. There is a tower on the hill that is open in the summer. It's a great spot for bird watching.

Local Museums

The Hollola Homeland Museum is run by a local group. It is located near the church in an old warehouse.

Another museum is the Hentilä House Museum. It has a collection of old buildings from the area. It also features a large house from Asikkala.

Hollola Municipal Hall

The Hollola municipal hall was built in 1902. It was designed by architect Vilho Penttilä. It is Finland's first wooden municipal building designed by an architect.

Famous People from Hollola

Many notable people come from Hollola:

• Ville Haapasalo, an actor and TV host
• Arttu Lindeman, a rap artist and video blogger
• Toni Piispanen, a wheelchair curler
• Mika Pohjonen, an opera singer
• Aino-Kaisa Saarinen, a cross-country skier
• Eppu Salminen, an actor and host
• Krisse Salminen, an actor and stand-up comedian
• Jukka-Pekka Saraste, a conductor
• Laura Voutilainen, a singer and actress

Members of Parliament

Some people from Hollola have served in the Finnish Parliament.

• Jari Ronkainen (since 2015)

Former Members of Parliament include:

• Anne Louhelainen (2011–2019)
• Juha Rehula (1996–2019)
• Timo Seppälä (1999–2007)
• Jouko Siikaniemi (1970–1975)
• Kyösti Toivonen (1991–1995)

European Parliament Members

Kyösti Toivonen also served in the European Parliament.

International Connections

Hollola has special connections with towns in other countries. These are called twin towns or sister cities.

• Arboga, Sweden
• Nordkapp, Norway
• Ebeltoft, Denmark

See also

In Spanish: Hollola para niños