Lohja Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Lohja

Lohja – Lojo

City

Lohjan kaupunki
Lojo stad

Coat of arms

Motto(s):

Järvikaupunki – Insjöstaden

Location of Lohja in Finland

Country

Finland

Region

Uusimaa

Sub-region

Helsinki sub-region (formerly Lohja sub-region)

Charter

1926

City rights

1969

Area

(2018-01-01)

• Total

1,109.73 km² (428.47 sq mi)

• Land

940.16 km² (363.00 sq mi)

• Water

91.78 km² (35.44 sq mi)

Area rank

82nd largest in Finland

Population

(2023-12-31)

• Total

45,645

• Rank

25th largest in Finland

• Density

48.55/km² (125.7/sq mi)

Population by native language

• Finnish

90.1% (official)

• Swedish

3.5% (official)

• Others

6.4%

Population by age

• 0 to 14

15.8%

• 15 to 64

59.5%

• 65 or older

24.7%

• Summer (DST)

Lohja (pronounced LO-hya) is a lively town in southern Finland. It's located in the western part of the Uusimaa region. Lohja has a population of about 46,000. This makes it the 25th most populated municipality in Finland. Lohja is part of the Helsinki sub-region, but it's not directly in the Helsinki metropolitan area.

Lohja covers an area of 1,109.73 square kilometres (428.47 sq mi). About 8.3 percent of this area is water, which means it has many lakes. The city is also known for having lots of summer cottages. In fact, it has the fourth most summer cottages of any place in Finland.

Lohja is easy to reach from the Helsinki area. It has a good road network, including the E18 motorway. You can drive from Helsinki to Lohja in less than an hour.

Lohja is a bilingual municipality. This means both Finnish and Swedish are official languages here. Most people speak Finnish, but a smaller group speaks Swedish. The city's slogan is Järvikaupunki – Insjöstaden, which means "Lake city."

The area around Lohja is beautiful, with many old manor houses and lovely gardens. The city is divided by the Lohja ridge. This ridge helps form the biggest lake system in Uusimaa, called Lake Lohja. This is why Lohja is often called the "Lake City." The old Church of St. Lawrence is a key building in downtown Lohja. The modern Lohja library, opened in 2005, is also a notable building.

Lohja has been an important place for people and business in western Uusimaa since the early 1300s. People from Lohja were among the first to work in Finland's mining and construction material industries. The city also has a long history of growing plants and vegetables, especially for markets.

Fun Things to Do in Lohja
Places to Visit
Sports and Recreation
How Lohja Grew: Municipal Mergers
Local Areas and Villages
Sister Cities
See also

Fun Things to Do in Lohja

Lohja hosts several exciting events throughout the year. These include the Lohja Summer Cultural Festival, which celebrates arts and culture. There's also the Apple Carnival, a fun event organized by local businesses. Other popular events are the Hurlumhei Carnival and the Old Time Christmas market. These events continue a tradition of fairs that started way back in the Middle Ages.

The Doom Metal band Reverend Bizarre comes from Lohja. Also, Elias Lönnrot, who wrote the famous Finnish epic Kalevala, was born and died in Sammatti. Sammatti became part of Lohja in 2009.

Places to Visit

Lohja has many interesting places to explore, from museums to beautiful natural spots.

Museums and History

Lohja Museum

Lohja Museum: Learn about the local history and culture.
Paikkari Croft: Visit the old home of Elias Lönnrot, the writer of the Kalevala.
Johannes Lohilampi museum
Tytyri Mine Museum: Explore an old mine and learn about mining history.
Kaarre Military Museum
Kovela Agricultural Museum
Hyrsylän Mutka: The home of famous dancer Aira Samulin.
Nummi Local History Museum
Pusula Local History Museum

Churches and Architecture

The Church of St. Lawrence in Lohja

The medieval St. Lawrence's Church: A beautiful old church with a rich history.
Karjalohja Church
Kärkölä Village Church
Nummi Church
Pusula Church
Sammatti Church

Nature and Outdoors

Surroundings of Lake Lohja: Enjoy the scenic views around the lake.
Alitalo vineyard: A place to see how grapes are grown.
Paavola Oak and nature trail: Walk among old trees and enjoy nature.
Karkali Nature Park: A protected area perfect for hiking and enjoying wildlife.
Liessaari Nature Trail: Another great trail for outdoor adventures.
Torhola Cave: Explore a fascinating natural cave.

Limestone and cement factory in the Virkkala district, in March 2006

Manor Houses

Ojamo Manor
Kirkniemi Manor
Kyrkstad Manor
Laakspohja Manor

Sports and Recreation

Lohja is a great place for sports lovers.

Lohjan Pallo is the city's football (soccer) team.
Lohja also has an ice hockey team called Lohjan Jääankat.

The Kisakallio Sports Institute is located in Lohja. It's a well-known place for sports training. Other important sports facilities include the Neidonkeidas Indoor Swimming Pool and the Lohja Spa Resort in Karjalohja.

How Lohja Grew: Municipal Mergers

Lohja Town Hall

Over the years, Lohja has grown by joining with nearby municipalities. This process is called municipal consolidation.

In 1997, the rural municipality of Lohja joined with the city.
In 2009, the municipality of Sammatti became part of Lohja.
In 2013, the municipalities of Karjalohja and Nummi-Pusula also joined Lohja.

Local Areas and Villages

Saukkola in 2011

Nummi Church in the Nummi village

Pusula Church in the Pusula village

Lohja is made up of many different neighborhoods and villages. Some of the official city districts include Ahtsalmi, Anttila, Moisio, and Virkkala (also known as Virkby in Swedish).

The municipality also includes many villages. For example, some villages from the former rural Lohja area are Ahtiala and Karjalohjan Ahtiala. From the former Sammatti area, you'll find villages like Karstu and Kaukola. Karjalohja contributed villages such as Karkali and Kattelus. And from Nummi, there are villages like Saukkola and Nummi Church Village. Pusula brought villages like Ikkala and Pusula.

Sister Cities

Lohja has "twin towns" or "sister cities" in other countries. This means they have special friendly relationships and often exchange visits or cultural programs.