Loimaa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Loimaa
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Town
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| Loimaan kaupunki Loimaa stad |
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Loimaa Municipal office building
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Location of Loimaa in Finland
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| Country |  Finland |
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| Region | Southwest Finland | |
| Sub-region | Loimaa sub-region | |
| Market town | 1921 | |
| Town privileges | 1969 | |
| Area
(2018-01-01)
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| • Total | 851.93 km2 (328.93 sq mi) | |
| • Land | 848.09 km2 (327.45 sq mi) | |
| • Water | 3.96 km2 (1.53 sq mi) | |
| Area rank | 92nd largest in Finland | |
| Population
(2023-12-31)
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| • Total | 15,420 | |
| • Rank | 71st largest in Finland | |
| • Density | 18.18/km2 (47.1/sq mi) | |
| Population by native language | ||
| • Finnish | 94.2% (official) | |
| • Swedish | 0.2% | |
| • Others | 5.6% | |
| Population by age | ||
| • 0 to 14 | 13.6% | |
| • 15 to 64 | 55.7% | |
| • 65 or older | 30.7% | |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) | |
| Postal code |
32200
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| Climate | Dfc | |
| Website | www.loimaa.fi | |
Loimaa (Finnish: [ˈloi̯mɑː]) is a lively town and municipality in Finland. It is located in the Southwest Finland region, which is part of the Western Finland province.
Loimaa is home to about 15,420 people. It covers an area of 851.93 square kilometers (328.93 sq mi), with some of that being water. The town's name, Loimaa, comes from the Loimijoki river that flows through it.
Loimaa shares its borders with several other municipalities. These include Huittinen, Humppila, Koski Tl, Marttila, Oripää, Punkalaidun, Pöytyä, Somero, Säkylä, and Ypäjä.
Contents
Loimaa's Past: A Look at History
The first records mentioning Loimaa date back to 1439. However, a local church community was already active in the area about ten years before that. The town as we know it today really started to grow in 1876. This was when the railway connecting Turku and Toijala was finished, making travel and trade much easier.
A famous local story is about a legendary figure called Prättäkitti. This tale is strongly connected to the history of Loimaa.
Over the years, Loimaa has grown by joining with nearby areas. On January 1, 2005, the town of Loimaa merged with Loimaan kunta (which means "Municipality of Loimaa"). Later, on January 1, 2009, it also joined with the municipalities of Alastaro and Mellilä. These mergers helped Loimaa become the larger town it is today.
Culture and Fun in Loimaa
Loimaa has its own special traditions and events.
Local Food and Treats
A unique local food specialty is called piapo. It's a type of dish similar to kama, which is a mix of roasted grains.
Rompepäivät: The "Junk Days" Event
One of the most popular annual events is Rompepäivät, which means "junk days". It happens every August and is a big outdoor market. People come to sell all sorts of items, both old and new. You can also find delicious food and enjoy entertainment. This event takes place at the historic market square, now known as Peltoinen. It attracts a huge crowd, usually between 8,000 and 10,000 visitors!
Local News: Loimaan Lehti
The town has its own newspaper called Loimaan Lehti. It started publishing way back in 1915. Today, you can read it three times a week: on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Exploring Loimaa: Sights to See
Loimaa offers several interesting places to visit and explore.
- Alpo Jaakola Statue Park: A park featuring sculptures by a famous local artist.
- Heikintalo bison farm: A place where you can see bison.
- The church of Loimaa Proper: A beautiful old church.
- Loimaa regional museum: Learn about the history and culture of the Loimaa area.
- Mill of Krekilä: An old mill with historical significance.
- Sarka, The Finnish Museum of Agriculture: A museum dedicated to farming and agriculture in Finland.
- Mill of Vesikoski: Another historic mill located by the river.
- Loimaa railway station: The town's historic train station.
Sports and Recreation
Loimaa is a town that loves sports! It has two well-known sports clubs that compete at a high level.
Basketball: Bisons Loimaa
The town is home to the Bisons Loimaa basketball club. This team has been very successful, winning the Finnish championship (Korisliiga) in both 2012 and 2013. The Bisons often play in international competitions. They usually play their home games at the Loimaa Sports Center.
Volleyball: Hurrikaani Loimaa
Loimaa also has the Hurrikaani Loimaa volleyball club. This team regularly competes in international volleyball tournaments, including CLvolleyM, and in Finland's top league, the SM-league.
Notable People from Loimaa
Many interesting people have come from Loimaa. Here are a few:
- Alpo Jaakola
- Aimo Koivunen
- Reino Kuuskoski
- Nicolaus Rungius
- Olavi Ala-Nissilä
- Mauno Kurppa
- Arto Savonen
- Mato Valtonen
Loimaa's Global Connections
Loimaa has special connections with other towns around the world, called "twin towns" or "sister cities." These connections help promote friendship and understanding between different places.
Twin Towns
Loimaa is twinned with the following towns:
Uddevalla, Sweden
Skien, Norway
Jõhvi, Estonia
Staraya Russa, Russia (This partnership is currently paused due to recent events.)
Mosfellsbær, Iceland
Thisted Municipality, Denmark
Loimaa, Skien, Uddevalla, Thisted, and Mosfellsbær form a very old network of twin towns in the Nordic countries. This network is still active today, showing a long history of cooperation and friendship.
Images for kids
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The church of Loimaa Proper in Hirvikoski.
See also
In Spanish: Loimaa para niños
