Sastamala facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sastamala
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Town
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| Sastamalan kaupunki Sastamala stad |
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Onkiniemenkatu in Vammala, an administrative centre of Sastamala.
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| Nickname(s):
Book Capital of Finland
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Location of Sastamala in Finland
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| Country |  Finland |
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| Region | Pirkanmaa | |
| Sub-region | South Western Pirkanmaa sub-region | |
| Charter | 2009 | |
| Seat | Vammala | |
| Area
(2018-01-01)
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| • Total | 1,531.75 km2 (591.41 sq mi) | |
| • Land | 1,429.12 km2 (551.79 sq mi) | |
| • Water | 96.14 km2 (37.12 sq mi) | |
| Area rank | 49th largest in Finland | |
| Population
(2023-12-31)
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| • Total | 23,515 | |
| • Rank | 44th largest in Finland | |
| • Density | 16.45/km2 (42.6/sq mi) | |
| Population by native language | ||
| • Finnish | 96.7% (official) | |
| • Swedish | 0.2% | |
| • Others | 3.2% | |
| Population by age | ||
| • 0 to 14 | 14.3% | |
| • 15 to 64 | 55.5% | |
| • 65 or older | 30.2% | |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) | |
Sastamala is a town in Finland. It's located in the Pirkanmaa region. The town is on both sides of the Kokemäenjoki River. It's in the southwest part of Pirkanmaa. About 24,000 people live in Sastamala. It is the 44th most populated town in Finland.
Sastamala covers an area of 1,531.75 square kilometres (591.41 sq mi). About 96.14 km2 (37.12 sq mi) of this area is water. This makes it the largest town in the Pirkanmaa region by size. The town speaks only Finnish.
Sastamala was formed in 2009. This happened when the towns of Vammala, Äetsä, and Mouhijärvi joined together. Later, in 2013, Kiikoinen also became part of Sastamala. Today, Sastamala is next to towns like Huittinen, Hämeenkyrö, and Nokia. The big city of Tampere is about 51 kilometers (32 miles) away. The main center of Sastamala is Vammala.
Two main roads go through Sastamala. These are Highway 11, which connects Pori and Nokia, and Highway 12, which links Rauma and Kouvola.
Contents
Town Symbols: Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for Sastamala used to belong to the old town of Karkku. It was approved in 1963. This symbol reminds us of the St. Mary Church of Sastamala from the 1300s. The coat of arms shows a golden cross with a special edge on a blue background. Lauri Ahlgrén designed it.
A Look Back: Sastamala's History
Ancient Times
In Ristimäki, Vammala, there's an old stone grave from the 300s AD. It had swords and shows that people living here long ago were quite wealthy. This grave is special because it's the only one of its kind found inland. Later, around the Vendel Period, more burial sites appeared in Sastamala. This suggests that more people were living in the area.
First Mention
The name Sastamala was first written down around the year 1300. It appeared as Sastamall in a letter from King Birger Magnusson. The area of Sastamala used to be the biggest parish in the historical region of Satakunta.
Exploring Sastamala: Geography
Sastamala is split by the Kokemäki River. It also has several important lakes. These include Lake Liekovesi, Lake Rautavesi, and Lake Kulovesi. Other big lakes are Lake Houha and Lake Kiikoinen.
Sastamala has 161 villages. Most of the people in Sastamala live in these villages or in the countryside. The villages are grouped into more than 40 village associations.
How Sastamala Works: Economy
In 2015, Sastamala had over 8,400 jobs. Most jobs were in services, like shops and offices. About 27% of jobs were in making things, like factories. A small part, about 8.5%, was in farming, forestry, and fishing.
Some of the biggest companies that pay taxes in Sastamala include Partnos, which designs buildings. Teknikum makes rubber and plastic products. There's also a company that makes parts for heating systems.
Fun in Sastamala: Culture and Sights
Sastamala is known for its love of literature. Every summer, the town hosts the Old Literature Days, a big book festival. In 2011, the Finnish Book Museum Pukstaavi opened in Sastamala. This museum helps people learn about Finnish books and encourages reading. Pukstaavi is a national museum that shares the story of Finnish books. In 2013, Sastamala was even called the "book capital of Finland."
Places to Visit and Events
- Vanhan kirjallisuuden päivät: A popular book festival.
- Sastamala Gregoriana: An early music festival.
- Skicenter Ellivuori: A place for skiing.
- Pirunvuori: Also known as "Devil's Mountain."
- St. Olaf's Church: A historic church.
- Herra Hakkaraisen talo: A fun house for children.
- Culturehouse Jaatsi: A local cultural center.
- Lakeside Golf Vammala: A golf course.
- Sarkia museum: A museum.
- Keikyä museum: Another local museum.
- Kokemäki River: Great for enjoying nature.
Sports in Sastamala
VaLePa is a volleyball club from Sastamala. It was started in 1978. Their main team plays in the top Finnish Volleyball League. VaLePa has won the Finnish championship six times. They won in 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021. They have also won silver and bronze medals in other years.
Sastamala Around the World: Twin Towns
Sastamala has special friendships with other towns around the world. These are called twin towns or sister cities.
Skövde, Sweden
Ringsted, Denmark
Halden, Norway
Kashin, Russia
Kuressaare, Estonia
Vásárosnamény, Hungary
See also
In Spanish: Sastamala para niños
