Lohja

Lohja (Swedish: Lojo) is a town and municipality in Southern Finland.

Understand

Lohja has been a focal point for the population and economy of Western Uusimaa since the early 14th century. It was renowned as a trading centre in the Middle Ages. The local inhabitants were among the pioneers of the Finnish mining and construction material industries. During the Middle Ages, Lohja became an important center of Christianity, and several churches were built in the area, including the Lohja Church, which dates back to the 15th century. In the 16th century, the region became part of the Swedish Empire, and Lohja was granted town rights in 1623. In the 19th century, Lohja became an important center of industry, with several factories and mills being established in the area. The Tytyri Mine, which was one of the largest limestone mines in Finland, was also opened in Lohja in the late 19th century. During the early 20th century, Lohja underwent significant changes, with the construction of several new buildings and the expansion of the city's infrastructure. In the post-war era, Lohja continued to develop and modernize, with the establishment of new industries and the construction of new residential areas.

By Finnish standards, Lohja has long-established traditions in horticulture and especially in market gardening. These traditions are represented by the symbols of present-day Lohja: limestone and an apple.

Lohja has chosen to be officially bilingual, although the Swedish minority is small enough (4%) that this is not required by law.

Get in

Lohja can be reached by national road 1 (E18). There are frequent bus connections from Helsinki Kamppi terminal to Lohja (about 50 km). There are also connections from Raseborg, from or via the travel centre in Karis (300 m from the train station), from Ingå, and from Turku. See Matkahuolto.

Get around

By bus

See Matkahuolto for the coaches. Matkahuolto also has a route planner for local transport trips.

Service lines are complementary to public transport and open to everyone. The service line can be accessed along the route in places where it does not pose a dangerous situation from the point of view of traffic safety. The turn also deviates from an invitation or request to pick up and drop off a customer, if this is possible given the schedule. The routes circulate through the main service points, such as Lohja Hospital, health centers, service houses, libraries, post office and other public and commercial offices. You can find service traffic schedules and information on call traffic operating in the Karjalohja, Sammati, Nummi / Saukkola and Pusula areas on the public transport information pages. Dial-a-ride service from Lohja from Pusula and Nummi to the center of Lohja and to Karkkila.

By taxi

See Uusimaa#By taxi for information about companies and fares

See
  • 🌍 Hyrsylän Mutka, Hyrsyläntie 185 (near the Saukkola village), ☏ +358 40-5455-600, . Karelian-styled museum. €40. 
  • 🌍 Lohja museum (Lohjan Museo), Rovastinkatu 4. 
  • 🌍 The surroundings of Lohjanjärvi lake. 
  • 🌍 Lohja Church (Pyhän Laurin kirkko), Kirkkokatu 1, ☏ +358 50-475-7272. Daily May–Sep 09:00–16:00, Oct–Apr 10:00–14:00, closed for non-participants during ceremonies; services Su 10:00. The Gothic Church of St. Lawrence, from the 15th century. Free. 
  • 🌍 Nummi Church, Hyrsyläntie 185 (in the Nummi village). A neoclassical greystone church. €40. 
  • 🌍 Paikkari Cottage, Torpantie 20 (around 20 km northwest of central Lohja, in Sammatti village), ☏ +358 44-369-1309 (Lohja tourist info), . Childhood home of Elias Lönnrot, author of the Finnish national epic Kalevala. Entrance €3/2. 
  • 🌍 Tytyri Mine Experience, Kuilukatu 42 (from Lohja centre to bus stop Rautatienkatu), ☏ +358 44-369-1309, . The calcite mine in Tytyri near Lohja is open to visitors by guided tour (other languages than Finnish must be pre-booked). Minibuses take visitors 100 m underground where also a museum exhibiting the history of the mine is located. Adults €18, discount €15, children €10. 

Do
  • 🌍 Karkali Strict Nature Reserve. A herb-rich forest area on a peninsula in Lohjanjärvi. There are trails of ½ km to 6 km through the strict nature reserve. Swimming possible. The largest limestone cave in Finland, Torhola, 30 metres deep, is on the peninsula before the nature reserve. Avoid entering it in late autumn and winter though, not to disturb overwintering bats. The daily Lohja–Sammatti bus has a stop 8 km from the area. The area is easily reachable by bike (18 km from Lohja) or by boat. 
  • 🌍 St. Laurence Golf, Kaivurinkatu 133 (in the immediate vicinity of Highway 25 opposite the center of Lohja), ☏ +358 50 517 9982. 

Lohjanjärvi

🌍 Lohjanjärvi, the largest lake of Uusimaa. Rent a boat, canoe or SUP board, or go swimming.

  • Lake map. (updated Nov 2022)
  • Swim in Lohjanjärvi. Waters of the Lake Lohjanjärvi get nice and warm in the summertime and provide cooling and refreshment to locals and travellers alike. (updated Apr 2016)
  • 🌍 Skipperi city boats (Skipperi kaupunkiveneet), Laiturikatu 2. Three rowing boats and 2–3 motor boats for rent on the shores of Aurlahti. Boat reservations, commissioning and returns are done digitally with the Skipperi app. (updated Apr 2021)
  • 🌍 Fun4Rent, Laiturikatu 2, ☏ +358 41-501-6969, . SUP-boards, pedal boats, carts, jet skis and motor boats near Aurlahti beach are rented by Fun4Rent. You can also try Flyboard flying in the same place. (updated Apr 2021)
  • 🌍 Kisakallion Urheiluopisto, Kaarina Karin tie 4, ☏ +358 19 315-11. Rowing boats for rent. (updated Apr 2021)
  • 🌍 Pohjolan Tuvat, Honkaniemi 135, ☏ +358 50-371-2347. Rowing boats, optionally with electric motors, a fishing kayak (sit-on-top) with an electric outboard motor and SUP boards for hire. (updated Apr 2021)

Festivals
  • Rantajamit: . The biggest music festival in the Lohja calendar. Mid-July. (date needs fixing)

Buy

Climate, soil and roots of tradition of producing high quality apples and apple derived products go deep here. Apples and products refined from apples are good here.

  • Lohja market is in between Lohjantähti and bus station and is a bit of a thing in Lohja due to long trading traditions. Open Tu Th-Sa 07:00-14:00
  • 🌍 Lohjantähti shopping mall contains Alko, restaurants and shops
  • Prisma by the bus station and Citymarket just west of the city centre are well-stocked hypermarkets

Eat

Drink
  • Pub Wame (Wanha Mestari), Suurlohjankatu 4, ☏ +358 44 0275555. Timeless pub. Not the cheapest drinks but great opening hours and kitchen open week days 14:00-22:00. (updated Apr 2016)

Sleep
  • Matkakoti Linnakangas, Kauppakatu 3 (If you came by bus to the bus station then it is just across the street in front of the bus station), ☏ +358 19 324 488, . Matkakoti Linnakangas is centrally located just across the main street looking from the bus station. 17 rooms with 34 persons max capacity. Guest kitchen for the economising traveller. A timeless classic for the no-frills traveler with very attractive prices. economy. (updated Apr 2016)
  • 🌍 Gasthaus Lohja, Laurinkatu 1 (head west on Laurinkatu towards Virkkala; it is on your left side in the uphill, can't miss it), ☏ +358 19 331771, . Hotel, restaurant and bar a few hundred meters west from city center. Free wi-fi. Bar teracce has a view on the lake Lohjanjärvi. midprice. (updated Feb 2022)
  • 🌍 Lohja Spa & Resort, Ylhäntie 1, ☏ +358 30 608 40, . A spa hotel located at the western shore of the Lake Lohjajärvi in the Karjalohja town. midprice. (updated Feb 2022)

Connect
  • Prepaid data SIM cards are widely available from R-kiosk at reasonable prices. Customer convenience wifi is not very widespread in Finland except in traffic due to everyone having a data plan in their phone.

Go next
Routes through Lohja
Turku ← Salo ←  W  E  → Nuuksio → Helsinki


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