Loimaa (; historical sv, Loimijoki) is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than city, cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares ...

and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality ...

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bo ...

. It is located in the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...

of Western Finland and is part of the

Southwest Finland Southwest Finland, calqued as Finland Proper ( fi, Varsinais-Suomi ; sv, Egentliga Finland), is a Regions of Finland, region in the southwest of Finland. It borders the regions of Satakunta, Pirkanmaa, Tavastia Proper, Tavastia Proper (Kanta-H ...

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

is . Loimaa's neighboring municipalities are Huittinen, Humppila, Koski Tl, Marttila, Oripää, Punkalaidun, Pöytyä, Somero,

Säkylä Säkylä is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Satakunta region, southeast of the city of Pori. The municipality has a population of () and the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water (). The population density ...

and

Ypäjä Ypäjä is a municipality located in the countryside of South-Western Finland. It belongs to the province of Southern Finland and the region of Tavastia Proper. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. ...

History

First mentions of Loimaa come from the year

1439 Year 1439 ( MCDXXXIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * May 4 – Battle of Grotnik: Władysław III's royal army defeats the Hussite m ...

but a parish was founded in the area already a decade earlier. The town was founded in its current form in 1876 as the railway between Turku and Toijala was completed. A legend of Prättäkitti is heavily associated with Loimaa. The town of Loimaa merged with Loimaan kunta (literally "Municipality of Loimaa") on January 1, 2005 and with the municipalities of Alastaro and Mellilä on January 1, 2009. The name ''Loimaa'' comes from the river

Loimijoki The river Loimijoki is a river in Finland and the longest tributary of the river Kokemäenjoki. The river originates at the lake Pyhäjärvi in Tammela and joins the river Kokemäenjoki in Huittinen. There is a difference in elevation between t ...

which flows through the town.

Politics

After the 2021 municipal election the municipal council of Loimaa is as follows: * The National Coalition Party and Christian Democrats formed an electoral alliance for the election.

Culture

A local speciality is , a version of

kama ''Kama'' (Sanskrit ) means "desire, wish, longing" in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh literature.Monier Williamsकाम, kāmaMonier-Williams Sanskrit English Dictionary, pp 271, see 3rd column Kama often connotes sensual pleasure, se ...

. ''Rompepäivät'' (lit. "junk days") is an annual event that takes place in August. It brings together trunk show enthusiasts selling both old and new merchandise as well as food and entertainment. The trunk show is located at the historic market square of Loimaa, now known as Peltoinen, and draws in 8,000–10,000 visitors. The local newspaper is called ''

Loimaan Lehti ''Loimaan Lehti'' is the local newspaper of Loimaa. The newspaper was first published in 1915 and today comes out on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. In addition to Loimaa itself, Loimaan Lehti covers also the municipalities of Oripää Orip ...

''. It first started publishing in 1915 and today comes out three times a week: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Subdivisions and villages

Alastaron-Mäenpää, Eura, Haara, Haaroinen, Haitula, Hartoinen, Hattula, Hirvikoski, Hurskala, Ilmarinen, Inkilä, Joenperä, Juva, Karhula, Karsattila, Kartanonmäki, Kauhanoja, Kemppilä, Kesärlä, Klockarla, Koenperä, Kojonkulma, Krekilä, Kuninkainen, Kurittula, Kuttila, Köyliö, Lappijoki, Levälä, Lähde, Metsämaa, Mäenpää, Niemi, Niinijoki, Onkijoki, Pahikainen, Pappinen, Peltoinen, Piltola, Puujalkala, Raikkola, Seppälä, Sieppala, Suopelto, Torkkala, Vesikoski, and Vilvainen.

Sights

* Alpo Jaakola Statue Park *Heikintalo bison farm *

The church of Loimaa Proper , native_name_lang = Kanta-Loimaan kirkko , image = Kanta-Loimaan kirkko2.jpg , caption = The church in 2016 , location = Loimaa , country = Finland , denomination = Lutheran , architect = Carlo Bassi Carl Ludvig EngelJosef Stenbäck , arc ...

*Loimaa regional museum *Mill of Krekilä *

Sarka Sarka ( fa, سركا, also Romanized as Sarkā; also known as Sarkā’) is a village in Birun Bashm Rural District, Kelardasht District Kelardasht District ( fa, بخش کلاردشت) is a district (bakhsh) in Chalus County, Mazandaran Pro ...

, The Finnish Museum of Agriculture *Mill of Vesikoski *

Loimaa railway station Loimaa railway station (Finnish ''Loimaan asema''; Swedish ''Loimaa station'') is located in the town of Loimaa, Finland. The station is located almost exactly halfway between the Turku Central and Toijala railway stations, making it an importa ...

Sports

The city is home to the Bisons Loimaa basketball club, 2012 and 2013 Champion of the

Korisliiga The Korisliiga is the top-tier professional basketball league in Finland, comprising the top 12 teams of the country. In its current format, each team plays all other teams two times in the regular season, once at home and once away, for a total o ...

. The club regularly qualifies for international competitions. It plays its home games at the ''Loimaa Sports Center'' and on some occasions moves to the Energia Areena. The city is also home to the

Hurrikaani Loimaa {{update, date=November 2018 Hurrikaani Loimaa is a Finnish volleyball team, located in Loimaa. Club play in highest level in Finland on volleyball, SM-league. History Hurrikaani Loimaa rise to Finland volleyball league season 2007. Club won 1 ...

volleyball club, regularly qualifies for international competitions such as CLvolleyM and SM-league.

Religion

The most popular religion among the inhabitants is the Evangelical Lutheranism: 4/5 of the local population is a member of the Loimaa Congregation, this has existed since 1420's. In total there are six lutheran churches scattered around the municipality's area. The following

Christian revival Christian revivalism is increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or society, with a local, national or global effect. This should be distinguished from the use of the term "revival" to refer to an evangeli ...

movements inside Lutheranism are represented in Loimaa: * ''Forssa-Loimaan Rauhanyhdistys'' (

Conservative Laestadianism Conservative Laestadianism is the largest branch of the Lutheran revival movement Laestadianism. It has spread to 16 countries. As of 2012 there were about 115,000 Conservative Laestadians, most of them in Finland, the United States, Norwa ...

): based in Loimaa. * ''The Lutheran Evangelical Association of Finland'' (evangelical movement) * ''Hyvän Paimenen luterilainen seurakunta'' ( Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland): founded in Loimaa in 2016. Other Christian denominations are Pentecostalists who are represented by a local association (Finnish ''Elävät Virrat ry'') since 2018. The Evangelical Free Church of Finland has an office in Loimaa, although it's managed from

Forssa Forssa is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located almost in the centre of a triangle defined by the three largest major cities in Finland (Helsinki, Turku and Tampere), in the Tavastia Proper region, and which is crossed by Highway 2 ...

. Inside the

Finnish Orthodox Church The Orthodox Church of Finland ( fi, Suomen ortodoksinen kirkko, lit=Finnish Orthodox Church; sv, Ortodoxa kyrkan i Finland, lit=Orthodox Church in Finland; ) is an autonomous Eastern Orthodox archdiocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Consta ...

Loimaa belongs to the congregation of

Turku Turku ( ; ; sv, Åbo, ) is a city and former capital on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Finland Proper (''Varsinais-Suomi'') and the former Turku and Pori Province (''Turun ja Porin lääni''; ...

and an Orthodox mass is held regularly in Loimaa. Apart from Christian denominations, Loimaa also hosts a

Kingdom Hall A Kingdom Hall is a place of worship used by Jehovah's Witnesses. The term was first suggested in 1935 by Joseph Franklin Rutherford, then president of the Watch Tower Society, for a building in Hawaii. Rutherford's reasoning was that these bu ...

of the

Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved ...

. There's also a Buddhist meditation center (

Mahayana ''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BCE onwards) and is considered one of the three main existing bra ...

and

Vajrayana Vajrayāna ( sa, वज्रयान, "thunderbolt vehicle", "diamond vehicle", or "indestructible vehicle"), along with Mantrayāna, Guhyamantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, are names referring t ...

) ran by the Buddhist Dharma Center in its

Tibet Art Center Tibet Art Center is an art museum in Alastaro, Loimaa, Finland in a building that was previously an elementary school. The art center also functions as a Buddhist dharma school, meditation center and yoga school. The art center is owned by a B ...

, which has bee a registered as a religious association since 1998.

Notable people

Alpo Jaakola Alpo Sakari Jaakola (1 April 1929 – 27 February 1997) was a Finnish painter and sculptor, known as the Shaman of Loimaa. He was one of the most important representatives of surrealism in Finland. Mysticism and absurdist humor Surreal humou ...

* Aimo Koivunen *

Reino Kuuskoski Reino Iisakki Kuuskoski (18 January 1907 – 27 January 1965) was a Finnish jurist, born in Loimaa. Kuuskoski was a member of the Agrarian League. He performed ministerial duties in Finland on two occasions. His first ministerial appointment wa ...

* Nicolaus Rungius *

Olavi Ala-Nissilä Olavi Oskari Ala-Nissilä (born August 2, 1949 in Loimaa kunta, Finland) is a Finnish politician. He has been an MP from 1991 to 2006 and was re-elected in 2015. Ala-Nissilä was a member of the European Court of Auditors in between 2006 and ...

Mauno Kurppa Mauno Johannes Kurppa (22 June 1927, in Loimaa – 30 January 1999) was a Finnish farmer, business executive and politician. He was a member of the Parliament of Finland, representing the Finnish Rural Party (SMP) from 1970 to 1972 and the Finnis ...

Arto Savonen Arto Savonen (born 30 September 1960) is a Finnish weightlifter. He competed in the men's heavyweight II event at the 1992 Summer Olympics The 1992 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1992, ca, Jocs Olímpics d'estiu de ...

* Mato Valtonen

International relations

Twin towns — sister cities

Loimaa is

twinned Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...

with the following towns. *

Uddevalla Uddevalla (old no, Oddevold) is a town and the seat of Uddevalla Municipality in Västra Götaland County, Sweden. In 2015, it had a population of 34 781. It is located at a bay of the south-eastern part of Skagerrak. The beaches of Uddevalla ...

, Sweden *

Skien Skien () is a city and municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county in Norway. In modern times it is regarded as part of the traditional region of Grenland, although historically it belonged to Grenmar/Skiensfjorden, while Grenland referred the ...

, Norway * Jõhvi, Estonia * Staraya Russa, Russia *

Mosfellsbær Mosfellsbær (, colloquially Mosó) is a town in south-west Iceland, east of the country's capital, Reykjavík. The town of Mosfellsbær is a 15-minute drive from midtown Reykjavík. The district includes the Leiruvogur cove, which forms part of ...

, Iceland * Thisted Municipality, Denmark Loimaa, Skien, Uddevalla, Thisted and Mostfellsbær form the oldest Nordic network of twin towns, which is still active.

References

External links

Town of Loimaa
– Official website {{authority control Cities and towns in Finland Populated places established in 1921