Pyhtää

Place Worth Visiting
The earliest mention of Pyhtää dates back to the year 1347. The economic development of the region was influenced by the proximity of the sea and the river Kymijoki, as well as "The Great Coastal Road" - the post and army tract from Turku to Vyborg, built in the early Middle Ages.

Pyhtää is located in the River Kymijoki delta area, creating a waterway that provided a natural environment for the development of trade. The Kaunissaari Island and the hikers and skiers’ favorite – Valkmusa National Park– are sure to raise your pulse rate. The National Park is a unique piece of wilderness. It includes Munasuo, which is Finland’s largest raised bog, and Kananiemensuo known for its wet mire habitat, which should you be interested in scientific details! Nature lover or not, the marshlands are as breathtakingly beautiful as Lapland.

Pyhtää is one of the oldest municipalities in Finland, approaching the 700-year milestone. Perhaps its age and everything Pyhtää has gone through combined with modern management as well as wisdom and ability to cooperate has in turn made the medieval municipality modern and full of vitality and energy. Pyhtää is always ready for new challenges and obstacles will not make it give up. At these hoodz you can go indoor skydiving or surfing, visit a wildlife nursery, or sign up for a yoga retreat, as well as sleep in a covered hammock Tentsile on an island with endless beaches in the middle of the Baltic Sea.

The municipality covers an area of ​​780 km2, of which 325 km2 is land area, the sea takes about 446 km2 and inland waters employ about 9 km2. The population of Pyhtää is over 5000 people. The Swedish-speaking population amounts up to about 8%, so Pyhtää can be considered the easternmost bilingual municipality of the country.

In co-operation with Visit Kotka-Hamina, we welcome You to Pyhtää!

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Kohokohtia

Kaunissaari Island

Wildlife & Nature

Kaunissaari island is a popular holiday resort and an idyllic fisherman’s village located within an hour’s trip from Kotka. Dry peaty forests are characteristic of Kaunissaari and fine sandy beaches for its Nothern and Eastern coasts. On the island, there are the archipelago museum, shop, cafe, summer restaurant, cottages, and camping possibility. You can reach Kaunissaari throughout the year by commuter ferry from Kotka.

Valkmusa National Park

Wildlife & Nature

Valkmusa's extensive natural open bogs give visitors a chance to wind down and see, hear, smell and even taste nature all around. The marsh environment of the national park is exceptionally representative in terms of Southern Finland. Look out for wetland birds and fluttering marshland butterflies, especially in spring and summer when the air is filled with birdsong. Find tasty cranberries growing among the bog moss. Life in the area can also be viewed from an observation tower.

Mediaval Church of St Henry

History & Architecture

Dating back to around 1460, the Pyhtää Church was built at the junction of the Pyhtää branch of the River Kymijoki and the Great Shore Road from Turku to Vyborg, the King's Road. The interior architecture with its special pillars and vault solutions is worth seeing. The vaults of the three-nave church hall and the walls feature medieval decorative painting. The north wall of the church has an illustration of Saint Christopher, the patron saint of all travellers. Medieval decoration is preserved in the altarpiece and five wooden sculptures.

Stockfors Groundwood Mill Area

Arts & Culture

The historical Stockfors groundwood mill area has its origins in 1902, when Ole Nerdrum and Olaf Bulow established a wood pulp mill on the area. Stockfors Oy Ab was at that time one of Finland's largest mechanical pulp mills producing pulp for paper industry and export. In the summer, the Stockfors Art Fair gathers the latest winds of art in the impressive halls of the old mill area. There is also a hotel Stockfors Patruunantalo (open on request), Package Museum and a Go-Carting track on the area.

Kymijoki River

Outdoor & Sports

Kymijoki is the mainstream of southern Finland, which offers a great setting for nature experiences. Landscapes range from possible wilderness areas to cereal groves and rural village landscapes. If one is looking for peace, adventures, canoeing, rafting, fishing, or water sports, it is guaranteed to be found in the rapids of the Kymijoki River. There are several places worth mentioning along the river, such as Hirvikoski, Ironworks Strömfors and Stockfors and the only hand-operated canal lock, Struka Lock in Pyhtää, just to mention a few.