Picturesque Ironworks of Finland South Coast
The first ironworks and blast furnaces were built in Finland in the 16th century. They manufactured mostly iron and copper products. Typically a complete village community grew around the ironworks. Built near rapids and rivers, today many of original 134 ironworks have been restored and offer beautiful landscapes and living societies to visit.
1. Fiskars
Fiskars is the best known of a number of ironworks villages that were established in the early 17th century to the Pohja area. A crushing mill was established by the lower rapids in 1649, with a blastfurnace on the opposite bank. The founder of Fiskars ironworks was the Dutch businessman Peter Thorwöste, who was allowed by Queen Christina of Sweden to manufacture cast iron and forged products, with the exception of cannons.The Russian occupation of Finland (the Great Wrath) affected also Fiskars. Nearby was a center of Russian civilian and military administration, and in 1713 the ironwork ...
2. Strömfors Ironworks
Photo from Flickr, copyright Thomas Gartz
Strömfors Ironworks is one of the oldest in Finland. It was founded in 1695 by Johan Creuz. The ironworks was renamed to Strömfors in 1744, when A. Nohrström and J. Forsell acquired the site and business. They also expanded Strömfors by building a new forge and sawmill.In 1790, the iron works got a new manager, the 31-year-old Virginia af Forselles, who managed Strömfors Iron Works for almost 60 years. A large part of the well-kept environment and constructions currently on display at the iron works are from this period.The iron manufacturing ended in 1950 and sawmill business couple of y ...
3. Mustio Manor
Mustio manor ("Mustio Castle", "Svartå Slott") was built in 1783-1792 by Magnus Linder, the owner of the local ironworks. There had been an older manor from the 17th century, but it was dismantled when the present one was built. The manor represents the neoclassical ("kustavilainen") architecture.Today Mustio is a countryside hotel. There are also the old ironworks and one of the biggest private historical parks of Finland.
4. Fagervik
Fagervik ironworks, one of the oldest in Finland, was founded in 1646. The ironworks consisted of two iron forges and one blast furnace. The remarkable rococo-style manor was built in 1773 by Johan Hisinger. It’s located near the "King’s Way", a road from Turku to Vyborg. Both Gustav III (the king of Sweden) and Alexander I (the tzar of Russia) have stood overnight in Fagervik. The large baroque-style park with the Chinese pavilion surrounds the manor. It was built by Mikael Hisinger in the end of the 18th century.There’s also a privately owned church built in 1737 and several small labo ...
5. Billnäs
Photo from Flickr, copyright Frabjous Daze
Billnäs ironworks was founded in 1641 by Carl Billsten. It faced many difficulties during 17th and 18th century. Local peasants destroyed the ironworks already in 1659 because of too heavy taxation. During the Great Wrath Russians occupied and destroyed it again in the 18th century.Billnäs Ironworks moved to Hisinger family's possession in 1723. Bar hammer workshops with forges and waterwheels, and coal rooms were built to both sides of the rapids in Billnäs Ironworks. Johan Hisinger was especially active in building and developing the Ironworks’ operations. Billnäs manufactured many kin ...
6. Mathildedal Ironworks
Photo from Flickr, copyright Karvosen Aki
Mathildedal is one of the three Teijo area ironworks villages. It offers all the elements of an idyllic environment: Wooden houses painted with traditional red paint, buildings of the ironwork, history, culture, nature and of course the living village itself.
The origins of Mathildedal ironworks go back to 1686. Mr Lorenz Creutz from Teijo was granted a right to build a forgery in Hummeldal.
In 1825 Mr Robert Bremer discovered ironstone in the ground starting the glory days for Hummeldal factory and the whole area. His son Viktor Zebor Bremer continued running the ironworks after him.
The l ...
7. Teijo Ironworks
Photo from Flickr, copyright Caj Koskinen
Teijo ironworks was established in 1686 to the lands of old Teijo manor by Lorentz Creutz. The industrial work ended in 1908, but today there still exists old buildings, restaurant and fascinating manor building and park. The manor is privately owned, but you can walk the road adjacent to it.
Teijo church on the hill near the manor is the smallest stone church in Finland. It was built in 1830.