Details
Founded: 1703Category: Industrial sites in Finland
Historical period: Swedish Empire (Finland)
User Reviews
The ironworks in Kimo was founded by Petter Heijke in 1703. Petter Heijke chose the place because there was an enough deep harbour in Oravainen, waterpower and wood for making charcoal. The ore was brought from Utö in the southern Baltic sea and from Herräng mines in Roslagen. In Kimo it was forged into iron-pigs. The iron-pigs were then tranported further up the river to the forges in Kimo where it was refined into iron-bars.
Kimo was acquired by captain Lars Magnus Björkman in 1818. He renewed ironworks strongly and built for example a lighthouse to the Stubben island. Iron manufacturing ended in 1890s and the factory site started textile business. The heyday of textile manufacturing in Oravainen was in 1920s-1930s.
The original ironworks site and buildings are well-preserved. Today the Kimo Ironworks includes three hammersmith´s workshops: the Lower Mill, the Middle Mill and the Upper Mill. The Lower Mill is the centre of the museum exhibiting the the iron manufacturing. The museum and art gallery are open on order or when there are events arranged on the site. There are also a café and restaurant. Several events are arranged in the ironworks area during the summer season.
Trenčín Castle is relatively large renovated castle, towering on a steep limestone cliff directly above the city of Trenčín. It is a dominant feature not only of Trenčín, but also of the entire Považie region. The castle is a national monument.
History of the castle cliff dates back to the Roman Empire, what is proved by the inscription on the castle cliff proclaiming the victory of Roman legion against Germans in the year 179.
Today’s castle was probably built on the hill-fort. The first proven building on the hill was the Great Moravian rotunda from the 9th century and later there was a stone residential tower, which served to protect the Kingdom of Hungary and the western border. In the late 13th century the castle became a property of Palatine Matúš Csák, who became Mr. of Váh and Tatras.
Matúš Csák of Trenčín built a tower, still known as Matthew’s, which is a dominant determinant of the whole building.