Laukaa

Laukaa (Swedish: Laukas) is a municipality of Finland.

Laukaa

Laukas
Municipality
Laukaan kunta
Laukas kommun
Leppävesi is one of many lakes in Laukaa.
Coat of arms
Location of Laukaa in Finland
Coordinates: 62°25′N 025°57′E
Country Finland
RegionCentral Finland
Sub-regionJyväskylä sub-region
Charter1593
Government
 • Municipal managerJaakko Kiiskilä
Area
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total825.59 km2 (318.76 sq mi)
 • Land648.53 km2 (250.40 sq mi)
 • Water177.09 km2 (68.37 sq mi)
Area rank133rd largest in Finland
Population
 (2020-07-31)[2]
 • Total18,877
 • Rank62nd largest in Finland
 • Density29.11/km2 (75.4/sq mi)
Population by native language
 • Finnish99.2% (official)
 • Swedish0.1%
 • Others0.7%
Population by age
 • 0 to 1421.4%
 • 15 to 6464.3%
 • 65 or older14.3%
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)
Municipal tax rate[5]20%
Websitewww.laukaa.fi

It is located next to Jyväskylä and is part of the Central Finland region. The municipality has a population of 18,877 (31 July 2020)[6] and covers an area of 825.59 square kilometres (318.76 sq mi) of which 177.09 km2 (68.37 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 29.11 inhabitants per square kilometre (75.4/sq mi).

Neighbouring municipalities are Hankasalmi, Jyväskylä, Konnevesi, Toivakka, Uurainen and Äänekoski.

The municipality is unilingually Finnish.

There are all together 129 lakes in Laukaa. Biggest lakes in Laukaa are Lievestuoreenjärvi, Kuusvesi, Leppävesi and Lake Uurainen.[7]

Some villages

Lankamaa, Leinola, Leppävesi, Lievestuore, Metsolahti, Saarilampi, Simuna, Tarvaala, Tervatehdas, Tiituspohja, Vehniä, Vuontee, Vihtasilta, Vihtavuori and Äijälä.

Saraakallio Stone Age rock paintings
Saraakallio.
A rock painting in Saraakallio.
Kuusaankoski rapid.

Saraakallio, the largest Stone Age rock painting site of Fennoscandia is located in Laukaa. The paintings consists of over 100 figures. The oldest paintings are about 6 600 years old. The most common themes in Saraakallio paintings are deer, human, and boat figures. Saraakallio rock paintings are made by using red paint, which is made of hematite-containing soil mixed presumably with blood, urea and eggs.[8]

Keitele Canal

Three of the five locks on the Keitele Canal (Kuusa, Kuhankoski and Kapeenkoski) are located in Laukaa. The canal route combines Lake Päijänne and Lake Keitele. The canal route was finished in 1994. Its original purpose was serving log floating. Nowadays the route is used by inland ships and boaters.[9]

The construction of the canal was executed by the Russian Zarubezhtransstroi Company on a "turn key" basis in 1990-1994. The total length of the Keitele-Paijanne canal is 48 km out of which 2.5 km is canal section. Rest of the route follows river's natural water flow.[10]

Kuusankoski, Kuhankoski and Kapeenkoski are also famous recreational fishing places. The local theatre, Kuusan Kanavateatteri, Kuusa Canal Theatre, is active all year round giving performances in the restored building dating from the year 1914. In summer the Kuusa Canal forms a unique backdrop setting for the outdoor stage. The seating area is designed for 650 people and is covered with a canopy.[11]

Museums in Laukaa
  • Laukaa Museum Village, Kalluntalo, is an open-air museum located in the centre of Laukaa, on the southern hillside of the Laukaa church. The premises of the open-air museum include a croft, a main residential building from the 18th century, and six other wooden folk buildings from the Laukaa area.
  • Hartikka Stone Age Residential Area is located in Tarvaala, 10 km from the centre of Laukaa. The items found in the area, mainly in graves, are estimated to be from the time period of 6000 to 4000 B.C. and indicate that this had been a hunting community. One of the oldest church sites and graveyards in Central Finland, Hartikan kirkkomaa, is located right next to the Stone Age residential area of Hartikka.
  • Croft of Hartikka, Hartikan Torppa, a home museum at Laukkavirta Village.
  • Dugout Museum, Korsumuseo, in Peurunka.
  • Kankaanpää Home Museum at Laukaan Asemankylä. The museum buildings and items on display are mainly from the 19th century farm house residence.

[12]

Twin towns - sister cities

Laukaa is twinned with:[13]

People born in Laukaa
  • Hitonhauta Nature Reserve
  • Kuhankoski Canal
  • Kuhankoski Hydroelectric power plant
  • Laukaa is hosting many rallying events.
  • Lievestuore railway station
  • Lake Saraavesi
  • Peurunka Spa
  • A moose in a rock painting in Saraakallio
  • Laukaa Library
  • Apartment buildings in Vihtavuori

See also

References
  1. "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. "Suomen virallinen tilasto (SVT): Väestön ennakkotilasto [verkkojulkaisu]. Heinäkuu 2020" (in Finnish). Statistics Finland. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  3. "Population according to language and the number of foreigners and land area km2 by area as of 31 December 2008". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
  4. "Population according to age and gender by area as of 31 December 2008". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
  5. "List of municipal and parish tax rates in 2011". Tax Administration of Finland. 29 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  6. "Population by municipality as of 31 December 2006". Population Information System (in Finnish and Swedish). Population Register Center of Finland. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  7. "Laukaa". Järviwiki. Finland's Environmental Administration. 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  8. "Visiting Saraakallio rock paintings". University of Jyväskylä. 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  9. "Via Keitele Canal from Lake Päijänne to Lake Keitele". Päijännettä Pohjoiseen. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  10. "Keitele-Paijanne Canal in Finland". Construction Experience. Zarubezhtransstroi Company. 2007. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  11. "Keitele Canal and fishing in Laukaa". www.laukaa.fi. Laukaa Municipality. 2012. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  12. "Museums in Laukaa". www.laukaa.fi. Laukaa Municipality. 2012. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  13. "Ystävyyskunnat". laukaa.fi (in Finnish). Laukaa. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
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