Laitila, town in the region of Southwest Finland, Finland
Laitila is a small town in Southwest Finland with around 8,500 residents spread across a large area containing fields, forests, and water bodies. The town sits along Highway 8 and features a simple layout with a central commercial area where shops and services are located, plus more than forty villages scattered throughout the municipality.
Laitila's history began about 5,000 years ago with fishermen and seal hunters, and later Scandinavian people settled during the Bronze Age, leaving behind stone cairns and bronze tools. In the Middle Ages, villages like Untamala and Kodjala formed, and the town became Christian early, with St Michael's Church completed in 1483.
The name Laitila reflects the region's deep connection to poultry farming and woodworking, symbolized by the rooster in the town coat of arms. Visitors can experience this heritage today through preserved farmyards, village churches, and local markets where traditional food and crafts remain central to community life.
Visitors can reach the town easily by car since it sits on Highway 8 and is close to larger cities like Rauma and Uusikaupunki. Local shops and services are available in the town center, and historical sites like the Kauppila farmyard and the archaeological center in Untamala are straightforward to visit.
The oldest glass object found in Finland, a Roman drinking horn, was discovered in the Soukais area, showing that the region had trade connections in ancient times. The Kodjalan warrior's grave mound from the Iron Age is also a rare record of these early links to the wider world.
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