Lavia is a rural village and former municipality in Satakunta, Finland, today part of Pori.

Understand

A village road of Lavia

The name Lavia first appears in the district protocols of a dispute between the people of Mouhijärvi and Noormarkku concerning certain fishing waters and meadows at the end of the 14th century. According to the 1540 land register, there were eight houses in the Lavia area. From the 1830s onwards, large quantities of planks were sawn and transported from Lavia to Pori, and Lavia was also the stage for planks of planks from further inland.

The population of Lavia grew very rapidly in the second half of the 19th century. In the early 20th century, Lavia was one of the largest croft areas in the country. In 1945, the population was almost 6,000, but in 1970 it was only 3,715. The migrants from the municipality have been mainly young, and migration has previously been mainly to Pori, and later to Tampere and the Helsinki metropolitan area. Due to the long-term poor economic situation in the municipality, a special study on the municipal association had to be started in 2013 in Lavia. Lavia was merged with the city of Pori on 1 January 2015.

Characterized today as "Järvi-Pori" (literally the "Pori Lake Area"), Lavia is located in the middle of the lakes, in the peace of the countryside. The people of Lavia bring the purity, tranquility and closeness to nature to the best of their area. The shores of Lake Lavijärvi and Lake Velhonnokka, as well as the Huuhkajavuori hill, are examples of stunning rural scenery, not to mention fields and forests. Lavia is also known for its active village activities.

Get in

Teboil filling station along the Highway 44

Lavia's main route is Highway 44, which provides access to Lavia from the southern part of Sastamala in Pirkanmaa and from Kauhajoki in Southern Ostrobothnia.

By bus

Local bus route 69 of Porin Linjat connects Lavia with Pori. During the school year there is also a connection from Vammala. For timetables of long-distance coaches, see Matkahuolto.

Get around

By taxi

See Satakunta#By_taxi

• Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi

See

Lavia Church

• 1 Lavia Church (Lavian kirkko), Tampereentie 28. A wooden church 1823, designed by Juha Köhlström. The church was originally built without official permission, which was not granted until June 10, 1823. The unofficial inauguration of the church was held on the 6th of the following month, while the official inauguration was in July of the following year. The 8-voice organ, built by Bror Axel Thulé, was commissioned by Lavia Church in 1896, and in 1918 it was renovated to 12 voices. (updated Feb 2022)
• 2 Lavia Chapel (Lavian kappeli), Kirkkopolku 18. (updated Feb 2022)
• 3 Velhonvuori Falls (Velhonvuoren putous), Tampereentie 222. A small creek-waterfall located in Lavia. The waterfall babbles down the rocky cliff of Velhonvuori Hill. After the fall, the water flows under the road in a drainpipe to the nearby Lake Lavijärvi. The waterfall has an old vulgar name Velhonvittu, based on local folklore. According to some sources, the falls are also known as Velhon uitto. The height of the waterfall is about five metres. Nowadays, Velhonvuori Falls is a well-known nature sight. (updated Feb 2022)
• 4 Lavia Local Museum (Lavian kotiseutumuseo), Tampereentie 26, ☏ +358 40 7275828. The museum's exhibition presents life of the local people with the help of household utensils and agricultural tools. (updated Feb 2022)
• 5 Bus and Basket Industry Museum (Linja-auto- ja koriteollisuusmuseo), Tampereentie 14, ☏ +358 40 9322997. (updated Feb 2022)

Do

• 1 Takamaa Park (Takamaan puisto). A park with a playground. (updated Feb 2022)

Buy

• 1 Sale Lavia, Tampereentie 5-7. A grocery store. (updated Feb 2022)
• 2 Sinikan puoti, Porintie 3. Clothing and handicraft store. (updated Feb 2022)
• 3 Lihakauppa Kuusikko, Nahkurintie 1. A butcher's shop. (updated Feb 2022)

Eat

• 1 Lunch Café & Catering Mintunlehti (Lounas-kahvila & Pitopalvelu Mintunlehti), Tampereentie 9, ☏ +358 50 324 4066, lounas.mintunlehti@gmail.com. Mintunlehti is cozy lunch café. Self-baked pastries, changing home-cooked lunch during the week, pizza baked in a stone oven. (updated Feb 2022)
• 2 Restaurant Cat (Ravintola Cat), Tampereentie 3, ☏ +358 40 1865150. (updated Feb 2022)

Drink

• 1 Lavian Kahvibaari, Tampereentie 4, ☏ +358 2 5571612. A café. (updated Feb 2022)

Go next

• Pori
• Sastamala

Routes through Lavia

Kauhajoki ← Kankaanpää ←

N  S

→ Kiikka (Sastamala) → END