Sights in Merimasku

 

Fields with islets of forest, beautiful meadows and old pasture grounds with junipers are part of the cultural landscape of Merimasku. The seashores with boathouses show how important fishing used to be in Merimasku.

 

Kollola

 

Kollola was first mentioned as a crofter's cottage on the Isotalo farm in the 1820's. The first telephone exchange in Merimasku, which operated until 1945, was set up in the kitchen of the small Kollola house. Both the old exterior and the interior of the building are very well preserved. Nowadays Kollola is  run by the Merimasku-Seura association.

 

 

Kräkilä mill

 

The old windmill was probably built in 1777 and it has been preserved on its original site. The old mill hill was bare, but nowadays the hill is covered with pines. The Kräkilä mill is one of the oldest buildings in Merimasku. The mill can be seen behind the fields on the right side after the bend in the road near the vicarage. The Kräkilä mill was renovated by volunteers from the Merimasku-Seura association.

 

 

The ancient graves of Villivuori

 

Villivuori is very significant in the cultural history of Merimasku. The ice age and the post-glacialphases of sea have left their marks on the Villivuori landscape. After the ice age Villivuori was a bare outer islet, but the ancient barrows show that there was settlement in the area in as early as the Bronze Age in 1500-300 B.C..

 

Archaeological findings indicate that the people in the Merimasku area in the Bronze Age lived in settled dwellings with walls made of wood and clay and roofs made of straw or reed. Fishing, sealing and fowling were the main sources of livelihood, but also agriculture was practised to some extent.

 

 

Merimasku church

 

The first wooden church in Merimasku was built in 1648 next to the church sound, by the waterway. During the Great Northern War and the period of the Great Hate the church fell into disrepair and was demolished. In 1726 the present church was built on the same spot. The wooden cross-shaped church is the sixth oldest wooden church still in use in Finland. The old graveyard was surrounded by a log fence already in the 19th century. A new fence of the same model was built in the summer of 1995. Five gates lead to the old graveyard, and one of the entrances takes you through a historic gatehouse, where the logs of the walls date back to the 18th century. The gatehouse served as a common meeting place, and the official announcements of the dependent parish were on view. The gatehouse and the fence have separated the holy from the everyday life.

 

 

The vicarage

 

The present vicarage was built in 1913. Also the previous vicarage was situated in the same location. In 1937 the Heikkola curate's residence was assigned as the minister's residence and was named Kirkkoheikola. The timbered red ochered loft building from 1835 is an essential part of the courtyard. The impressive vicarage building is architecturally significant and it is located in a beautiful landscape.