WELCOME TO NYKARLEBY

Welcome to Nykarleby - the town by the river - which was founded in 1620 by Gustaf II Adolf. In 1975 the rural communes of Munsala, Jeppo and Nykarleby were incorporated into the town. The population numbers approx. 8,000, the total area covers 814 sq.km. The majority of the inhabitants are Swedish speaking. The industrial structure is dominated by: agriculture and forestry (including fishing and fur farming):24,4 % industry: 28,8 % trade, communications and service: 44,1 % non classified industries: 2,7 %   Accomodation:

Sights

	St. Birgitta Church St. Birgitta Church, which lies by the bridge crossing the river of Nykarleby, is one of the most famous sights of the town. The church was built in 1708 and is considered one of the most beautiful in Ostrobothnia. The ceiling paintings in the church date from the 18th century and are the work of Daniel Hjulström and Johan Alm. The paintings on the windows behind the altar were painted by Lennart Segerstråhle in 1940. The church also has a Thelin organ from 1786.
	Kuddnäs Museum On January 14, 1818, Zacharias Topelius, one of Finland’s great authors, was born at Kuddnäs. Kuddnäs is now owned by the town of Nykarleby and since 1934 it has been a museum. In addition to the main buildings, there are also a baker’s cottage, a shed for carriages and a summer house. The museum is open to the public from May to August.
	Juthbacka Tourist Centre Juthbacka is a modern tourist centre in an old manorial environment. The main building at Juthbacka manor-house was built by lieutenant Carl Backman and was completed in 1821. The estate itself dates from the 17th century. Juthbacka Tourist Centre offers a restaurant, hotel rooms, camping site, summer cottages and sauna.
	Nykarleby Museum The Nykarleby Museum was established by Josef Herler (1886-1968), who collected many of the things himself during the 1950’s. The museum is furnished as a "borgarehem" (home of upperclass-people) to illustrate the trading and seafaring traditions of the old town. The museum is located in the former northern custom-house. The museum contains a unique collection of dresses worn by the upperclasses in Nykarleby in the 19th century. A technical museum also belongs to the museum, which has artifacts such as a printingpress, etc.
	Brostugan (The Bridge cottage) Brostugan was built at the same time as a new bridge was built across the river in 1817. Brostugan was the bridge guard’s home in the 19th century. The bridge guard’s task was to collect a bridge fee from everyone who did not live in the town before they passed the bridge. Brostugan is owned by the town of Nykarleby and a summer café is housed there now. Brostugan is especially popular and known for its wall paintings, the work of Gunnar Clement in 1941, with subjects from the history of the town. Brostugan is one of the town’s historically valuable buildings.
	The monument of G.C von Döbeln The monument of G.C von Döbeln was erected in remembrance of Major-General Georg Carl von Döbeln, who led the battle of Jutas on 13th September 1808, when the Russian army was beaten off. The battle is widely known through the poem of J.L Runeberg called ”Döbeln vid Jutas” (= Döbeln at Jutas) in the ”Fänrik Ståls sägner” (= the legends of Second Lieutenant Stål). The monument can be seen at the battlefield about 3 km outside the town.
	The Church of Munsala The beautiful grey granite church in Munsala dates from 1784 and has the oldest organ in use in the whole country. It was built in 1736 by Ericus German, restored and reconsecrated in 1974. In the church there is also a fine wooden sculpture of Bishop Henrik
	The School museum - Svedbergs School An important forerunner within education is Anders Svedberg’s elementary school in Munsala, founded in 1862. The school was the first elementary school in Swedish-speaking Finland, and teachers were also trained there. Pupils came from all over Ostrobothnia, from Åland and Petersburg. The schoolhouse is preserved and Finland’s Swedish School Museum has taken care of it and also published a history of the school.
	The Church in Jeppo The cruciform wooden church in Jeppo was built in 1861. It houses a Thelin-organ from 1770, decorated with wooden sculptures. The oldest sculpture represents King David and dates back to late Catholic times i.e. to the 15th century. The altar piece is painted by Alexandra Såltin and represents Mary Magdalena by the empty grave on Easter morning.
	The Local History Museum in Jeppo The Local History Museum in Jeppo is owned by the regional history society in Jeppo which has wished to preserve and document a peasant’s home from the last century. The local history museum is open to the public in summer. The regional history society usually arranges a festival or a handicraft day in summer. There is also a local history museum in Munsala owned by a regional history society

The Nykarleby Railroad In 1889, the City of Nykarleby received a tentative certificate of operation for a narrow gauge railroad. The plan was to connect the mainline station of Kovjoki to the city of Nykarleby and its harbour at the Baltic. Three years later, a 12,3 km long 600 mm gauge railway could open. The rolling stock, consisting of two Baldwin locomotives of US origin, three passanger cars and some ten freight cars, was used until the entire railroad was closed and sold in 1916. In 1986, the Local History and Preservation Society of Kovjoki decided to revivea 2 km section of the old narrow gauge. this was the start of the Nykarleby Railroad project. Many of the Society members are taking active part in the operation an maintenance of the line, as well as in the restoration of the growing number of locomotives and cars. All member efforts are voluntary; a natural preresquisite for the success of the project. Welcome to Nykarleby Railroad by the Kovjoki mainline station! Make an excursion aboard our historical trains and enjoy the scenic route! It´s an experience you´ll never forget! Further information can be obtained from: Nykarleby Jernväg, Kovjoki station, SF-66930 Kovjoki, Finland.

You can also read pages of SuomiOpas