Pyhämaa | |
|---|---|
Former municipality | |
| Pyhämaan kunta Pyhämaa kommun | |
 Coat of arms | |
 Location of Pyhämaa inFinland | |
| Coordinates:60°57′06″N21°21′58″E / 60.9517319°N 21.3661943°E /60.9517319; 21.3661943 | |
| Country | Finland |
| Province | Turku and Pori Province |
| Region | Finland Proper |
| Established | 1906 |
| Merged intoUusikaupunki | 1974 |
| Area | |
| • Land | 73.6 km2 (28.4 sq mi) |
| Population (1973-12-31) | |
• Total | 848 |
Pyhämaa is a village and aformer municipality ofFinland in the formerTurku and Pori Province, now in theFinland Proper region. It was consolidated with the town ofUusikaupunki in 1974.
The territory of Pyhämaa mainly consists of islands as well as former islands that have fused with the mainland due topost-glacial rebound. It is located in theBothnian Sea.
The municipality bordered Uusikaupunki,Kalanti andPyhäranta, before 1969 alsoUudenkaupungin maalaiskunta.
Pyhämaa literally means "holy land". According to folk stories, the island was known asPahamaa (evil land) as it was said to be inhabited by evil spirits, pirates and criminals untilIsaacus Rothovius, bishop of Turku, ordered the establishment of a church in the 17th century.
According to Veikko Paasio, this story is a later invention and the island has never been calledPahamaa. He notes that many toponyms with the wordpyhä have referred to remote locations, with the island of Pyhämaa being far away from the early population centers ofUntamala (Laitila) andKalanti. The wordpyhämaa has also referred to a sacrificial grove.[1] Still, the use of the wordpaha in Finnish toponyms is not unheard of, asPyhäjärvi Ul has also been known asPahajärvi.
In standard Finnish, only the wordmaa in the name is subject to declension (e.g. the genitive isPyhämaan), but locally the wordpyhä is also affected (e.g. the inessive isPyhäsmaas, standardPyhässämaassa).[1]
The first permanent settlers came to Pyhämaa in the 11th century.[4]
Pyhämaa was initially a part of theLaitila parish. It was first mentioned in 1540 asPyhema. Pyhämaa became a separate parish in 1639. The chapel community of Rohdainen was established in 1688, becoming the center of the parish in 1782. Pyhämaa was also calledPyhämaan Luoto at that time, while the main parish was calledPyhämaan Rohdainen. The areas of Kammela, Edväinen and Kukainen were transferred fromKalanti to Pyhämaan Luoto in 1863. Pyhämaa became separate again in 1908, while Rohdainen was renamedPyhäranta, a name that was likely invented by the skipper Kustaa Aaltonen from the village of Hirslahti.Rohdainen is still the name of Pyhäranta's main village. Another part of Kalanti was transferred to Pyhämaa in 1942, including Raulio and Torlahti on the mainland.[2][3]
The main island of Pyhämaa was connected to the mainland in 1891 after a bridge was built over the Katarauma strait.[4]
In 1974, Pyhämaa was consolidated withUusikaupunki asNeste Oy was planning to establish a refinery there. However, the refinery was never established.[4]
The oldest confirmed church was likely built byFranciscan monks fromRauma fleeing the Reformation.[5]
The old church, calleduhrikirkko, was built in the 17th century. The inner walls have wall paintings, made by Christian Wilbrandt in 1667. After the new church was finished in 1804, the old church was used as a storage. The church was renovated in 1935 and has been in use again.[5]
The new church was built next to the old one in 1804 as the old church had fallen into disrepair. The modern shape of the church is the result of a renovation done in 1908, in which the top of the bell tower was changed.[5]
Pyhämaa has a school for grades 1–6 (ala-aste), also including a preschool (esikoulu). In the school year 2022-2023, the school had 27 students.[6]
Pamprinniemi in the northwestern part of Pyhämaa is maintained as a protected nature area by the parish of Pyhämaa. It contains a 4,5 km long nature path.[7]
