Jomala
Encyclopedia
Jomala is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland
.
The municipality has a population of and covers an area of km2 of which km2 is water. The population density
is PD/km2.
The municipality is unilingually Swedish
.
Mariehamn Airport
is located in Jomala.
god Jom
and "ala" means "place". Therefore Jomala would mean "the place where Jom is worshiped".
However, "Jomala" is the name of a god
common to many Finno-Ugric peoples.
Jomala was inhabited around 2000 B.C with Jettböle being one of the most renowned prehistoric sites. Other ancient sites include Borgberget where there was a Viking fortress and Kasberget which was one of the many mountains where signal fires were lit when enemies were seen approaching.
Before the city of Mariehamn
was established in 1861, the peninsula where the city is situated was a part of Jomala.
of Åland, St. Olav
. It is the oldest stone church in Åland and it is situated in the village of Prästgården. The oldest parts of the church date from the 12th century. The church tower is 52 meters tall and there is also a memorial for all the Ålanders who have moved away. The "King of Åland" Julius Sundblom
is buried here. In the old times there was a great estate on the eastern side of the church.
The Lemström channel divides Jomala from its neighboring municipality, Lemland
. It was widened by Russia
n POWs
in 1882.
The Kungsö battery
was one of the ten coastal batteries
which the Russians built in Åland during the First World War in 1916. The battery was situated 32 meters above sea level
, on the highest point of Dalsberg. Finnish, Swedish
and German
troops invaded it in 1918. It was dismantled in 1919 by Finnish
civilian workers.
is celebrated every year by hoisting up a maypole
. It was a tribute to the sun
in the ancient times. Harvest festivities are held every September.
in the southwest, Mariehamn
in the south, Hammarland
in the northwest, Finström
in the north and Sund
in the northeast.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
The municipality has a population of and covers an area of km2 of which km2 is water. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is PD/km2.
The municipality is unilingually Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
.
Mariehamn Airport
Mariehamn Airport
Mariehamn Airport is located in Jomala, Åland, Finland, some north-west of Mariehamn town centre. It served 48,672 passengers in 2010 and is operated by the state owned Finavia....
is located in Jomala.
History
It is not known where the name Jomala comes from but it has been suggested that "jom" comes from the name of the VikingViking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
god Jom
JOM
JOM is a technical trade magazine devoted to exploring the many aspects of materials, science and engineering published monthly by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society...
and "ala" means "place". Therefore Jomala would mean "the place where Jom is worshiped".
However, "Jomala" is the name of a god
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
common to many Finno-Ugric peoples.
Jomala was inhabited around 2000 B.C with Jettböle being one of the most renowned prehistoric sites. Other ancient sites include Borgberget where there was a Viking fortress and Kasberget which was one of the many mountains where signal fires were lit when enemies were seen approaching.
Before the city of Mariehamn
Mariehamn
Mariehamn is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in the city...
was established in 1861, the peninsula where the city is situated was a part of Jomala.
Sights
The church of Jomala is dedicated to the patron saintPatron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Åland, St. Olav
Olaf II of Norway
Olaf II Haraldsson was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae and canonised in Nidaros by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. Enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral...
. It is the oldest stone church in Åland and it is situated in the village of Prästgården. The oldest parts of the church date from the 12th century. The church tower is 52 meters tall and there is also a memorial for all the Ålanders who have moved away. The "King of Åland" Julius Sundblom
Julius Sundblom
August Julius Sundblom was an editor and politician on the Åland Islands, Finland.Sundblom founded Tidningen Åland in 1891, and was its editor-in-chief during 1891 - 1896 and 1921 - 1945...
is buried here. In the old times there was a great estate on the eastern side of the church.
The Lemström channel divides Jomala from its neighboring municipality, Lemland
Lemland
Lemland is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland.The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .The municipality is unilingually Swedish.-History:...
. It was widened by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n POWs
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
in 1882.
The Kungsö battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
was one of the ten coastal batteries
Coastal artillery
Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications....
which the Russians built in Åland during the First World War in 1916. The battery was situated 32 meters above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, on the highest point of Dalsberg. Finnish, Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
troops invaded it in 1918. It was dismantled in 1919 by Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
civilian workers.
Culture
Since Jomala belongs to the Swedish-speaking areas of Finland, MidsummerMidsummer
Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...
is celebrated every year by hoisting up a maypole
Maypole
A maypole is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals, particularly on May Day, or Pentecost although in some countries it is instead erected at Midsummer...
. It was a tribute to the sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
in the ancient times. Harvest festivities are held every September.
Geography
Jomala is bordered by LemlandLemland
Lemland is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland.The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .The municipality is unilingually Swedish.-History:...
in the southwest, Mariehamn
Mariehamn
Mariehamn is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in the city...
in the south, Hammarland
Hammarland
Hammarland is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland.The municipality has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is.The municipality is unilingually Swedish...
in the northwest, Finström
Finström
Finström is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland.The municipality has a population of of which speak Swedish and Finnish as their first language. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
in the north and Sund
Sund, Åland
Sund is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland and is very rich in history and culture and is one of the official 27 national landscapes of Finland.The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
in the northeast.
Villages
Andersböle, Björsby, Buskböle, Dalkarby, Djurvik, Gottby, Gölby, Hammarudda, Hinderböle, Ingby, Jomalaby, Karrböle, Kila, Kungsöby, Möckelby, Möckelö, Norrsunda, Rasmansböle, Ringsböle, Sviby, Södersunda, Torp, Ulvsby, Vargsunda, Västansunda, Västerkalmar, Ytterby, Ytternäs, Ödanböle, Önningeby, Österkalmar, Överby.People from Jomala
- Janne HolménJanne HolménJanne Sven-Åke Holmén is a former Finnish long-distance runner.Holmén's biggest achievement was winning the marathon event in the 2002 European Championships in Athletics in Munich, Germany, finishing in 2:12:04. In the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, Holmén finished in 22nd place, with...
, long distance runner, European champion in men's marathon - Maria Jonsson, three-time Miss SwedenMiss SwedenMiss Sweden , is the title of the Swedish beauty pageant, which ran from 1949-2003, by the female magazine VeckoRevyn and production company Strix in partnership with MTG. The competition qualified delegates to the global contests Miss Universe and first runner ups to Miss World...
winner, 1991-1993 - Simon Holmström, young politician, chairman of a political group for young people
External links
- Municipality of Jomala – Official website
- Map of Jomala municipality
