Korsholm
Encyclopedia
Korsholm is a municipality of Finland
. The town of Vaasa
was founded in Korsholm parish in 1606 and today the municipality completely surrounds the city. It is a coastal, mostly rural municipality, consisting of a rural landscape and a large, fractured archipelago. The administrative center is Smedsby
, situated 3 km from Vaasa center along Finnish national road 8.
It is located in the province
of Western Finland
and is part of the Ostrobothnia
region
. 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 consists of the central areas, the southern plain, and the extensive archipelago. Parts of the archipelago belong to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kvarken
. One of Korsholm's more notable landmarks is that it holds Finland's longest bridge, the Replot Bridge
. The bridge connects the island of Replot
to the mainland. Finland's second oldest stone bridge that is still in use, can also be found in Korsholm, in the village of Toby .
The municipality is bilingual, with a majority being Swedish
and a minority Finnish
speakers. The Finnish speakers are concentrated near the enclosed city Vaasa
, particularly in Smedsby
, and in the villages of Toby () and Kvevlax
in the southern plain, while the rest of the municipality is Swedish-speaking.
Korsholm has a history that can be dated back to 1348. In that year Korsholm was mentioned for the first time in writing in a royal letter concerning freedom of commerce. Therefore the municipality celebrated its 650th anniversary in 1998. In the mid 14th century Saint Mary's Church was built in Korsholm island. The municipality got its Swedish name in the year 1927 from the Korsholm Castle
(Chrysseborg) from which the whole of Ostrobothnia
was governed for hundreds of years. The ruins of Saint Mary's Church and Korsholm Castle are now in the old town of Vaasa
. The Swedish name Korsholm has the literal meaning "Cross Island", while the Finnish name Mustasaari is different, meaning "Black Island". The area is no longer an island because of rising of the land
, the names being relics of the medieval geography.
Today's Korsholm municipality consists of five smaller municipalities that were merged in 1973: Korsholm in the center, Replot
() and Björköby
in the far archipelago, Solf in the southern plain and Kvevlax
in the eastern plain. To reflect the new, larger municipality the motif in the Korsholm coat of arms
is five intertwined golden threads on a red background.
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 town of Vaasa
Vaasa
Vaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa...
was founded in Korsholm parish in 1606 and today the municipality completely surrounds the city. It is a coastal, mostly rural municipality, consisting of a rural landscape and a large, fractured archipelago. The administrative center is Smedsby
Smedsby
-External links:...
, situated 3 km from Vaasa center along Finnish national road 8.
It is located in the province
Provinces of Finland
The state of Finland consisted of six provinces between the years 1997 and 2009. The provincial authority was part of the central government's executive branch, not directly elected. The system was created in 1634, and its makeup was changed drastically in 1997, when the number of the provinces...
of Western Finland
Western Finland
Western Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2010. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Eastern Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered the Gulf of Bothnia towards Åland.- History :...
and is part of the Ostrobothnia
Ostrobothnia (region)
Ostrobothnia is a region of Finland. It is located in Western Finland. It borders the regions Central Ostrobothnia, Southern Ostrobothnia, and Satakunta and is one of the four regions making up the historical province of Ostrobothnia....
region
Regions of Finland
Finland consists of 19 regions called in Finnish and in Swedish. The regions are governed by regional councils, which serve as forums of cooperation for the municipalities of a region. The main tasks of the regions are regional planning and development of enterprise and education. In addition,...
. 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 consists of the central areas, the southern plain, and the extensive archipelago. Parts of the archipelago belong to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kvarken
Kvarken
Kvarken is the narrow region in the Gulf of Bothnia separating the Bothnian Bay from the Bothnian Sea...
. One of Korsholm's more notable landmarks is that it holds Finland's longest bridge, the Replot Bridge
Replot Bridge
The Replot Bridge is a cable-stayed tuftform bridge connecting the island of Replot with the mainland in Korsholm, near Vaasa, Finland. It is long and the longest bridge of Finland. Two supporting pylons are both high....
. The bridge connects the island of Replot
Replot
Replot is an island in the Kvarken , the narrowest part of the Gulf of Bothnia in the northern part of the Baltic sea. It has about 2,100 inhabitants, almost only Swedish-speaking. The size is about , one of the largest islands of Finland...
to the mainland. Finland's second oldest stone bridge that is still in use, can also be found in Korsholm, in the village of Toby .
The municipality is bilingual, with a majority being Swedish
Finland-Swedish
Finland Swedish is a general term for the closely related cluster of dialects of Swedish spoken in Finland by Swedish-speaking Finns as their mother tongue...
and a minority Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
speakers. The Finnish speakers are concentrated near the enclosed city Vaasa
Vaasa
Vaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa...
, particularly in Smedsby
Smedsby
-External links:...
, and in the villages of Toby () and Kvevlax
Kvevlax
Kvevlax , is a church village in the municipality of Korsholm, Finland. It is located approximately north of the city of Vaasa. Kvevlax became an independent parish in 1857. Up until January 1, 1973 it was an independent municipality. Kvevlax has a lower grade primary education school, a...
in the southern plain, while the rest of the municipality is Swedish-speaking.
Korsholm has a history that can be dated back to 1348. In that year Korsholm was mentioned for the first time in writing in a royal letter concerning freedom of commerce. Therefore the municipality celebrated its 650th anniversary in 1998. In the mid 14th century Saint Mary's Church was built in Korsholm island. The municipality got its Swedish name in the year 1927 from the Korsholm Castle
Korsholm Castle
Korsholma Castle was a medieval castle in Vaasa, Finland. It was probably built in the 1370s. Today a low mound is all that remains of the castle.-References:...
(Chrysseborg) from which the whole of Ostrobothnia
Ostrobothnia
Ostrobothnia refers to various areas in Finland:* Ostrobothnia , province of the kingdom of Sweden before 1809* Ostrobothnia , in modern Finland* Other regions in modern Finland:** Southern Ostrobothnia** Central Ostrobothnia...
was governed for hundreds of years. The ruins of Saint Mary's Church and Korsholm Castle are now in the old town of Vaasa
Vaasa
Vaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa...
. The Swedish name Korsholm has the literal meaning "Cross Island", while the Finnish name Mustasaari is different, meaning "Black Island". The area is no longer an island because of rising of the land
Post-glacial rebound
Post-glacial rebound is the rise of land masses that were depressed by the huge weight of ice sheets during the last glacial period, through a process known as isostasy...
, the names being relics of the medieval geography.
Today's Korsholm municipality consists of five smaller municipalities that were merged in 1973: Korsholm in the center, Replot
Replot
Replot is an island in the Kvarken , the narrowest part of the Gulf of Bothnia in the northern part of the Baltic sea. It has about 2,100 inhabitants, almost only Swedish-speaking. The size is about , one of the largest islands of Finland...
() and Björköby
Björköby
Björköby is a village in Korsholm, Finland. It is the chief settlement on the island of Björkö.Björköby was an independent municipality until 1973.-References:...
in the far archipelago, Solf in the southern plain and Kvevlax
Kvevlax
Kvevlax , is a church village in the municipality of Korsholm, Finland. It is located approximately north of the city of Vaasa. Kvevlax became an independent parish in 1857. Up until January 1, 1973 it was an independent municipality. Kvevlax has a lower grade primary education school, a...
in the eastern plain. To reflect the new, larger municipality the motif in the Korsholm coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is five intertwined golden threads on a red background.