A dusty street lined with charming wooden houses under a partly cloudy sky. Green trees and colorful facades create a picturesque scene. A historic brick church with a tall spire, approached by steps, under a partly cloudy sky. Two people walk towards the entrance.
Finland

Loviisa: A Quiet Body in Space

Loviisa is a small, quiet town on Finland’s southern coast, about an hour's drive east of Helsinki. There isn't much traffic here. Traffic lights? None. And many of the streets in the town center aren't even paved, just compacted sand and gravel. By now, I’ve noticed this seems to be the case in several other Finnish towns as well.

The center is compact and marked by well-preserved wooden and brick buildings. The most striking feature is the large neo-Gothic church, with its red brick walls and pointed spire towering above the town. Built between 1862 and 1867, it reused building material from a nearby sea fortress that had been destroyed just a few years earlier during the Crimean War.

While walking through Loviisa, the cosmos probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. And yet, in 1983, an asteroid was named after the town. Somehow it fits. Loviisa does feel a bit like a small celestial body, quietly moving along its orbit—distant, tranquil, and dusted with sand and gravel.

For those who prefer solid ground to cosmic thoughts, the Myllyharju Trail is the perfect remedy. It begins right by the church and leads up a broad, gently rising path through a light pine forest (resin scent included). Somewhere among the trees stands an old coastal artillery piece left over from the Cold War, when Finland’s defense system was prepared to repel an attack from across the Baltic Sea. I doubt the thing still works, but lacking the proper ammunition, I couldn't test it. For now, the sailboats off Loviisa remain safe.

Map of Loviisa
A charming wooden house in Loviisa, Finland, featuring a red-roofed design surrounded by lush greenery and a gravel path.
A wooden house on a street in Loviisa, surrounded by greenery and other buildings under a partly cloudy sky.
A charming wooden house in Loviisa featuring two windows adorned with flower boxes and lush greenery below.
A street in Loviisa showcasing charming wooden houses, including a yellow house with a garden and a blue house nearby.
A quaint street featuring colorful wooden houses with a dirt road and stone sidewalk under a partly cloudy sky.
A dusty street lined with charming wooden houses under a partly cloudy sky. Green trees and colorful facades create a picturesque scene.
A quiet afternoon in Loviisa’s old town, where 19th-century wooden homes line a dusty road.
Colorful wooden houses line a quiet street under a blue sky with fluffy clouds, showcasing a charming historic neighborhood.
Colorful wooden houses lining a quiet street, showcasing traditional architecture with a mix of pastel hues.
A charming street in Loviisa featuring colorful wooden houses and a gravel road under a partly cloudy sky.
A historic brick church with a tall steeple surrounded by green trees and a pathway on a sunny day with clouds above.
The neo-Gothic brick church in Loviisa was built between 1862 and 1867 to replace the wooden church that burned down in 1855. The cruciform building is 54 meters high and consists of parts of the nearby Svartholm Fortress. The church can accommodate around 1,000 people.
A historic brick church with a tall spire, approached by steps, under a partly cloudy sky. Two people walk towards the entrance.
A white statue of Jesus with outstretched arms stands in a church, surrounded by a green altar cloth and decorated space.
Interior view of a church featuring ornate arches, a grand organ, and decorative columns. Soft lighting enhances the tranquil atmosphere.
A charming gray house surrounded by green grass and trees in Loviisa, Finland, with a modern design and inviting porch.
A charming yellow wooden house with a metal roof, surrounded by greenery and a white picket fence in Loviisa.
A red wooden windmill surrounded by green trees under a partly cloudy sky. The windmill features large, angled blades.
A red windmill marks the start of the Myllyharju trail in Loviisa. The trail is named after the six mills that were once located on this ridge. Of the mills built in the 18th century, only this one remains today.
A historic artillery gun positioned on a grassy area, surrounded by trees and a cloudy sky.
A coastal defence gun, a relic of Finland’s fixed artillery network from the Cold War, sits quietly along the Myllyharju walking trail in Loviisa. Positioned amid pine trees, the gun was built to guard against naval threats and form part of Finland’s Baltic Sea defences.
A sailboat gliding across calm waters near Loviisa, surrounded by lush greenery and cloudy skies.
Sailboats on a calm river near Loviisa, framed by green reeds and a scenic waterfront with homes and trees.
A marina in Loviisa with various boats docked along a wooden pier, surrounded by calm water and lush greenery.