Hermala: Village History and Limestone Cliffs

Hermala on Lohjansaari combines a rare, well-preserved clustered village character with distinctive cliff vegetation. Two interests are therefore central when choosing this destination: the village’s historic layout, with its old farmsteads, and its lime-loving plant life.

Village Layout and History

The village of Hermala has preserved its rare clustered village character. The term draws attention to the village’s historic fabric as a whole, rather than to a single house. Several buildings from the 19th century have survived, including the wooden main buildings of the Kalla and Pietilä farmsteads and several granaries. The timber construction and the variety of building types shape the village’s historic character.

The village’s four founding farmsteads had been established by the mid-16th century. The surviving main buildings and granaries date from the 19th century, marking a different period. This makes it possible to distinguish the early development of the farmsteads from the age of the buildings that have been preserved. Kalla and Pietilä give the village’s history specific names, while the four founding farmsteads point to the long development of the village fabric.

Cultural Landscape and Plant Life

Parts of Hermala’s cultural landscape have become overgrown as fields were afforested. This change adds land use to the village’s architectural history: village buildings and afforested fields represent different aspects of the local landscape. If you also consider the development of rural landscapes when choosing a destination, this change is a distinct aspect alongside the historic farmsteads and plant life.

The cliff vegetation at Hermala’s Kalkkimäki has features of alvar vegetation, which is very rare in Finland. In terms of its vegetation and plant life, Kalkkimäki is considered one of the most valuable cliff areas in Uusimaa. It is home to an exceptionally large number of rare and endangered species, including vascular plants, mosses, and lichens that prefer calcareous habitats.

The botanical classifications use different measures: alvar vegetation is very rare in Finland, while the assessment of Kalkkimäki as one of the most valuable cliff areas applies to Uusimaa. This comparison helps distinguish the unusual vegetation type from the cliff area’s regional significance.

Among the rare and endangered plants found at Hermala’s Tolpoonkallio are lehtoneidonvaippa, nyylähaarikko, maarianverijuuri, and pihakurjenpolvi. These names make the botanical diversity of the site concrete. Kalkkimäki and Tolpoonkallio therefore represent different aspects of nature: the former, the features of cliff vegetation and the diversity of lime-loving species; the latter, several named plants.

Another natural site is the Piettolan sammallehto nature reserve in Hermala. It covers 0.5 hectares and is designated as a grove. The information about Kalkkimäki, Tolpoonkallio, and Piettolan sammallehto therefore has different focuses: cliff vegetation and species diversity, individual rare plants, and a designated grove area.

Discover more destinations: Mörskom, Lapinjärvi, Kerava, Raseborg, Savijoki, Hattom, Åminnefors, Nurmijärvi.

For the broader travel overview: Uusimaa.