Villähde is a village outside of Lahti in the region of Päijät-Häme in southern Finland, at the southern shores of Lake Kymijärvi. It lies along the Finnish national road 12 between Lahti and Nastola and has a station along the railway between Lahti and Kouvola. The village has a few small commercial centers and industrial areas.
A Short History of Villähde
This was an area with a few larger estates within Nastola Municipality. The end of the 19th century saw a struggle in Villähde to get a train station. It finally opened in 1888 under the name Villähti. It was first in 1938 that the station became known as Villähde. The end of the Second World War saw an increase in industrial production with the establishment of a manufacturing plant for car chassis and a workshop manufacturing furniture. The first train station was, however, decommissioned in 1970 and the rail yard was removed in 1995. The station was reopened in 2010 as a stop along the Lahti-Kouvola line.
Things to Do and See
Villähde mostly consists of residential areas and it is the closeness to the city of Lahti that might be its main competing point. You will, however, easily find nature here with Lake Kymijärvi and nearby forests and fields. There are good pedestrian and bike roads for longer walks or to explore the area on bike. Shopping is focused to a few grocery stores including Sale and K-Market.
Lake Kymijärvi
Lake Kymijärvi is a large lake to the north and here you will find the Kymijärven uimaranta. This is the Finnish name for the local beach, which is also known by the name Suppalan uimaranta, due to being located in an area known as Suppala. The beach has facilities such as a changing room and a toilet.
Engel-Viljamakasiini
Engel-Viljamakasiini is a pink building along the main road. This is a warehouse building that once was a part of Ersta Manor. It is considered to be one of the oldest buildings still standing in the region of Päijät-Häme and was completed in 1828. It is today used as a cultural center with art exhibitions and space for events.
How to Get to Villähde
- Flights: The closest major airport is Helsinki Airport (HEL), 105 kilometers to the south, with both domestic and international flights.
- Car: Villähde is along Road 12, just a short distance east of Lahti.
- Train: The closest train station is in nearby Lahti.
The driving distance from 5 major Finnish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Helsinki – 110 kilometers (1 h 17 min)
- Turku – 246 kilometers (2 h 53 min)
- Vaasa – 388 kilometers (4 h 31 min)
- Oulu – 513 kilometers (5 h 48 min)
- Joensuu – 343 kilometers (3 h 59 min)
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