A few words about us
The Karjaa-Karjaa 700 ry association was founded in 2024 to draw attention to and coordinate events related to the 700th anniversary of Karjaa in 2026.
Karis – Karjaa through the ages
1326
The oldest surviving document mentioning the parish of Karis is dated 24 October 1326. The document concerns the reconciliation between the residents of Karis and the city of Reval.
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1370
Raseborg Castle is built to supervise shipping and trade in the Gulf of Finland. The castle became an important agent in trade between Estonia and Finland. During this time, Snappertuna belonged to the parish of Karis.
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1470
St. Catherine’s Church, consecrated on Midsummer Day in 1470, was originally a Catholic church. (Martin Luther was not born until 13 years later.) It is the oldest building in the city and contains several interesting medieval artifacts. The church is an important cultural and historical heritage for the entire region.
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1500–1600
The time of the ironworks. Several ironworks were established along the Mustionjoki River; Mustio Ironworks in 1560, Landsbro Ironworks in 1630 and Billnäs Ironworks in 1649. Fiskars eventually bought Billnäs, making it the oldest company in Finland. Industry has always played a major role in Karis and its surroundings.
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1713
The Great Northern War affected Karis on several occasions, as the Great Coastal Road between Turku and Vyborg passed through it. A smaller battle took place at the Landsbro – Maasilta on 22 August 1713. A minor Swedish force of approximately 500 men tried to delay the Russian army of more than 13,000 soldiers from crossing the Svartå – Mustio River. A memorial stone to the battle was erected next to the Landsbro – Maasilta bridge in 1934.
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1873
When the railway between Hyvinkää and Hanko was opened in 1873, stations were built in Svartå – Mustio and Karis – Karjaa. Karis – Karjaa station developed into a significant railway hub in 1899, when rail traffic to Turku began. The current station building was built in the same year. The railway between Helsinki and Turku was completed in 1903. Thanks to the railway, Karjaa has developed into the current urban area.
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1918
The German Baltic Sea Division expels the Red garrison from Karis. In a brief firefight, four German soldiers were killed. A memorial stone with the names of the soldiers can be found in the St. Olav Cemetery in Karis.
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1939–1944
During World War II, Russian planes bombed Karis several times. In 1941, the bakery of the workers’ movement was bombed. Due to this, it looked like snowfall in the center of Karis, since a large amount of flour spread over the city. Two Russian planes also bombed the church. The bombs hit 15 metres from the eastern end of the church, causing about thirty shattered windows and breaking a chandelier from the 1800s. Fortunately, the church survived without major damage.
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1977–2009
The borough of Karis becomes a city in 1977. In 2009 Karis, Pojo and Ekenäs form the municipality of Raseborg.
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2025
Landsbron – Maasilta road bridge was renovated once more. At first, there were wooden bridges, which were replaced by a stone bridge. The Iron Bridge was built in 1956. The current modern bridge can even withstand two-way traffic. It also has sidewalks for pedestrians.
