Nastola is a former municipality of Finland. In the province of Southern Finland, Nastola is part of the Päijät-Häme region. The municipality had a population of 14,905 and covered an area of 382.86 km2 of which 38.67 km2 was water. The population density was 45.9761/km2. Nastola is located between two major cities: Lahti and Kouvola. Kausala, the administrative center of Iitti, is 26 kilometres (16 mi) away from Nastola in the direction of Kouvola. The municipality is unilingually Finnish.
Geography
Nastola is wedged between the first and second Salpausselkäs, the former of which is a prominent feature in the terrain and landscape of the southern part of the municipality. In the west, it splits in two distinct ridges around the village of Villähde, and reaches it highest point in the parish village at 145 metres (476 ft) above sea level. Moving further east towards Iitti, the ridge becomes narrower and its ridgelines steepen in the surroundings of Uusikylä. The area between the Salpausselkäs is characterized by its eskers and valleys. The esker of Vahteristonmäki, reaching past lake Kymijärvi further north into Heinola, peaks at 177 metres (581 ft) above sea level in Nastola.
Attractions
- Pajulahti Sports Institute
- Anni Kaste Memorial stone
- Defenders of the home country memorial stone
- Nastola cemetery
- German memorial
- King’s Ridge observation tower
- King’s fountain
- Ruuhijärvi cultural landscape
- Mountain Troll’s observation tower
- Engel’s storehouse
- Immilä mill
- Kumia mill
- Nastola church
- Nastola history museum
- Taarasti Art Center
Schools
- Kukkanen School
- Männistö school , closed in 2017
- Kirkonkylä school
- Rakokivi school
- Ersta School
- Villähti school
- Tapiola School
- Ruuhijärvi school , abolished
- Uudenkylä school , closed in 2018
- Kanerva School , closed in 2016
- Kivijärvi school
- Nastopol Institute
Annual events
- Iron wire festivals on the last Saturday in June at the Taarast Art Center
- Nastola autumn market on the first Sunday in September
- Ruuhijärvi Rockabilly festivals in Ruuhijärvi
Food culture
Nastolan pitäjäruoiksi was named 1980’s salt bream , egg cheese , mixed flatbread , alatoopi , rosolli , oven roast, baked potatoes , pudding and oven veskunasoppa or prune soup .
