From Fiskars to Verla: Finland’s ironwork villages

4 minute read

Red wooden building in Billnäs, Finland.

Take a journey through Finland’s industrial past

Finland’s historic ironwork villages (ruukkikylät) are places where the clang of forges has faded into the quiet rhythm of artisan studios, summer markets, and riverside cafés. Founded mainly between the 17th and 19th centuries, these villages once bustled with furnaces, hammers, and foundries. Today, they are living museums of culture and creativity where the industrial past frames a modern, slow-paced countryside experience.

Scattered across southern Finland, many ironwork villages can be reached within a couple of hours from Helsinki, Turku, or Tampere. The prime time to visit the villages is between May and August, when artisan studios, markets, and cafés open their doors. If you want to visit multiple locations, it's best to rent a car.

Credits: Julia Kivelä, Fiskars

1. Fiskars – Creativity flows through the village

Perhaps the best-known of Finland’s ironwork villages, Fiskars is synonymous with design. This is where the iconic orange-handled scissors and the famous Fiskars brand were born, and where creativity continues to flourish. The red-brick industrial buildings that line the river now house galleries, concept stores, and design studios. Every window seems to display something handmade; every doorway tempts with curiosity.

Art, design and craft thrive here year-round, but especially during the Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale, a highlight for culture lovers. Beyond creativity, visitors can try local gin or beer brewed right in the village, wander forest trails, or simply enjoy the thoughtful, unhurried atmosphere that has made Fiskars a pioneer of Finland’s creative countryside. Want to spend the night? Try the design-meets-industrial-history hotel in the heart of the village, The Torby.

Local tip: For a charming pause, stop for a coffee at the family-owned Café Antique, set in Fiskars’ clock tower building.

Credits : Sara Terho, Fiskars

Credits: Elina Sirparanta

2. Billnäs – Elegant manor life beside the river

Credits: Billnäs Gård

Just a short drive from Fiskars lies Billnäs, founded in 1641. While production has long since ceased, the beautifully restored ironworks buildings and leafy riverside paths preserve the atmosphere of centuries past. At the heart of the village stands Billnäs Gård Manor, offering guests a blend of rustic heritage and Nordic elegance. The manor's waffles have become an (Instagram) icon.

Summer brings antique markets and cultural events that fill the courtyards with life. Yet the village never loses its calm grace. Billnäs is for those who prefer a slower pace, where the charm is measured not in attractions, but in quiet riverside moments.

Local tip: Don't miss a visit to the tasty local chocolatier, Billnäs Chocolate Factory.

Credits : Noora Tammisto, Billnäs

Credits: Julia Kivelä, Billnäs

3. Mathildedal – Slow life by the sea

Credits: Julia Kivelä

On the southwest coast, an hour's drive from Turku beside the Teijo National Park, Mathildedal has reinvented itself as a haven for slow travellers and artisan lovers. The historic ironworks buildings now host microbreweries, bakeries, and even a charming alpaca farm. A local favourite is sourdough bread made from Finnish emmer wheat, best enjoyed with coffee on a sunny terrace.

The sea, the forest, and the creative spirit of the community all shape the atmosphere here. Whether you’re tasting craft beer from Mathildedalin Kyläpanimo, meeting alpacas, or walking coastal trails, Mathildedal invites you to stay longer than planned. If you're staying the night, try the charming Matri House or Hotel Mathildedal.

Local tip: Pet the alpacas (if you can).

Credits : Julia Kivelä, Mathildedal

4. Mustio – Manor romance in Finland’s first ironworks village

Mustio (Mustion ruukki) is home to Finland’s very first ironworks, founded in 1561 with historical ties King Gustav Vasa of Sweden. Though the original structures are gone, the legacy endures in reconstructed buildings, a peaceful riverside setting, and the stately Mustio Manor – one of Finland’s best-preserved 18th-century manors.

Visitors can tour its elegant rooms, stroll English-style gardens, or enjoy candlelit dinners in the manor’s restaurant. Just over an hour from Helsinki, Mustio offers a rare glimpse into Finland’s earliest industrial heritage, wrapped in the quiet romance of manor life.

Local tip: Stroll 500 metres down Hållsnäsvägen from the manor and take a refreshing dip in the river at the small, local Mustio ruukki beach.

Credits: Sara Terho, Mustio Manor

5. Noormarkku – Where history meets Aalto's modern architecture

Credits: Julia Kivelä

Near the west coast city of Pori, the Ahlström Ironworks in Noormarkku combines history, nature, and elegant architecture. Guests can stay overnight in stately wooden villas once used by the Ahlström family – one of Finland’s most influential industrial dynasties – and dine at the elegant Noormarkku Club restaurant.

Architecture enthusiasts will find inspiration in Villa Mairea. Designed in 1938 by Alvar and Aino Aalto as a private residence for Maire and Harry Gullichsen of the Ahlström family, Villa Mairea is considered one of the masterpieces of 20th-century architecture. The house combines modernist principles with organic forms and Finnish materials from curved wooden details to stone, brick, and light-filled spaces that open directly to the surrounding forest.

Local tip: Book a tour in the popular Villa Mairea in advance. You will not be dissapointed.

Credits: Juho Kuva, Villa Mairea

6. Strömfors – A village with a unique (feminine) history

Near Loviisa in eastern Uusimaa lies Strömfors, one of Finland’s oldest and most beautifully preserved ironworks villages. Founded in the 17th century, it became especially notable in 1781, when Virginia af Forselles inherited the estate as a 31-year-old widow and mother of two. Known locally as “Her Grace”, she managed the ironworks with determination for decades, giving the village much of its present look. The striking three-storey red wooden building she commissioned by the river is still standing, and locals call it Armonlinna – the Castle of Her Grace.

In summer, the historic Talli building becomes an art gallery, offering three exhibition spaces where visitors can enjoy diverse and inspiring shows. Alongside the art, the colourful buildings are filled with workshops, boutiques, and cafés. The iconic riverside sauna offers quiet moments and stillness.

Local tip: Before visiting Strömfors, have a peek into their events calendar. The village is home to many interesting, and even quirky events year-round, like a meeting of classic, vintage cars, or the Night of the Torches, a closing event of the summer season.

Credits: Julia Kivelä, Strömfors

7. Verla – A UNESCO World Heritage site with a story to tell

Credits: Julia Kivelä, Verla

Hidden in the forests of southeastern Finland, Verla is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the country’s most fascinating industrial landmarks. Founded in the 1870s, Verla produced high-quality board from wood pulp – a material that fuelled Finland’s rise as a paper industry powerhouse. Remarkably, when the mill closed in 1964, the buildings, machinery, and even workers’ homes were left almost untouched, creating a time capsule of early industrial life.

The village grew up around the mill, with a school, housing, and communal spaces shaping a self-sufficient community. Today, guided tours bring the production process to life, while exhibitions explain how paperboard from Verla was exported across the world. After exploring, visitors can stroll riverside paths, stop at the cosy café, or sample berry wines made on-site.

Local tip: Traveling with kids? Stop by at the Tykkimäki Amusement and Action Park in Kouvola, just a 20 minute drive away from Verla.

Credits: Visit Kouvola, Verla

8. Högfors – Industrial heritage with small-town charm

Credits: Sara Terho, Högfors

In Karkkila, just over an hour northwest from Helsinki, Högfors offers a rawer, more industrial view of Finland’s manufacturing heritage. The ironworks were established in the early 19th century, and for generations the factory shaped not only the town’s skyline but its daily rhythm. The massive foundry halls and brick buildings still stand tall, silent witnesses to the age of iron. Today, the Karkkila Ironworks Museum Senkka tells the story of how the community grew around the furnaces, from worker housing to the heyday of enamel production.

In recent years, the old Ala-Emali enamelling plant has transformed into a cultural hub, where cafés, flea markets, concerts, and exhibitions bring the factory grounds back to life. Step into Kino Laika, a cinema and wine bar founded by Cannes-awarded director Aki Kaurismäki and writer Mika Lätti. With its retro interiors and riverside terrace, it’s a place where international cinema and small-town charm meet.

Local tip: For something truly special, try Uunisauna, a wood-heated sauna built inside a former factory oven.

Credits : Sara Terho, Högfors

Credits: Sara Terho, Högfors

Other notable ironwork villages in Finland

While Fiskars, Billnäs, and Verla are among Finland’s best-known ironworks, there are more to discover. In Leineperi near Ulvila, 19th-century red-brick buildings and wooden workers’ homes create one of the country’s most atmospheric mill villages. Kauttua in Eura was another centre of the Ahlström empire and later the site of Alvar Aalto’s innovative Terraced House. And in the Teijo National Park area, the ironwork of Kirjakkala stands alongside Mathildedal as an important part of Finnish history.

Credits: Julia Kivelä, Leineperi ironwork