Dragsfjärd

Dragsfjärd [ dragsfjæ ː rd] is a former municipality in southwestern Finland. It is located on the island Kimitoön in the eastern part of the Archipelago Sea off the coast of the landscape Varsinais- Suomi. In early 2009 Dragsfjärd joined with the other two together on the island located communities Kimito and Västanfjärd the new community Kimitoön ( Kimito ).

The territory of Dragsfjärd had an area of ​​280.05 km ² (of which 8.12 km ² inland waters) and covered the southwestern part of Kimitoön, the second largest island in the Finnish Baltic Sea waters, as well as the archipelago of Hitis ( Hiittinen ). Overall, belonged to the municipality in 2000 skerries and rocks, including several tens larger islands. It was named after the lake community Dragsfjärden.

Dragsfjärd last had 3,284 inhabitants. Half of the population in the former municipality lives ( Dalsbruk ) in the main town Dalsbruk. Dalsbruk was founded in 1686 to an ironworks around. A special feature of the place is that most of the houses of cinderblock, a by-product of smelting, are built. The oldest surviving buildings date from the 18th century. Another important settlement center is ideal for both conference at the southern tip of Kimitoön. 77 % of residents are Finland Sweden. Officially, the municipality was bilingual with Swedish as majority and Finnish as a minority language.

Dragsfjärd was released in 1694 as a chapel of the parish church Kimito. 1903 Dragsfjärd an independent parish. The community Hitis was incorporated in 1969 Dragsfjärd. The Church of Dragsfjärd is a wooden cruciform church from the years 1753-55.

Building in Dalsbruk