Siuntio

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Siuntio, or Sjundeå in Swedish, is a bilingual municipality in the Uusimaa region of Southern Finland, about 46 kilometres west of Helsinki. It covers about 266 square kilometres, with around 25 square kilometres of water, and has about 6,250 residents. Roughly 65% speak Finnish, 26% Swedish, and the rest other languages.

Geography and nature
The northern part has hills and forests, while the southern part is flatter with many lakes and farms. The area includes protected natural areas with old forests and riverbanks.

History and culture
Siuntio has been inhabited since the Stone Age. The stone St. Peter’s Church was built around 1480. Two important manor houses, Suitia and Sjundby, date back to the 15th–16th centuries. The national author Aleksis Kivi lived in Siuntio at Fanjunkars croft in the 1860s–1870s.

During World War II, part of Siuntio was leased to the Soviet Union as the Porkkala Naval Base, about 50 years. It was returned in 1956, though some signs remain. The coast railway moved the town center to be closer to the station.

In 2013–2018 Siuntio considered joining Lohja with nearby municipalities, but the merge did not happen. In 2018 Siuntio joined the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority, improving public transport to Helsinki.

Today
The town centers are the railway-area around the station and the older village around the church. Siuntio has two parishes—Finnish-speaking and Swedish-speaking—and also a Finnish Orthodox parish. The area is known for Nationally Significant Built Cultural Environments, including St. Peter’s Church, Suitia Manor, Sjundby Manor, and Pickala Manor.

Education
There are two primary schools: one Finnish-speaking and one Swedish-speaking. In 2022 a new joint school and library complex, Siuntion Sydän – Sjundeå Hjärta, opened in the municipal center. Siuntio does not have an upper secondary school; many students go to nearby towns for upper secondary studies.

Motto
Ota rauhallisesti – Ta det lugnt (take it easy).