Sights in Velkua

The island of Palva holds St. Henry’s Church, as well as an exhibition and a monument dedicated to the Battle of Palva. The island of Salavainen hosts the old buildings of the Haukka family farm, which are packed full of old artefacts. In Teersalo an old wasteland has been turned into a recreational area. You may want to visit the nearby archipelago plant nursery while you are there.

St. Henry’s Church

Built on the island of Palva in 1793, the church dedicated to St. Henry has been the scene of many interesting events in its history. During the Battle of Palva in 1808, Russian soldiers looted the church, taking everything except the altarpiece. Besides religious and festive services, the church also hosts concerts of Naantali Music Festivals.

The church is open to groups by agreement. Ask for a guided tour in the church from Naantali Tourist Information.

The Battle of Palva

The battle was fought during the Finnish War between Sweden and Russia, on 18 September 1808. The battle took place off the island of Palva and ended in Russian victory. After this the Russian troops looted and rampaged around the area that now forms Velkua. The battle is commemorated by a monument made of a gun barrel, situated next to St. Henry’s Church.

Teersalo Seaside Park

The seafront at Teersalo was completely overhauled in summer 2007, when the former wasteland was upgraded into a recreational area for residents and summer visitors, forming a welcoming entry into the municipality.

The project followed ecological and communal principles and was conducted by a team comprising artists, a gardener and an engineer working in collaboration with a steering group of locals and funding providers. The project was a continuation of the arsÖ art event. More information (in Finnish).

Also note the small archipelago plant nursery located close by, at the shore by Kummeli Service Centre.