Urjala: Glass, Nature and Literature

Urjala offers several reasons to visit: glass art and factory history in Nuutajärvi, nature experiences around Pölkinvuori and traces of the writer Väinö Linna. Visitors interested in these themes can choose different focuses for their stay. When choosing a holiday apartment in Urjala, the first consideration is therefore which experiences you would like to shape your vacation most.

Glass history in Nuutajärvi

Nuutajärvi Glassworks is Finland’s oldest glassworks still in operation. Its surroundings offer a vivid picture of life at a 19th-century factory. At the Prykäri Glass Museum, you can see a representative collection of glass objects made in Nuutajärvi, spanning the 19th century to the present day. The admission price includes an audio guide in Finnish, Swedish and English.

Lintukoto adds another facet to the glass art: the permanent exhibition features glass birds designed by artist and professor Oiva Toikka (1931–2019), and tells the story of the birds as well as Toikka’s. The history of Nuutajärvi Manor also reaches far back. It begins in the late 16th century and spans more than 400 years; guided tours about the manor’s history are regularly offered.

Nuutajärvi combines these cultural attractions with other ways to spend time outdoors. The swimming beach is on the shore of Lake Rutajärvi, 700 metres from the Glass Village. If you would rather go for a walk, the signposted Airanteen askellus circular trail runs between Nuutajärvi Glass Village and Kajabaca Winery. The route is about 6 km long and described as easy to walk.

Nature trails and views

At Pölkinvuori, a 1 km guided nature trail passes through the Flower Park and Forest Garden to a viewing platform at an elevation of 163 metres. In spring and early summer, 400,000 bulb flowers grow there. The viewpoint offers a forested horizon stretching more than 40 km. Several picnic tables and a hut for up to 15 people are part of Picnic Hill, providing groups travelling together with a practical landmark for their time in Pölkinvuori.

Two nature observation towers also offer different reasons to stop. Built in 2019, the tower at Nuutajärvi is on the lakeshore, on the opposite side of Nuutajärventie from the Glass Village, and can be reached on foot from the village. On the shore of Lake Kortejärvi, the local nature tower provides a birdwatching spot and a place to rest. In the parish village of Urjala, an accessible nature trail leads to the Laukeela shelter.

Literature and routes through the region

Urjala is also associated with the writer Väinö Linna. Since 1978, his hometown has hosted Pentinkulman päivät every year, a nationally significant literary event. A guided Väinö Linna Route passes through landscapes that served as the setting for the trilogy Täällä Pohjantähden alla; the route began in Urjala. This offers literature enthusiasts a different way to discover the municipality’s landscapes than through nature trails or the history of the glassworks.

The national Taikayö tourist route is another option for travelling through the municipality. Within Urjala, it forms a loop around Lake Rutajärvi; it also runs from Urjala through Punkalaidun to Huittinen. Together with the guided routes, the literary event and the glass attractions, this gives you a choice of different Urjala experiences around which to plan your stay.

More local pages

More local pages: Vaskivesi, Kotala, Terälahti, Ikaalinen, Aitoo, Puutikkala, Toijala and Valkeakoski.

For the regional travel overview: Pirkanmaa.