Kirkkonummi (Swedish: Kyrkslätt) is a municipality of 50,000 inhabitants in Uusimaa, about 30 km west of Helsinki, part of Helsinki metropolitan area.
Understand
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Most of the municipality is traditionally Swedish-speaking, with Finnish spoken in the remote northern parts. However, with urbanisation and commuting to Helsinki, the majority has turned Finnish (75% as of 2024).
The old parish of Kirkkonummi was founded in the 14th century, and one of the most important historical roads in the country, the so-called "King's Road" between Turku and Vyborg, was laid through Kirkkonummi in the same times.
The southern half of the municipality was leased to the Soviet Union between 1945 and 1956 for use as a naval base as part of the peace settlement that ended the hostilities between the Soviet Union and Finland during World War II. Signs of this "Porkkala Parenthesis" include concrete bunkers, other fortifications and the remains of an airbase.
Get in
[edit]Kirkkonummi is 30 km west of Helsinki, part of the HSL regional public transport cooperation (see Helsinki#Get around). For coaches, see Matkahuolto. The centre is half a kilometre north of highway 51 (Länsiväylä, Västerleden) between Helsinki and Raseborg. Time-wise, Kirkkonummi is 30–45 min away from Helsinki by car, bus or regional train.
By train
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There are HSL trains from Helsinki and Espoo, U-trains with a few stops in Kirkkonummi mostly twice an hours and trains with fewer stops continuing westward (Y, H) once an hour.
A few of the trains between Turku and Helsinki stop at 1 Kirkkonummi railway station. Usually you have to transfer to a regional train in Leppävaara, Espoo, sometimes in Karis, to a regional train or a minibus. In both cases the transfer should be included on the ticket.
By bus
[edit]Buses run regularly from Helsinki. Coaches along road 51, mostly between Helsinki and Karis but often continuing farther, stop e.g. at "Kirkkonummenportti" (Kyrkslättporten), i.e. the crossroads to the centre.
By car
[edit]Kirkkonummi is a 20–30 minute drive from central Helsinki along highway 51, depending on the traffic. Highways 1 (E18) and 110 pass through Veikkola in the northernmost part of the municipality.
By bicycle
[edit]The Eurovelo route EV 10 around the Baltic Sea passes through Kirkkonummi centre on its way from the Russian border via Helsinki to Turku. Along this stretch it is developed and signposted. A 1 bike repair shop in Munkinkuja just south of the railway station.
Get around
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The town is sufficiently small to get around in by foot, however for sights further away, the most practical mode of transportation is your own car. For islands, you may want a boat or kayak. The tip of the Porkkala peninsula is 20 km south of the centre, Veikkola 20 km north of it.
As of 2025, there are a lot of demolishing/building/roadworks going on in the north-eastern parts of the centre. Be prepared for detours.
The bus and railway stations are in the south part of the centre. Tickets can be bought in the R-kiosk occupying the former railway station building, or you can pay by card on the regional trains (online for non-HSL trains). You can pay by card also on the buses and coaches.
By bus
[edit]HSL (see Helsinki#Get around) operates local bus routes. They include:
- 902 Kirkkonummi–Porkkala
- 907, 908 Kirkkonummi–Veikkola
By taxi
[edit]- See also: Uusimaa#By taxi
See
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- 1 Kirkkonummi church (St. Michael's Church) (in the town centre).
- 2 Hvitträsk manor. Mansion built in 1903 as wilderness studio home by the architect trio Eliel Saarinen, Herman Gesellius and Armas Lindgren; in 1916–1923 home of the Saarinen family alone, later their summer residence, a museum since 1971. The museum is closed for the 2025 season, due to budget cuts.
- 3 Sites from the Porkkala Parenthesis. From the end of World War II until 1956, Soviet Union operated a naval base on the Porkkala peninsula and much of the current Kirkkonummi municipality was part of the base. There are still a couple of landmarks left from the Porkkala parenthesis.
- 4 Pokrova Orthodox monastery (in Jorvas village).
- 5 Haapajärvi wooden church (Haapajärven kirkko), Träkyrkovägen 20 (in Veikkola, 2 km south from road 110 by Lapinkyläntie; leave your car in Veikkola centre unless you have mobility restrictions), ☏ +358 400-273-037. In use in the summer, Advent, Christmas and Easter; attend a service to visit it. Originally built for the Finnish-speaking in the remote northern parts of the municipality, it was the main church of the parish during the Porkkala parenthesis, when the parish village was in Soviet hands. Services in Finnish were begun in the 18th century; the current church was taken into use in 1823.
- 6 Rehndahl Farm (Rehndalin kotieläinpiha), Hilantie 100, ☏ +358 40-587-8333, [email protected]. €11.
Do
[edit]There are many opportunities for outdoor life: lake- and seashore beaches (also winter swimming available), woods and archipelago, trails for walking, jogging and biking, tracks for cross-country skiing, horse riding stables, five golf courses and a downhill skiing centre. There are also facilities for indoor skating and swimming.
- 1 Nuuksio National Park (in the north part of Kirkkonummi, most of it in adjacent municipalities). A pint-sized marvel, one of the two national parks in the metropolitan area.
- 2 Peuramaa. Small skiing centre.
- 3 Kurk golf. A golf range in the northern part of the municipality.
- Porkkala recreational area and nature reserve (bus lines 902 and 902K from Kirkkonummi railway station M–F, stop Porkkala), ☏ +358 20-639-4000. 24 hr daily. Opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, sailing and boating. Suitable also for families; some services accessible also by wheelchair. Free.
- 4 Jvdeal Watersports, Siltaranta 8 (bus 171, stop "Rantaniitty"), ☏ +358 45-613-3667, [email protected]. You can rent a jet ski, standup paddleboard or even a paddle boat. Jet ski €70 (1 h), SUP board €20 (1 h), pedal boat €10 (30 min).
Buy
[edit]For groceries, the centre has a Citymarket (in Kirsikka) and a big Prisma (across the railway from Kirsikka). There are smaller grocery stores e.g. by the church and the library (a Sale), in Masala and by Tolsa railway stop, probably in most sub-centres.
- 2 Kirsikka Shopping Centre (Kauppakeskus Kirsikka), Asemankulma 2 (near the railway station). M–Sa 07:00–22:00, Su 10:00–22:00. Contains almost 20 stores and services, such as K-Citymarket and Subway restaurant. There is also a lounge where you can rest, maintained by the local Lutheran congregation, the Luckan information service and a private health centre.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Ervastina, Ervastintie 2 (in the municipal office building). ma-pe: 10:30-14. Lunch restaurant with plentiful buffet. Cut-down-versions, such as soup or salad, are enough for most, but the full buffet is not too pricey either. €10–14.
- 2 Hanami Sushi, Kirkkotallintie 2 A 2, ☏ +358 40-729-6788, [email protected]. A Japanese restaurant.
- 3 Kirkkonummen Pizzeria, Grandalantie 2, ☏ +358 9 295-2876.
- 4 Taverna Dawi, Eerikinkartanontie 2 (in Veikkola), ☏ +358 50-408-5733.
Drink
[edit]Cafés
[edit]- 1 Café Purje, Hupisaarentie 1 (in Kantvik), ☏ +358 44-555-9755, [email protected].
- 2 Mummola Kahvila, Vanhatie 26 (in Veikkola), ☏ +358 40-625-6422, [email protected].
- 3 Rosta (Kahvila Rosta), Munkinmäentie 19, ☏ +358 44-331-6333, [email protected].
Bars and nightclubs
[edit]- 4 Bronx (Viinitupa Bronx), Kirkkotallintie 4, ☏ +358 50 543 2134. A wine bar.
- 5 Ristinolla (XO Ristinolla XO), Toritie 1, ☏ +358 46-951-0640, [email protected]. A pub.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Nuuksio Hostel and Camping, Kaislammentie 65 (in Veikkola, near the Nuuksio national park), ☏ +358 400-707-897. Serving guestrooms and small cabins. Activities include hiking, canoeing and berry/mushroom picking.
Connect
[edit]The main library (Fyyri) is in the northern part of the centre. There are minor libraries in Masala and Veikkola, open mostly at least 10:00-15:00 or 15:00-19:00 M-F, and a bookmobile, serving the rest of the municipality. Free Wi-Fi, public computers and scanner-printers in the libraries.
- 1 Fyyri, Kirkkotori 1 (in the north part of the centre, near the church), ☏ +358 40-126-9454, [email protected]. M-F 09:00-20:00 Sa etc. 9:00-15:00 Su closed. Architecturally interesting modern library. Also some exhibitions, events and possibility to book rooms for work and meetings. Free, some services have fees.
Go next
[edit]Espoo to the east; to the west Siuntio and on to Inkoo, Raseborg and Hanko
| Routes through Kirkkonummi |
| Turku ← Siuntio ← | W  E
|
→ Espoo → Helsinki |