Vehkalahti

Vehkalahti (Swedish: Veckelax) is a former municipality surrounding the town of Hamina in south-eastern Finland.

The first markings of Vehkalahti as a continuous settlement or village date back to 1336, when it became a major place for east/west trading.

In 1653 the area surrounding the village church officially became a town, which was called Vehkalahden Uusikaupunki (Swedish: Veckelax Nystad, English: Newtown of Vehkalahti).

[3] The largest population centers are Husula, Salmenkylä, Uusi-Summa, Poitsila and Neuvottoma, there are also many rural villages like Metsäkylä, Reitkalli, Kannusjärvi and Pyhältö.

[citation needed] Built by Swedes, about 100 kilometres (60 mi) east of Vehkalahti, it became a place of great military importance for European east/west foreign communication.

St. Mary's Church, formerly known as the Vehkalahti Church.
A view from Siliävuori, a hill in Kannusjärvi .