Loppi

Loppi (ˈlopːi; Loppi, also Loppis) is a municipality in Finland. It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Kanta-Häme region, located about 50 kilometers (about 30 miles) south of the city of Hämeenlinna. Loppi was founded in 1632. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . The municipality is unilingually Finnish. Neighbour municipalities are Hyvinkää, Hämeenlinna, Janakkala, Karkkila, Riihimäki, Tammela and Vihti. The most significant main road connection to get from Loppi to Riihimäki is the national road 54, which runs between Tammela and Hollola, and which is connected to the Highway 3 (E12) between Helsinki and Tampere. Another significant road connection in the direction of Helsinki is the regional road 132 passing through the municipality of Nurmijärvi. The subject of the municipal coat of arms, where the iron symbol has sunk into a wave-cut plate, refers to the lifting of limonite from the lake in the early period. According to local folklore, Kaakkomäki of Loppi was inhabited by a giant devil in ancient times. When Loppi’s old church, Saint Bridget Church, was built in the 17th century, the devil tried to disrupt the construction and became enraged when the church bells rang. The devil tried to destroy the church bell tower and threw it with a large rock. However, the rock flew over the church to Tiirinkallio on the shore of Lake Loppijärvi, from where the rock was combed into the lake. The stone in the lake brought a disaster: cattle fell ill and animals died. So the villagers crammed the rock up the cliff and the luck of the cattle was restored. Loppi is especially known for its potato cultivation, and the potato is classified as the municipality's title plant. Potato porridge and lingonberry broth cooked from barley flour, as well as a sweetened potato casserole and meat sauce, were named the traditional food of the Loppi parish in the 1980s. Loppi is part of a historic province of Tavastia.