Pyhäjokilaakso

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Pyhäjokilaakso stands for the "basin of Pyhäjoki river", located in Ostrobothnia, Finland. At the mouth of the river, lays the town of Pyhäjoki. The Pyhäjoki river runs to the Gulf of Bothnia of the Baltic Sea.

Municipalities in the area are Pyhäjärvi, Haapavesi, Kärsämäki, Merijärvi, Oulainen and Pyhäjoki.

The river name Pyhäjoki translates directly to "Sacred River". In Finland, there are a number of places, towns, villages or geographical spots named with the preposition 'Pyhä-' (sacred), e.g. Pyhäjoki (Sacred river), Pyhäjärvi (Sacred lake). The background of these names comes probably from ancient Finnish pagan beliefs.