Tampere

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Tampere (pronunciationⓘ, IPA: [ˈtɑmpɛrɛ]; Swedish: Tammerfors [tamərˈfɔrs]) is a city in southern Finland located between two lakes, Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi. Since the two lakes differ in level by 18 metres, the Tammerkoski rapids linking them has been an important power source throughout history, most recently for generating electricity. Railway tracks from many parts of the nation meet at Tampere railway station, making it an important junction on the VR system.

Tampere, with about 200,000 inhabitants in the city itself, and more than 300,000 including the neighbouring municipalities, is the second most important urban centre in Finland after the Helsinki region and the biggest inland city in the Nordic countries.

In terms of population, Tampere is the third largest city in Finland, and the largest city outside the Greater Helsinki area.

History

Tammerkoski, Tampere, December 2, 2002
The old Finlayson works, Tampere
File:TampereCityHall.jpg
Tampere City Hall

Tampere was founded as a market place on the banks of the Tammerkoski channel in 1775 by Gustav III of Sweden and four years later, 1779, it was granted full township status. At this time Tampere was a rather small town, consisting of only a few square kilometers of land around the Tammerkoski.

Tampere grew as a major market place and industrial centre in the 19th century. During the latter half of 19th century Tampere had almost half of Finland's industrial labour. The town's industrial nature in the 19th and 20th centuries gave it the nickname "Manchester of the North", Manse for short.

Tampere was the centre of many important political events of Finland in the early 20th century. On 1 November 1905 the famous Red Declaration was given during the general strike on Keskustori, the central square of Tampere, subsequently leading to universal suffrage in Finland and the Tsar of Russia granting larger freedoms to Finns. In 1918, when Finland had recently gained independence, Tampere also played a major role, being one of the strategically important scenes during the Civil War in Finland (January 28 - May 15 1918). Tampere was a red stronghold during the war, with Hugo Salmela in command. White forces captured Tampere seizing about 10,000 Red prisoners on April 6.

Prevalent in Tampere's post-World War II municipal politics was the so called Brothers-in-Arms Axis (aseveliakseli), the alliance of conservatives and social democrats against the communists and Agrarian party. During this era some of the most renowned city managers of Tampere were Erkki Napoleon Lindfors (who was responsible for many ambitious construction projects such as the Näsinneula tower and the construction of the suburb of Hervanta, Tampere's "daughter town"), Pekka Paavola (who gained some notoriety in corruption scandals) and Jarmo Rantanen. From 2007 on Tampere will switch to a new model of having a mayor and four deputy mayors; chosen for the periods of two years in time. Timo P. Nieminen was elected as the first mayor of Tampere for the years 2007-2009.

After World War II Tampere was enlarged by joining some neighbouring areas. Messukylä was incorporated in 1947, Lielahti 1950, Aitolahti in 1966 and finally Teisko in 1972. Tampere was known for its textile and metal industries, but these have been largely replaced by information technology and telecommunications industry during the 1990s. Technology centre Hermia in Hervanta is home to many companies in these industries.

Higher Education

One of Tampere's major appeals is its two universities, University of Tampere (UTA) and Tampere University of Technology (TUT), located in Hervanta. Both universities have more than 12,000 students.

Location

Tampere from the Näsinneula tower.
Christmas lights on Hämeenkatu, in central Tampere.
Tampereen Teatteri

Tampere is part of Pirkanmaa region and is surrounded by the municipalities of Kangasala, Kuru, Lempäälä, Nokia, Orivesi, Pirkkala, Ruovesi and Ylöjärvi. The city is located at 61.30° N, 23.50° E.

Culture

Tampere is known for its active cultural life. Some of the most popular writers in Finland, such as Väinö Linna, Kalle Päätalo or Hannu Salama hail from Tampere. These are all known as writers depicting the lives of working class people. Also from a working class background was the famous poet Lauri Viita of the Pispala district (which is the original home of Hannu Salama too). Tampere also has old theatre traditions, with such established institutions as Tampereen Työväen Teatteri, Tampereen Teatteri and Pyynikin Kesäteatteri, which is an open-air theatre with the oldest revolving auditorium in Europe. Tampereen Teatterikesä or Tampere Theatre Festival is an international theatre festival held in Tampere every August.

Tampere Film Festival, the international short film festival is held every March. Tammerfest is Tampere's urban rock festival held every July.

Tampere Music Festivals organises three international music events; Tampere Jazz Happening each November, and in alternate years Tampere Vocal Music Festival and Tampere Biennale.

Tampere is home to the television channel YLE TV2, with its studios in the Tohloppi district, known among all for such popular TV comedies as Tankki täyteen, Reinikainen and Kummeli.

Sports

Tampere's sporting scene is driven by the two ice hockey teams, Ilves and Tappara. They both have had great impact on Finnish ice hockey culture and are among the most successful teams in Finland. Tampere is known as the hometown of Finnish hockey. The Finnish ice hockey museum, and the first ice hockey arena to be built in Finland, the Hakametsä arena, are both located in Tampere. Football is also raising its head in the city with Tampere United winning the 2001 and 2006 Finnish championships. Tampere Tigers competes in the Finnish Baseball League.

Sites of interest

Kaleva Church by architect Reima Pietilä.
File:Tampere orthodox.jpg
Eastern orthodox church in Tampere

The main tourist attraction is the Särkänniemi amusement park, which includes a dolphinarium and the landmark Näsinneula tower, topped by a revolving restaurant. Other sites of interests are Tampere Cathedral, Tampere City Library Metso ("wood grouse"), Kaleva Church (both designed by Reima Pietilä), the Tampere Hall for conferences and the Tampere Market Hall.

Tampere is also home to one of the, if not the, last museum in the world dedicated to Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. Lenin moved to Tampere in August 1905 and during a subsequent Bolshevik conference in the city met Joseph Stalin for the first time. Lenin eventually fled Tampere (for Sweden) in November 1907 when being pursued by the Russian Okhrana. Lenin would not return to any part of the Russian Empire until 10 years later when he heard the start of the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Pispala is a ridge located between the two lakes, Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi. It used to house the majority of industrial labour in the late 19th and early 20th century, when it was part of Suur-Pirkkala and its follower Pohjois-Pirkkala. It was a free area to be built upon by the working class people working in Tampere factories. It was joined to Tampere in the late 1920s. Currently it is a popular residential area and together with neighbouring Pyynikki it forms an important historical area of Tampere.

There are many museums and galleries, including:

  • The Vapriikki Museum Centre which includes the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame and the Shoe Museum
  • Tampere Art Museum
  • Tampere Lenin Museum
  • The Muumilaakso Museum, all about Moomins

Statistics

Population 204 337
Founded 1779
To Helsinki 173 km
Area 690,6 km²
Max temp °C +29,8
Min temp °C -26,4
Pop. density 378/km²

Notable persons

For a more complete list, see Category:People from Tampere.

Twin towns

Trivia

  • Tampere has been compared to the English city of Manchester, which is the third largest city in the UK (Tampere being the third largest city in Finland). The term Manserock (rock music originating from Tampere) is suggested to have derived from this.
  • A newer, but less common, nickname for Tampere is Nääsville, a portmanteau between the Tamperean dialect word nääs (meaning something like "you know") and the American city of Nashville.
  • A local food speciality is mustamakkara, which resembles the blood sausage of northern England.
  • The asteroid 1497 Tampere was named after the city by its discoverer, the Finnish astronomer Yrjö Väisälä.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tampere.

61°29′53″N 23°45′39″E / 61.49806°N 23.76083°E / 61.49806; 23.76083 Template:Link FA Template:Link FA

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