Hämeenlinna

Hämeenlinna Tavastehus
City
Hämeenlinnan kaupunki
View of Lake Vanajavesi, next to Hämeenlinna. The castle is visible to the right.
Coat of arms
Location of Hämeenlinna in Finland
Coordinates:
Country	Finland
Region	Tavastia Proper
Sub-region	Hämeenlinna sub-region
Charter	1639
Government
• City manager	Timo Kenakkala
Area (2011-01-01)[1]
• Total	2,031.55 km2 (784.39 sq mi)
• Land	1,785.76 km2 (689.49 sq mi)
• Water	245.79 km2 (94.90 sq mi)
Area rank	42nd largest in Finland
Population (2015-06-30)[2]
• Total	68,066
• Rank	14th largest in Finland
• Density	38.12/km2 (98.7/sq mi)
Population by native language[3]
• Finnish	7,001,975,000,000,000,000♠97.5% (official)
• Swedish	6,999,300,000,000,000,000♠0.3%
• Others	7,000,220,000,000,000,000♠2.2%
Population by age[4]
• 0 to 14	7,001,158,000,000,000,000♠15.8%
• 15 to 64	7,001,647,000,000,000,000♠64.7%
• 65 or older	7,001,195,000,000,000,000♠19.5%
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Municipal tax rate[5]	19%
Website	www.hameenlinna.fi

Hämeenlinna (Swedish: Tavastehus) is a city and municipality of about 68,000 inhabitants^[2] in the heart of the historical province of Häme in the south of Finland and is the birthplace of composer Jean Sibelius. Today, it belongs to the region of Tavastia Proper, and until 2010 it was the residence city for the Governor of the province of Southern Finland. Nearby cities include the capital Helsinki (98 km or 61 mi), Tampere (73 km or 45 mi) and Lahti (72 km or 45 mi).

The medieval Häme Castle (Hämeen linna) is located in the city.

Hämeenlinna: Sibelius House

The municipalities of Hauho, Kalvola, Lammi, Renko and Tuulos were consolidated with Hämeenlinna on 1 January 2009.

History

There was a settlement called Vanaja by the lake Vanajavesi where the city now stands since the Viking Age. The castle was built in the late 13th century to secure Swedish power in central Finland. A village was established near Häme Castle to provide services and goods to its inhabitants.

The village was granted city rights in 1639 and soon after that the King of Sweden moved it one kilometre (0.6 miles) south to the hill on which it still stands.

The city is known for its schools and academies where many famous Finns have studied. Schools, government and the military have characterised Hämeenlinna's life throughout history.

Finland's first railway line opened between Hämeenlinna and Helsinki in 1862. The current Hämeenlinna railway station (Rautatieasema in Finnish) was built in 1921.

Notable persons

The composer Jean Sibelius was born and raised in Hämeenlinna. He graduated from Hämeenlinna Lyseo in 1885.

Poet Eino Leino graduated from Hämeenlinnan lyseon lukio.

Juho Kusti Paasikivi (seventh President of Finland) graduated from Hämeenlinnan lyseon lukio (Hämeenlinnan lyseon lukio is Hämeenlinna Lyseo Upper secondary school, roughly the equivalent of a US highschool).

The folk/Viking metal band Turisas is from Hämeenlinna.

Antony Hämäläinen (vocalist for the Swedish Melodic Death Metal band Armageddon) was born in Hämeenlinna.

Strongman and actor Jouko Ahola was born in Hämeenlinna. He won the 1997 and 1999 World's Strongest Man, and now serves as one of the judges at the contest.

HC Fribourg-Gottéron forward Antti Miettinen was born in Hämeenlinna in 1980 and returns there in the off-season.

Kimi Räikkönen (Formula One driver) and Jenni Dahlman were married in 2004 in Hämeenlinna.

Economy

Largest employers (by number of employees) ^[6]

• City of Hämeenlinna: 2,490
• State of Finland: 2,480
• Kanta-Häme Hospital District: 1,460
• Ruukki (Rautaruukki Oyj): 1,030
• Huhtamäki Oyj: 700
• HAMK University of Applied Sciences (an institution offering tertiary degree education): 510
• Kansanterveystyön ky: 490
• Patria Vehicles Oy: 430
• Konecranes Standard Lifting Oy: 330
• Koulutuskeskus Tavastia: 270
• Aina Group Oyj: 250
• Lindström Oy: 175

International relations

October sunset - Hämeenlinna

Twin towns — Sister cities

Hämeenlinna is twinned with:

Sport

• Ice hockey team HPK
• Football team FC Hämeenlinna
• The city hosted the modern pentathlon competition for the 1952 Summer Olympics in neighboring Helsinki.
• Hämeenlinna hosted the first round of the Underwater Rugby Euroleague in October 2012 and will host the first round again in 2015.

References

Notes

External links

• 1952 Summer Olympics official report. pp. 60–2.
• City of Hämeenlinna – Official site
• Häme Castle

Municipalities of Tavastia Proper Municipalities Forssa Hämeenlinna Hattula Hausjärvi Humppila Janakkala Jokioinen Loppi Riihimäki Tammela Ypäjä Former municipalities Hämeenlinnan maalaiskunta Hauho Kalvola Koijärvi Lammi Renko Tuulos Tyrväntö Vanaja Tavastia Proper Finland

Olympic venues in modern pentathlon 1912 Barkarby, Djurgårdsbrunnsviken, Kaknäs, Östermalm Athletic Grounds, Stockholm Olympic Stadium 1920 Olympisch Stadion 1924 Fontainebleau, Le Stand de Tir de Versailles, Piscine des Tourelles, Stade de Colombes 1928 Amersfoort, Hilversum, Olympic Sports Park Swim Stadium, Schermzaal, Zeeburg Shooting Grounds 1932 160th Regiment State Armory, Los Angeles Police Pistol Range, Riviera Country Club, Sunset Fields Golf Club, Swimming Stadium 1936 Döberitz, Haus des Deutschen Sports, Olympic Swimming Stadium, Ruhleben, Wannsee Golf Course 1948 Aldershot, Bisley National Rifle Association Ranges, Royal Military Academy 1952 Hämeenlinna 1956 Oaklands Hunt Club, Royal Exhibition Building, Swimming/Diving Stadium, Williamstown 1960 Acqua Santa Golf Club Course, Palazzo dei Congressi, Passo Corese, Stadio Olimpico del Nuoto, Umberto I Shooting Range 1964 Asaka Nezu Park, Asaka Shooting Range, Kemigawa, National Gymnasium, Waseda Memorial Hall 1968 Campo Militar 1, Fernando Montes de Oca Fencing Hall, Francisco Márquez Olympic Pool, Vicente Suárez Shooting Range 1972 Messegelände Fechthalle 2, Olympiastadion, Riding Facility, Riem; Schießanlage, Schwimmhalle 1976 Montreal Botanical Garden, Olympic Equestrian Centre, Bromont; Olympic Pool, Olympic Shooting Range, L'Acadie; Winter Stadium, Université de Montréal 1980 CSKA Football Fieldhouse, Dynamo Shooting Range, Swimming Pool - Olimpisky, Trade Unions' Equestrian Complex 1984 Coto de Caza, Heritage Park Aquatic Center 1988 Jamsil Indoor Swimming Pool, Mongchontoseong, Olympic Fencing Gymnasium, Seoul Equestrian Park, Taenung International Shooting Range 1992 Cross-country course, Mollet del Vallès Shooting Range, Palau de la Metal·lúrgia, Piscines Bernat Picornell, Real Club de Polo de Barcelona 1996 Georgia World Congress Center 2000 Sydney Baseball Stadium, Sydney International Aquatic Centre, The Dome and Exhibition Complex 2004 Olympic Modern Pentathlon Centre 2008 Olympic Green Convention Center, Olympic Sports Centre, Ying Tung Natatorium 2012 Aquatics Centre, Greenwich Park, Copper Box, Royal Artillery Barracks 2016 Deodoro Modern Pentathlon Park