Hämeenlinna (Finnish:[ˈhæmeːnˌlinːɑ];Swedish:Tavastehus;Karelian:Hämienlinna;Latin:Tavastum orCroneburgum[6]) is acity inFinland and the regional capital ofKanta-Häme. It is located in the southern interior of the country and on the shores ofLake Vanajavesi. The population of Hämeenlinna is approximately 68,000, while thesub-region has a population of approximately 94,000. It is the 15th most populousmunicipality in Finland, and the 14th most populousurban area in the country.
Hämeenlinna is the oldest inland city in Finland[7] and was one of the most important Finnish cities until the 19th century. Hämeenlinna was located in the heart of the historic province ofTavastia. Since then, Hämeenlinna has remained an important regional centre. The medievalHäme Castle (also known asTavastia Castle) is located in the town.
Hämeenlinna is known as the birthplace of the Finnish national composerJean Sibelius. It is now part of the Kanta-Häme region and was the residence of theGovernor of the province ofSouthern Finland until 2010. Nearby cities include the capitalHelsinki (98 km or 61 mi),Tampere (73 km or 45 mi) andLahti (72 km or 45 mi), the regional centre ofPäijänne Tavastia (Päijät-Häme).
Thecoat of arms of Hämeenlinna is based on the 17th-centurytown seal, which in turn refers to the Häme Castle built by the Lake Vanajavesi in the Middle Ages, near which the city was founded. The current coat of arms was designed byGustaf von Numers on the basis of the old coat of arms, and was confirmed on September 21, 1956.[9][10]
Vanaja is the name of a settlement next to Vanajavesi that had been in existence since theViking Age. The castle was built in the late 13th century to secure Swedish power in central Finland. A village was established nearHäme Castle to provide services and goods to its inhabitants.
The village was granted city rights on January 19, 1639,[11] but Hämeenlinna, which still after that looked more like a rural village, developed very slowly, which was a typical problem for inland cities in Finland compared to the most prosperous coastal cities.[12] In 1777,King Gustav III of Sweden moved it one kilometre (0.6 miles) south to the hill on which it still stands.[12]
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Hämeenlinna and its region became known for its grand summer residences, such asKarlberg Manor (Aulanko) andVanajanlinna Manor.[14][15]
The city is known for its schools and academies where many famousFinns have studied.[16] Schools, government and the military have characterised the life of Hämeenlinna throughout history.
During theFinnish Civil War in 1918, Hämeenlinna was initially in the area controlled by theReds, but theWhites captured the city with the help of the Germans in theBattle of Hämeenlinna.[20] After the war, the Hämeenlinnaprison camp established for red prisoners operated in the Poltinaho barracks area, and it was known as one of the most notorious high-discipline camps in the history of the Civil War, where female prisoners were also kept.[21] By mid-September, over 2,000 Red prisoners died in the prison camp,[22] mainly for communicable diseases such assmallpox,scarlet fever,typhus andSpanish flu.[23]
After World War II, Hämeenlinna underwent significant transformation as Finland shifted from a wartime economy to peacetime recovery. The city experienced substantial reconstruction efforts, which included the renovation of damaged infrastructure and the development of new housing to accommodate returning soldiers and their families.[24]
Häme County received 73,812 war refugees fromKarelia. Of all the war refugees, 90 percent were Finns. Hämeenlinna specifically welcomed these refugees, and the Ojoinen Borough was constructed to accommodate them.[25][26][27][28]
Post-war period saw an increase in population as people moved to Hämeenlinna for job opportunities in various sectors. Hämeenlinna also embraced industrialisation during this era, with manufacturing becoming a cornerstone of its economy. The city’s strategic location facilitated trade and transport, further promoting economic development.[24]
The establishment of educational institutions, such asthe Häme University of Applied Sciences, contributed to the city's growth and modernisation. Additionally, cultural initiatives flourished, with museums and theaters enhancing the local cultural landscape.The Artillery Museum of Finland, which opened in 1997, became a key attraction, showcasing the military history and heritage of the region.[29][30][31][32]
The Prime Ministers and ministers of Finland and Sweden gathered for a historic and joint meeting in Hämeenlinna in 2009.[33]
There are a total of 339 lakes in whole or in part in the area of the city of Hämeenlinna. The largest of them areLake Vanajavesi,Lake Kukkia andLake Kuohijärvi.[34] The main features of the Hämeenlinna landscape are the Häme Lake Plateau, the Vanajavesi Valley and the Kanta-Häme Grove Center. In many places, the landscapes are marked by the prosperousTavastianagricultural culture.[35][36]
The city has severalnature reserves, the largest of which are located in the popularrecreation areas ofAulanko and Ahvenisto on the outskirts of the city. In total, there are 31Natura 2000 areas in the city of Hämeenlinna.[37] In addition, Hämeenlinna has Finland's firstnational urban park, established in 2001.[38]
Town Hall of Hämeenlinna was designed by architect Carl Alfred Cavén. The town hall was completed in 1888.The church of Hämeenlinna by architectLouis Jean Desprez. The church was completed in 1798.
The center of Hämeenlinna is located on the Saarinen Hill on the shores ofLake Vanajavesi, and is bordered on the west byHighway 3 (E12), whileHighway 10 bypasses the city to the south and east. The street network in the center is based on agrid pattern drawn up byCarl Ludvid Engel in 1832 with theMarket Square as its center.[41] On the edge of the market square are the town hall, Hämeenlinna Church and the Häme County Government House.[42] The city center is divided into fourdistricts, which areLinnanniemi,Koilliskulma,Hämeensaari andSaaristenmäki. Raatihuoneenkatu, which has been partially transformed into a pedestrian street, is the most significant shopping street in the city center; for example, at the western end of the street, theGoodman Shopping Center was completed in October 2014.[43]
There are plenty of buildings of different styles in the city center, and in proportion to the city's population, it is quite large and densely built. The most significant expansion direction in the city center in the 2010s has been the Keinusaari district on the other side of Lake Vanajavesi, where, for example, thecity's railway station is located. Supplementary construction has also been carried out in the city center on an ongoing basis. The center of Hämeenlinna has been ridiculed as the "Finland's largest lit cemetery".[44]
The city of Hämeenlinna has 68,440 inhabitants, making it the 15th most populous municipality in Finland. TheHämeenlinna region has a population of 93,801.
Population size of Hämeenlinna (and merged municipalities) 1990–2020[46]
Hämeenlinna is a monolingualFinnish-speaking municipality. As of 2024[update], the majority of the population, 62,880 persons (91.9%), spoke Finnish as their first language. In addition, the number ofSwedish speakers was 272 persons (0.4%) of the population. Foreign languages were spoken by7.7% of the population.[47] AsEnglish andSwedish are compulsory school subjects, functional bilingualism or trilingualism acquired through language studies is not uncommon.
At least 40 different languages are spoken in Hämeenlinna. The most common foreign languages areEstonian (0.7%),Russian (0.7%),Ukrainian (0.7%),Arabic (0.7%) andPersian (0.5%).[47]
As of 2024[update], there were 5,308 persons with a foreign background living in Hämeenlinna, or 8% of the population.[note 1] The number of residents who were born abroad was 5,143, or 8% of the population. The number of persons with foreign citizenship living in Hämeenlinna was 3,809. Most foreign-born citizens came from the formerSoviet Union,Estonia,Sri Lanka andUkraina.[47]
The relative share of immigrants in Hämeenlinna's population is below to the national average. However, the city's new residents are increasingly of foreign origin. This will increase the proportion of foreign residents in the coming years.
In 2023, theEvangelical Lutheran Church was the largest religious group with 67.8% of the population of Hämeenlinna. Other religious groups accounted for 2.5% of the population. 29.7% of the population had no religious affiliation.[49]
The economic structure of Hämeenlinna is close to the national average. In 2015, there were 28,270 jobs in the city. Of these, 75% were in the service sector, 3% in primary production (agriculture,forestry andfisheries) and 21% in processing. The share of the unemployed was 13,6%.[50]
Hämeenlinna is home toHAMK Häme University of Applied Sciences' headquarters.[52] Founded in 1873, Hämeenlinna Lyceum has many cultural influencers. The school is one of the most famous educational institutions in Finland, as many well-known Finns have graduated from the institution; examples include master composerJean Sibelius and presidentJuho Kusti Paasikivi.[16] Hämeenlinna Lyceum has a middle school (grades 7–9) and a high school. Another of the high schools in Hämeenlinna's inner city is Kauriala High School. Hämeenlinna's Lyceum and Kauriala High School were to be combined in the fall of 2018 to form a large high school with more than a thousand students on the Hattelmala campus of the Tavastia Education Consortium.[53] However, the city council decided to cancel the high school project in the spring of 2018, and the high schools will continue to be separate.[54]
Hämeenlinna is home to a diverse range of museums, includingHäme Castle, Hämeenlinna Art Museum, Iittala Glass Museum, Prison Museum, Skogster Museum (Hämeenlinna City Museum), Birthplace ofJean Sibelius, and Artillery, Engineer and Signals Museum of Finland (Militaria Museum).[55]
Verkatehdas is a well-known cultural and conference center situated in Hämeenlinna, Finland. Originally a textile factory, it has been repurposed into a versatile venue that hosts a wide range of events and activities.[56]
BioRex Verkatehdas: This modern cinema, located within the complex, features five screening rooms equipped with advanced technology, including 4K laser projectors and Xpandin 3D capabilities.[57]
Hämeenlinna Art Museum: Situated in the Verkatehdas area, this museum showcases Finnish and international visual art. It boasts an extensive collection of over 8,000 works and frequently hosts temporary exhibitions.[58]
Hämeenlinna is emerging as a notable gastronomy destination in Finland, characterized by its diverse culinary offerings and a growing number of high-quality restaurants.[59]
In the 1980s, the following dishes were named Hämeenlinna's traditional cuisine: as a daily meal, smokedham andsourdough bread; as a festive meal, theherring wrapped inrye dough orkalaleipä, i.e. "fish bread",buttermilk andbeer, and theriistansylttääjän lintupaisti, which ispheasant stuffed withalmonds, potato and apple slices.[60]
Wanaja Festival is annual music festival held in Linnanpuisto, this event has grown in popularity, showcasing both local and international artists. It attracts large crowds each summer, emphasizing Hämeenlinna's vibrant music scene.[61]
Häme Medieval Festival celebrates medieval culture with activities, performances, and markets. It has become a staple event in August, drawing visitors interested in history and reenactments.[62]
Football team Hämeenlinnan Jalkapalloseura plaus in the third-tierKakkonen, and the women's representative team of Hämeenlinnan Jalkapalloseura plays in the Naisten Kakkonen.[64]
^"Hämeenlinna".Järviwiki (in Finnish). Retrieved4 March 2021.
^Jutila, Heli; Harju, Hannu (2005)."Kalvolan luonto-opas"(PDF).Hämeenlinnan seudun kansanterveystyön kuntayhtymän ympäristöosasto, NAPA-projekti (in Finnish). Retrieved4 March 2021.
^Jutila, Heli; Harju, Hannu (2004)."Rengon luonto-opas"(PDF).Hämeenlinnan seudun kansanterveystyön kuntayhtymän ympäristöosasto, NAPA-projekti (in Finnish). Retrieved4 March 2021.
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