61°32N 23°45E, pop (2000e) 177 700. City in Häme province, SW Finland; on the Tammerkoski rapids by L Näsijärvi, c.160 km/100 mi NW of Helsinki; second largest city in Finland; established, 1779; developed as industrial centre in 19th-c; airfield; railway; boat trips to Virrat; university (1966); technological institute (1965); hydroelectricity; footwear, leather, textiles, metal, timber products; cathedral (20th-c); Theatre Summer (Aug).
City of Tampere| city in Finland | |
| Province | Western Finland |
| Region | Pirkanmaa |
| Sub-region | Tampere |
| City manager | Mayor Timo P. Nieminen |
| Official languages | Finnish |
|
Area - total - land |
ranked 129th 687.9 km² 522.7 km² |
|
Population - total (Dec 31, 2005) - change - density |
ranked 3rd 204,337 +0.7 % 391/km² |
| Urbanisation | 96.9 % |
| Unemployment rate | 13.2 % |
| http://www.tampere.fi/ | |
Tampere (Swedish name Tammerfors) is a city in southern Finland located between two lakes: Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi.
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
Tampere was founded as a market place around Tammerkoski river in 1775 by Gustav III of Sweden and four years later, 1779, it was granted a full township status.
Tampere grew as a major market place and industrial centre in the 19th century.
Tampere was the centre of many important political events of Finland in the early 20th century. 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.
After World War II Tampere was enlarged by joining some neighbouring areas.
General
As of 2003 Tampere has a little over 200,000 inhabitants and is the third biggest city in Finland. Tampere's appeal is much brought about by the two universities, University of Tampere (UTA) and Tampere University of Technology (TUT), located in Hervanta.
Culture
Tampere is known for its active cultural life. Tampereen Teatterikesä or Tampere Theatre Festival is an international theater festival held in Tampere every August.
Tampere Film Festival, the international short film festival is held every March.
Tampere is home to the television channel YLE TV2, with its studios at 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. Other sites of interests are 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 the home to one of the, if not the last museum in the world dedicated to Vladimir Ilyich Lenin.
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 The Amuri museum of Workers' Housing The Museum of Minerals The Sara Hildén Art Museum (within Särkäniemi themepark) The Museum of Dolls and Costumes The Spy Museum The Arboretum The Central Museum of Labour in Finland
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