Tampere (Swedish: Tammerfors) is a town of around 200,000 inhabitants situated on the shore of lake Näsijärvi, some 170 km north of Helsinki, Finland. Tampere is the biggest inland town in Scandinavia.
Understand
The city of Tampere lies on an isthmus situated between Lake Näsijärvi, which reaches far to the north, and Lake Pyhäjärvi in the south. The Tammerkoski rapids that run through Tampere connect the two lakes with a fall of 18 metres. In the 7th century population started to gather to this connecting point of two waterways, and in the 18th century people started to understand the importance of the rapids as a way of making hydropower. So it came to be that Tampere was officially founded in the 1st of October in 1779 by Gustav III of Sweden.
During the 19th century Tampere grew rapidly to be an industrial center, and in the latter part of the century the town had almost half of Finland's industrial labour, earning it the nickname Manchester of the North — which still lives on in the city's nickname Manse. Most of the industry was centered around the rapids, with the textile and paper industries particularly important.
During the Finnish Civil War (1918) Tampere was one of the Red (Communist) strongholds, and it was supposed to be the country's next capital. However, in April 1918 the victorious White forces captured the town after a large battle and seized 10,000 prisoners.
In 1927 the first of the factories stopped industrial operations, and city offices later moved into the empty buildings. After 1960 most of the factories started to cease operations, but the buildings were kept. Nowadays central Tampere is characterized by these old red-brick industrial buildings, most of them housing offices, restaurants, and cultural activities.
Orientation
Tampere city centre has a couple of prominent features:
Talk
People in Tampere speak Finnish and English like everybody else in Finland, but knowing a few words of Tampere dialect (Tampereen kiäli) is guaranteed to get you a few laughs. It's easy enough: just greet people with moro (with a trilling 'r'), refer to yourself as mää (pronounciation: /mæ:'/), call them sää (pronounciation: /sæ:'/) and end every sentence with nääs (pronounced /næs'/, like 'nash' in Nashville, except with a prolonged a (cf. "Naaaashville") and a normal 's' instaed of 'sh'). A great sentence to practise is 'Mää en kyä enää ikänä alam mitää.' ('Minä en enää jaksa yrittää'(/m'inæ en 'enæ: y'aksa ür'ittæ:/ in plain Finnish) is pronounced: /m'æ: 'en k'üæ 'enæ: ik'ænæ 'ala mitæ:/. That sentence means: 'I'm too tired of trying again'.
Get in
By plane
Tampere is serviced by Tampere-Pirkkala airport (TMP) , which lies 17 km from the city. Flying from Helsinki on Finnair doesn't make much sense in terms of time or money unless you're connecting, but there are direct flights to London (Heathrow), Stockholm and Copenhagen.
More importantly for the budget traveller, Tampere is Ryanair's Finland hub, with service to Riga, London (Stansted), Frankfurt (Hahn), Dublin and Bremen. Note that Ryanair uses the old terminal, not the new one.
Bus services from the airport to Tampere are regular and take about 40 minutes, while taxis take about 20 minutes. Ryanair has its own bus service , and the airport is also served by local bus routes . In addition to regular taxi service, there is also a shared airport taxi service (€12 one-way between Tampere and airport) .
By train
Tampere has extensive train links, with lines to Helsinki, Turku, up north to Lapland, east towards Jyväskylä and west to Pori. The trip to/from Helsinki by Pendolino express takes 1 h 23 min and costs €30.40, while a local train will take 2 h 04 min for the same trip and charge €20. On weekdays, trains to Helsinki run at least about once every hour between early morning and late evening. On weekends, there may be a gap of up to 2 hours between trains. For Finnish students (ISIC not accepted) and children (6-17 years) all train tickets are half price.
The train station is located right at the city center, at the east end of the main street Hämeenkatu. Most of the hotels are within walking distance of the station. The national train operator, VR, has a website where you can view information, see timetables and purchase tickets.
By coach
There is an almost hourly Expressbus coach connection from Helsinki-Vantaa airport to Tampere bus station operated by Paunu. The service operates round the clock, although there may be a gap of 1 to 2 h between services in the small hours of the night. The trip takes between 2 h and 2 h 30 min depending on whether the service calls in towns on the way. (In some cases, there is a change of coach at Keimolanportti but it is well co-ordinated and easy.) There are also Expressbus coach connections to a number of near-by cities (e.g. Helsinki, Turku, Pori, Lahti and Jyväskylä).
By car
Tampere can be easily reached by car. The drive from Helsinki takes about 2 h and there is a 2+2 lane motorway throughout the journey (speed limit 120 km/h with small portions 100 km/h in the summer, or 100 km/h throughout in the winter). The motorway is new and in excellent condition but is mainly not lit so some care must be exercised when driving in the dark, particularly in the winter when driving conditions can be harsh due to snow and slippery road surface. There are also road connections from Tampere to Turku, Pori, Rauma, Seinäjoki/Vaasa, Jyväskylä and Lahti but these are mostly 1+1 lane regular roads with speed limits between 80 km/h and 100 km/h. Harsh winter conditions may make driving difficult occasionally in the winter, and there is a risk of collision with deer or elk, particularly just after dusk in the summer.
Get around
By bus
The city centre of Tampere is small enough to be covered on foot, but an extensive bus network connects the suburbs and the downtown. In the city centre, most of the bus lines pass through Hämeenkatu. All buses stop at or near the central square.
Single tickets for adults (12 year olds and above) cost €2 and children cost €1. Every paying adult can be accompanied for free by one child under the age of 7. A single ticket includes a 60 minute unlimited transfer ticket. City transportation single tickets are avaialble from all city tariff zone buses.
You can purchase a Tampere Tourist Card for unlimited travel by bus within the Tampere city borders (€6 for the first day, additional days cost €4 for adults; youth and children are €4/€3 and €3/€2 respectively). Purchase the smartcard at the railway or bus station, central square kiosk or city transportation office at Frenckellinaukio 2 B, at the North Eastern side of the central square.
The tickets are also valid in most line-numbered regional bus lines (lines 45-95), if traveled within the city. You'll recognize a city tariff zone bus from the "hailing driver" logo near the right corner of the front of the bus.
If you're traveling outside the city limits (for instance to Helsinki), you have to pay according to the distance of your trip. When travelling longer journeys, you can buy a single ticket by telling your destination (eg. "to Kangasala" or "to Ideapark") to the driver, and if you have co-passengers for which you're also be paying, then say eg. "two adults", or if you want to buy a return ticket (the length of your trip must however be at least 80 km). In case you're entitle to a rebated ticket, such as a child or youth ticket, then also remember to mention that to the driver before you say your destination. Child tickets are sold to 4-11 year olds and youth tickets to 12-16 year olds. Student tickets are not available with international student ID's.
For public transport routes and timetables (throughout Finland), visit Journey.fi ().
By taxi
Taxis in Tampere (and in Finland) are clean, safe, reliable and very expensive. The cost of the trip depends on the number of passengers and time of day (day/night). As an example, 1-2 persons traveling in daytime a 5-kilometre trip costs about €10; and a 10 km trip about €16. You can try to hail a passing cab if its roof light is on, but the usual way is to find nearest taxi stand and get a cab from there; or call for a taxi (the number is 10041 from landline, or 01004131 from a mobile phone). Taxis accept major credit cards.
By car
Most major car rental companies have offices in Tampere. Driving in Tampere is rather straightforward, but winter driving conditions could be dangerous for drivers who are not used to slippery roads (usually between November and April, but possibly during other months too). When driving outside city, watch our for wild moose that could wander over the road. Traffic signs are posted to notify the driver of the areas where moose tend to move about.
See
Do
Learn
Tampere has two universities, the University of Tampere and Tampere University of Technology, each of which has some 10,000 students.
Buy
Tampere has lots of shopping opportunities from small specialized shops to malls.
Department stores
Malls
Markets
Other
Eat
Tampere is (in)famous for its black sausage (mustamakkara), a sausage made of blood. The most authentic (and cheapest) way to try this is to buy from one of the stalls at the Tammelantori or Laukontori markets, with a dab of lingonberry jam and a pint of milk on the side, but old Tampere hands will insist that the one true condiment is a mix of lingonberry jam and mustard. Order by price, not weight: "two euros" (kaks euroo) will get you a nice hefty chunk. Note that both markets close by 2 PM and are closed Sundays too.
Budget
For inexpensive fast food, you can always visit McDonald's and Subway, or their domestic equivalents Hesburger and Rolls. Finnish pizza franchise Kotipizza has restaurants throughout the city. Ethnic pizza and kebab restaurants can be found throughout the city and are usually quite affordable.
Mid-range
Splurge
Sleep
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Stay safe
In general, Finland is a fairly safe country, and Tampere is no exception. On weekend nights, intoxicated people wandering around city streets may be an annoyance, especially on April 30th, the eve of May Day, when it's a common habit to get drunk; and when nice weather has people on the move. Intoxicated Finns tend to be (sometimes over-)friendly and curious towards foreigners, though black people and arabs may sometimes experience racism. Just use your common sense.
There are no exceptional crime problems or health hazards, although the extreme cold in the winter should be borne in mind by visitors, especially those planning outdoor activities. Whilst in summer the temperature rises occasionally to over 25ºC, in the winter months it can drop to around -30ºC for a day or two. Dressing warmly is a must. If you forget to bring winter clothing, you can always visit local shops for appropiate apparel. Also, watch out for slippery sidewalks in winter.
In case of Emergency
Ambulance, fire brigade, police: call 112.
Same number is used with both landline and mobile phone. The number works on any mobile phone, whether it is keylocked or not and with or without SIM card.
Get out
Tampere (, Tammerfors in Swedish) 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 have 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
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. At this time Tampere was rather small town, consisting of only a few square kilometers of land around Tammerkoski rapids.
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, 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 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 industry, 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.
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. Each university has some 10,000 students.
Tampere is part of Pirkanmaa region and is surrounded by the municipalities of Kangasala, Kuru, Lempäälä, Nokia, Orivesi, Pirkkala, Ruovesi and Ylöjärvi.
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 working class background was the famous poet Lauri Viita of Pispala district (which is the original home of Hannu Salama too). Tampere also has old theater 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 theater 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 in every July.
Tampere Music Festivals organises three international music events; Tampere Jazz Happening each November, and on alternate years Tampere Vocal Music Festival and Tampere Biennale.
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. They both have had great impact on the Finnish ice hockey culture and are 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 Tampere Hakametsä Hall, are both located in Tampere. Football is also raising its head in the city with Tampere United winning the 2001 and 2006 Finnish championships.
Sites of interest
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 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. 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 lake Näsijärvi and lake Pyhäjärvi. It used to house the majority of industrial labour in late 19th and early 20th century, when it was part of Suur-Pirkkala and its follower Pohjois-Pirkkala. It was free area to be built for working class people working in Tampere factories. It was joined to Tampere in 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:
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
External links
