Savonlinna

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Savonlinnan kaupunki
coat of arms map
Savonlinna coat of arms Location of Savonlinna in Finland
Basic data
State : FinlandFinland Finland
Landscape : South Savo
Administrative community : Savonlinna
Geographical location 61 ° 52 '  N , 28 ° 54'  E Coordinates: 61 ° 52 '  N , 28 ° 54'  E
Surface: 3,597.71 km²
of which land area: 2,239.50 km²
of which inland waterways: 1,358.21 km²
Residents : 33,611 (Dec. 31, 2018)
Population density : 15 inhabitants / km²
Municipality number : 740
Postcodes : 57100-57810
Language (s) : Finnish
Website : www.savonlinna.fi

Savonlinna [ ˈsɑvɔnlinːɑ ] ( Swedish. Nyslott ) is a city in eastern Finland with 33,611 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2018). Today's main town of the same name has had city ​​rights since 1639 .

geography

A steamboat at the harbor in the market square of Savonlinna

Savonlinna is located in the eastern Finnish landscape of South Savo around 330 kilometers northeast of Helsinki in the middle of the Finnish Lake District . Along with Mikkeli , which is around 100 kilometers to the west, Savonlinna is the most important city in South Savo. Neighboring municipalities of Savonlinna are Varkaus in the northwest, Enonkoski and Heinävesi in the north, Liperi and Rääkkylä in the northeast, Kitee in the east, Parikkala in the southeast, Ruokolahti in the south and Sulkava and Rantasalmi in the west.

The core city of Savonlinna is partly on islands at a narrow point between the lakes Haukivesi in the north and Pihlajavesi in the south. Both lakes are part of the Saimaa lake system. In addition to the actual core city, the administrative urban area of ​​Savonlinna encompasses an extensive, largely rural area in the surrounding area after the incorporation of several neighboring communities. The total area of ​​the urban area of ​​Savonlinna is 3598 square kilometers. This makes Savonlinna 40 percent larger than Luxembourg . More than a third of the urban area is covered by water. In addition to the Haukivesi and the Pihlajavesi, Savonlinna in the east of the urban area also has a share in the Orivesi and the Puruvesi , two other large lakes of the Saimaa lake system.

In addition to the core city, the city of Savonlinna includes five other settlement centers ( taajama ): (Population as of December 31, 2011):

history

Olavinlinna Castle

The nucleus of the city of Savonlinna is the Olavinlinna Castle . This was built by the Swedes in 1475 to secure the region of Savo , a disputed region between Sweden and Russia . A settlement formed around the castle, which was granted city rights in 1639. The name Savonlinna ("Savo Castle") refers to the Olavinlinna Castle, as does the Swedish name Nyslott ("New Castle"). During the Great Northern War , the Russians took Olavinlinna Castle in 1714, but ceded it again in the Peace of Nystad in 1721 . In the Peace of Åbo , which ended the War of Hats in 1743 , Savonlinna finally fell to Russia. Savonlinna remained fought over and was besieged by the Swedes in 1788, without success. Only when the rest of Finland fell to Russia as a result of the Treaty of Fredrishamn in 1809 did Olavinlinna Castle lose its military importance. In 1812 Savonlinna came to the newly founded Grand Duchy of Finland as part of the so-called Old Finland . From the middle of the 19th century, Savonlinna grew with the construction of the Saimaa Canal in 1856. The connection to the railway network in 1907 brought an economic boom. With the Finnish declaration of independence in 1917, Savonlinna also became part of the independent Republic of Finland.

Since the 1970s, the urban area of ​​Savonlinna has expanded considerably through the incorporation of several neighboring communities. Originally, the city of Savonlinna only comprised the actual urban area and was completely surrounded by the territory of the municipality of Sääminki . In 1973 the municipality of Sääminki was dissolved and most of it was added to the city of Savonlinna. In 2009 the municipality of Savonranta was incorporated, in 2013 Kerimäki and Punkaharju followed .

Attractions

The Savonlinna Cathedral

The most famous sight in Savonlinna is the Olavinlinna Castle . Today it is the best preserved medieval fortress in Northern Europe. It has been open to the public since 1975 and is open all year round. The Savonlinna Opera Festival, which takes place in the castle every July, is known throughout Europe . The main church of the city is the Savonlinna Cathedral , built in 1878 in neo -Gothic style . The market square in the city center is right on the water.

The rural environment of Savonlinna is part of the beautiful Saimaa lake area. Savonlinna is part of the Linnansaari and Kolovesi national parks . Kerimäki, an administrative part of Savonlinna, is home to the Kerimäki Church, built in 1848, which is the largest wooden church in the world. The town of Punkaharju, which is also incorporated, is known for the natural monument of the same name, a seven kilometer long Os (hill ridge) between the Puruvesi and Pihlajavesi lakes . The Retretti Art Museum and the Lusto Forest Museum are also located here .

Economy and Infrastructure

The wood industry is economically important. Savonlinna Airport, completed in 1973, is located 15 km north of the city.

The University of Eastern Finland has a small campus in Savonlinna that mainly trains teachers.

Twin cities

Savonlinna maintains town twinning with

and with the Scandinavian cities

sons and daughters of the town

Eponyms

The asteroid (1525) Savonlinna , discovered on September 18, 1939, bears the name of the city.

Sports

The ice hockey club Savonlinnan Pallokerho plays in the Finnish second division.

Savonlinna since 2000 every year the mobile phone throwing world championships ( Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships ) instead.

Web links

Commons : Savonlinna  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Wikivoyage: Savonlinna  - travel guide

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Maanmittauslaitos (Finnish land surveying office): Suomen pinta-alat kunnittain January 1, 2013 . (PDF; 199 kB)
  2. ↑ Statistical Office Finland: Table 11ra - Key figures on population by region, 1990-2018
  3. ↑ Tilastokeskus (Finnish Statistics Office): Taajama- ja haja-asutusalueväestö iän ja sukupuolen mukaan kunnittain December 31, 2011.  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / 193.166.171.75  
  4. ^ Website of the city of Savonlinna
  5. ↑ MPC