Tampere in Finland: City of Lakes and Leisure, Tampere, Finland

Tampere, Finland’s third largest city, lies between two beautiful lakes, Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi. These lakes are linked by the Tammerkoski, a channel of rapids, that flows through the city centre. Due to the hydro-power harnessed from these thundering waters Tampere became the centre of the industrial revolution in Finland and large red-brick factories were built around the Tammerkoski Rapids. Factories making cotton, paper, machinery, clothes, shoes and many other things sprang up during the first half of the nineteenth century. The town became known as the Manchester of Finland and to this day it is still referred to as Manse. When the factories ceased production towards the end of the twentieth century these buildings became the centre of a cultural revolution and the area became known as the Finlayson Area.

In 1820 James Finlayson, a Scotsman, established a cotton factory near the Tammerkoski Rapids. Only the brand Finlayson remains since the last factory ceased production in Tampere in 1999. The old factory buildings in this area now provide a unique venue for upmarket restaurants, cosy cafés, museums, exhibitions, music centres and venues for events. Tampere is renowned for its wide variety of museums including the Finnish Postal Museum, the Finnish Museum of Games, the Lenin Museum, the Spy Museum and Finland’s official Police Museum. Some of these are found in the Finlayson area including the Finnish Labour Museum. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).