Lappeenranta
Lappeenranta [ lɑp ː ɛ ː nrɑntɑ ] ( swedish Villmanstrand ) is a town in the countryside of South Karelia in Finland with 72 445 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012).
Geography
In Lappeenranta who built 1845-1856 Saimaa Canal empties into the Finnish Lakeland, the ( located in Russia) connects the Saimaa lake with the Baltic Sea near Vyborg. The proximity to the Russian border is particularly evident by the high number of Russian tourists.
Distances to other cities:
Lappeenranta is spread over an area of 1756 km ².
History
The city was founded in 1649 by the Swedish Queen Christina I.. In 1721 it became the provincial capital. As a border town between Swedes, Finns and Russians fought violently for a long time, it was twenty years later in a battle (see Peter von Lacy ) almost entirely Finnish.
Development of the population (reference: 31 December):
- 2004-58982
- 2005-59073
- 2006-59811
- 2007-59286
- 2008-59659
At the beginning of 2009, the neighboring community Joutseno and 2010, the municipality Ylämaa was connected to Lappeenranta.
Attractions
Local attractions include the wooden town hall (1829 ) by Carl Ludwig Engel and the oldest Greek Orthodox Church ( 1785), Finland. The water tower offers a good view over the city, but is currently due to health concerns closed to the public. However, the main attraction is the fortress on the northern edge of the city.
35 km south of Lappeenranta is a small place Ylämaa, the only extraction and grinding area of the gemstone Spektrolith.
Economy
Economic importance of own trade, the timber industry and mechanical engineering. The Lappeenranta Airport is located 2 km west of the city.
Lappeenranta is the seat of a company founded in 1969 with approximately 5700 Technical University students and 980 employees.
Sports
Saimaan Pallo is an ice hockey club established in 1948 in the city. The team plays in the first division and contributes their home games in the hall Kisapuisto from. The association Lappeenrannan NMKY 2005 and 2006 was Finnish champion in basketball.
Lappeenranta wore in 2004 and 2014 Bandy World Championship for ladies.
Twin Cities
Lappeenranta is twinned with Schwäbisch Hall, Rakvere in Estonia and Szombathely in Hungary.
Sons and daughters of the town
- Antti Aalto ( born 1975 ), ice hockey player
- Irja Askola ( born 1952 ), cleric
- Pasi Häkkinen ( born 1977 ), professional ice hockey goaltender
- Heikki Hietamies ( born 1933), writer, journalist, presenter and comedian
- Ville Hostikka ( born 1985 ), professional ice hockey goaltender
- Mikko Jokela ( born 1980 ), ice hockey player
- Markku Laakso (born 1978 ), conductor
- Matti Lehtinen (* 1922), opera singer
- Pave Maijanen ( born 1955 ), musician
- Väinö Muinonen (1898-1978), long-distance runner
- Miikka Multaharju ( b. 1977 ), football player
- Minna Nieminen (born 1976 ), rower
- Jukka Paarma ( born 1942 ), cleric
- Hanna Pakarinen ( born 1981 ), pop singer
- Christian Ruuttu (born 1964 ), ice hockey player
- Petri Skriko (born 1962 ), ice hockey player and coach
- Vesa Viitakoski (born 1971 ), ice hockey player and coach