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Wikipedia

Vaasa

Vaasa (Finnish: [ˈʋɑːsɑ]; Swedish: Vasa, Finland Swedish: [ˈvɑːsɑ] (listen), Sweden Swedish: [ˈvɑ̂ːsa] (listen)), in the years 1855–1917 as Nikolainkaupunki (Swedish: Nikolajstad; literally meaning "city of Nicholas),[2] is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa.[1] Vaasa has a population of 68,049 (28 February 2023)[5] (approximately 120,000 in the Vaasa sub-region), and is the regional capital of Ostrobothnia (Swedish: Österbotten; Finnish: Pohjanmaa). Vaasa is also well known as a major university and college city in Finland.[9]

Vaasa
Vasa (Swedish)
City
Vaasan kaupunki
Vasa stad
City of Vaasa
Clockwise from top-left: Vaasa Market Hall, the ruins of Saint Mary Church, the Court of Appeal, the Holy Trinity Church, Vaasa railway station, the Port of Vaasa in Vaskiluoto, and Kurtenia House; and in the middle (from top to bottom) Vaasa City Hall, and the Kauppapuistikko esplanade
Location of Vaasa in Finland
Coordinates: 63°06′N 021°37′E / 63.100°N 21.617°E / 63.100; 21.617Coordinates: 63°06′N 021°37′E / 63.100°N 21.617°E / 63.100; 21.617
Country Finland
Region Ostrobothnia
Sub-regionVaasa sub-region
Charter2 October 1606[1]
Named forHouse of Vasa[1]
Nicholas I of Russia (1855–1917)[2]
Capital city[a]29 January 1918 – 3 May 1918[3]
Government
 • City managerTomas Häyry
Area
 (2018-01-01)[4]
 • City545.14 km2 (210.48 sq mi)
 • Land188.81 km2 (72.90 sq mi)
 • Water208.63 km2 (80.55 sq mi)
 • Urban
66.65 km2 (25.73 sq mi)
 • Rank210th largest in Finland
Population
 (2023-02-28)[5]
 • City68,049
 • Rank15th largest in Finland
 • Density360.41/km2 (933.5/sq mi)
 • Urban
65,414
 • Urban density981.5/km2 (2,542/sq mi)
Population by native language
 • Finnish69.8% (official)
 • Swedish24.8%
 • Others5.4%
Population by age
 • 0 to 1415%
 • 15 to 6464.4%
 • 65 or older20.6%
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)
Websitewww.vaasa.fi

The city is bilingual with 69.8% of the population speaking Finnish as their first language and 24.8% speaking Swedish.[6] The surrounding Ostrobothnian municipalities (such as Korsholm and Malax) have a clear Swedish-speaking majority, which is why the Swedish language maintains a strong position in the city, making it the most significant cultural center for Swedish-Finns.[10][11][12]

Vaasa is also known for Tropiclandia Water Park, which is located in the Vaskiluoto Island right next to a local spa hotel.[13] In the immediate vicinity of Tropiclandia was the now deserted Wasalandia Amusement Park, which ceased operations in 2015 due to a small number of visitors.[14][15][16]

History

Name

Over the years, Vaasa has changed its name several times, due to alternative spellings, political decisions and language condition changes. At first it was called Mustasaari or Mussor after the village where it was founded in 1606, but just a few years later the name was changed to Vasa to honor the royal Swedish lineage. Mustasaari (Finnish) or Korsholm (Swedish) remains as the name of the surrounding mostly rural municipality, which since 1973 surrounds the city. The city was known as Vasa between 1606 and 1855, Nikolajstad (Swedish) and Nikolainkaupunki (Finnish) between 1855 and 1917, named after the then late Czar Nicholas I of Russia,[2] Vasa (Swedish) and Vaasa (Finnish) after the February revolution, with the Finnish spelling of the name being the primary one from around 1930 when Finnish speakers became the majority in the city.

Foundation

 
Old Vaasa in the 1840s by Johan Knutsson

The history of Korsholm and also of Vaasa begins in the 14th century, when seafarers from the coastal region in central Sweden disembarked at the present Old Vaasa, and the wasteland owners from Southwest Finland came to guard their land.

In the middle of the century, Saint Mary's Church was built, and in the 1370s the building of the fortress at Korsholm, Crysseborgh, was undertaken, and served as an administrative centre of the Vasa County. King Charles IX of Sweden founded the town of Mustasaari/Mussor on 2 October 1606,[1] around the oldest harbour and trade point around the Korsholm church approximately seven kilometres (4.3 miles) to the southeast from the present city. In 1611, the town was chartered and renamed after the Royal House of Vasa.

Thanks to the sea connections, ship building and trade, especially tar trade, Vaasa flourished in the 17th century and most of the inhabitants earned their living from it.

In 1683, the three-subject or Trivial school moved from Nykarleby to Vaasa, and four years later a new schoolhouse was built in Vaasa. The first library in Finland was founded in Vaasa in 1794. In 1793, Vaasa had 2,178 inhabitants, and in the year of the catastrophic town fire of 1852 the number had risen to 3,200.

Finnish War

During the Finnish War, fought between Sweden and Russia in 1808–1809, Vaasa suffered more than any other city. In June 1808, Vaasa was occupied by the Russian forces, and some of the local officials pledged allegiance to the occupying force.

On 25 June 1808 the Swedish colonel Johan Bergenstråhle was sent with 1,500 troops and four cannons to free Vaasa from the 1,700 Russian troops who were led by generalmajor Nikolay Demidov. The Battle of Vaasa started with the Swedish force disembarking north of Vaasa in Österhankmo and advancing all the way to the city where they attacked with 1,100 troops, as some had to be left behind to secure the flank. There was heavy fighting in the streets and in the end the Swedish forces were repelled and forced to retreat back the way they came.

Generalmajor Demidov suspected that the inhabitants of Vaasa had taken to arms and helped the Swedish forces, even though the provincial governor had confiscated all weapons that spring, and he took revenge by letting his men plunder the city for several days. During those days 17 civilians were killed, property was looted and destroyed, many were assaulted and several people were taken to the village of Salmi in Kuortane where they had to endure the physical punishment called running the gauntlet. The massacre in Vaasa was exceptional during the Finnish war as the Russian forces had avoided that kind of cruelty that far. It was probably a result of the frustration the Russians felt because of intensive guerilla activity against them in the region.

On 30 June the Russian forces withdrew from Vaasa, and all officials that had pledged allegiance to Russia were discharged, and some were assaulted by locals. On 13 September the Russian forces returned and on the next day the decisive Battle of Oravais, which was won by Russia, was fought some 50 kilometres (30 mi) further north. By winter 1808, the Russian forces had overrun all of Finland, and in the Treaty of Fredrikshamn (17 September 1809) Sweden lost the whole eastern part of its realm. Vaasa would now become a part of the newly formed Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire.

Town fire

 
The Court of Appeal, nowadays the Church of Korsholm, survived the fire of 1852
 
Illustration in Finland framstäldt i teckningar edited by Zacharias Topelius and published 1845-1852.

The mainly wooden and densely built town was almost utterly destroyed in 1852. A fire started in a barn belonging to district court judge J. F. Aurén on the morning of 3 August. At noon the whole town was ablaze and the fire lasted for many hours. By evening, most of the town had burned to the ground. Out of 379 buildings only 24 privately owned buildings had survived, among them the Falander–Wasastjerna patrician house (built in 1780–1781) which now houses the Old Vaasa Museum.

The Court of Appeal (built in 1775, nowadays the Church of Korsholm), some Russian guard-houses along with a gunpowder storage and the buildings of the Vaasa provincial hospital (nowadays a psychiatric hospital) also survived the blaze. The ruins of the greystone church, the belfry, the town hall and the trivial school can still be found in their original places. Much of the archived material concerning Vaasa and its inhabitants was destroyed in the fire. According to popular belief, the fire got started when a careless visitor from Vörå fell asleep in Aurén's barn and dropped his pipe in the dry hay.

New town

The new town of Nikolaistad (Finnish: Nikolainkaupunki), named after the late Tsar Nicholas I, rose in 1862 about seven kilometres (4.3 miles) to the northwest from the old town. The town's coastal location offered good conditions for seafaring. The town plan was planned by Carl Axel Setterberg in the Empire style. In the master plan the disastrous consequences of the fire were considered. Main streets in the new town were five broad avenues which divided the town into sections. Each block was divided by alleys.

The town was promptly renamed Vasa (Vaasa) after the Tsar Nicholas II was overthrown in 1917.

Capital of Finland

 
The Jaeger Battallion on the city square of Vaasa in February 1918. The forces are being inspected by General Mannerheim.

During the Finnish Civil War, Vaasa was the capital of Finland from 29 January to 3 May 1918.[3] As a consequence of the occupation of central places and arresting of politicians in Helsinki the Senate decided to move the senators to Vaasa, where the White Guards that supported the Senate had a strong position and the contacts to the West were good.[17][18]

The Senate of Finland began its work in Vaasa on 1 February 1918, and it had four members. The Senate held its sessions in the Town Hall. To express its gratitude to the town the Senate gave Vaasa the right to add the Cross of Freedom, independent Finland's oldest mark of honour designed by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, to its coat of arms, to the town's coat of arms.[19][20] The coat of arms is unusual not only in this respect, but also because of its non-standard shape and a crown are included. Because of its role in the civil war, Vaasa became known as "The White City". A Statue of Freedom, depicting a victorious White soldier, was erected in the town square.

Post-war

The language conditions in the city shifted in the 1930s, and the majority became Finnish-speaking. Therefore, the primary name also changed from "Vasa" to "Vaasa", according to Finnish spelling.

Post-war, Vaasa was industrialized, led by the electronics manufacturer Strömberg, later merged into ABB.

In 2013 the municipality of Vähäkyrö was merged into Vaasa. It is currently an exclave area of the city, since it is surrounded by other municipalities.

Climate

Near the Polar Circle, Vaasa falls in continental subarctic climate (Köppen: Dfc) with severe dry winters and almost warm summers. The prevailing direction of the winds, North Atlantic Current and the proximity of the Gulf of Bothnia give the climate a certainly livability in spite of the latitude, similar to the south of Alaska, where continentality, proximity to the poles and moderation intersect.[21] The Föhn wind, for example, passes over the Scandinavian Mountains and leaves a milder and drier weather in the lee of the mountains where Vaasa is found, affecting especially in the winter which explains sunny days even in the season of short solar duration.[22]

The location of some sea distance gives a seasonal delay of spring and summer at the same time that autumn and winter are affected late. The average annual temperature is 4.7 °C (normal from 1991 to 2020). The low Ostrobothnia usually receives little snow but the contact of cold air with warmer and humid air can generate heavy snowfall. Early summer (as well as spring) tends to be drier and the wettest month does not coincide with the warmer month. End of April is usually the growing season with 250–300 mm approximately.[22] The maritime breeze explains the difference in temperature, distribution of precipitation and sunshine, different from the Gulf of Finland, the Gulf of Bothnia brings the sea wind in places further distant about 50 km from the coast.[23] The city gets more sun than inland places, although current log are unavailable.[24] The highest ever recorded temperature was 32.2 °C (89.6 °F), on 18 July 2018, although a record of 33.7 °C (92.7 °F) was recorded in the city center the same day, which in fact was the hottest day of Finland in 2018 by slightly edging a temperature recorded in Turku Artukainen of 33.6 °C (92.5 °F), also on 18 July 2018, making it the highest temperature ever recorded in Vaasa.

Climate data for Vaasa, 1981-2010 normals, extremes 1961 - present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 7.7
(45.9)
8.6
(47.5)
14.5
(58.1)
21.8
(71.2)
28.6
(83.5)
31.8
(89.2)
32.2
(90.0)
31.6
(88.9)
27.7
(81.9)
18.5
(65.3)
13.2
(55.8)
8.8
(47.8)
32.2
(90.0)
Average high °C (°F) −3.5
(25.7)
−3.4
(25.9)
0.6
(33.1)
6.0
(42.8)
14.0
(57.2)
18.4
(65.1)
20.6
(69.1)
18.4
(65.1)
12.8
(55.0)
6.9
(44.4)
1.6
(34.9)
−1.6
(29.1)
7.6
(45.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) −6.8
(19.8)
−6.9
(19.6)
−3.1
(26.4)
2.0
(35.6)
8.7
(47.7)
13.6
(56.5)
16.0
(60.8)
14.0
(57.2)
9.0
(48.2)
4.0
(39.2)
−1.0
(30.2)
−4.6
(23.7)
3.7
(38.7)
Average low °C (°F) −10.5
(13.1)
−10.8
(12.6)
−7.0
(19.4)
−1.9
(28.6)
3.3
(37.9)
8.3
(46.9)
11.0
(51.8)
9.6
(49.3)
5.3
(41.5)
1.3
(34.3)
−3.7
(25.3)
−8.4
(16.9)
−0.3
(31.5)
Record low °C (°F) −36.2
(−33.2)
−38.6
(−37.5)
−30.6
(−23.1)
−18.1
(−0.6)
−7.6
(18.3)
−2.4
(27.7)
1.6
(34.9)
−0.5
(31.1)
−6.0
(21.2)
−15.6
(3.9)
−27.9
(−18.2)
−34.4
(−29.9)
−38.6
(−37.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 34.0
(1.34)
20.0
(0.79)
27.0
(1.06)
27.0
(1.06)
31.0
(1.22)
43.0
(1.69)
60.0
(2.36)
63.0
(2.48)
62.0
(2.44)
54.0
(2.13)
50.0
(1.97)
41.0
(1.61)
512
(20.15)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 8.0 6.0 7.0 6.0 7.0 6.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 10.0 11.0 9.0 100
Mean monthly sunshine hours 29.1 71.9 131.1 190.2 277.5 303.0 282.8 220.0 131.5 84.6 39.8 20.9 1,782.4
Source: FMI[25]

Demographics

Nationality Population
  Sweden 775 (1.15%)
  Russia 561 (0.83%)
  Latvia 369 (0.55%)
  Armenia 365 (0.54%)
  Yugoslavia 347 (0.51%)
  Iran 320 (0.47%)
  Vietnam 274 (0.41%)
  China 210 (0.31%)
  Estonia 199 (0.30%)
  Afghanistan 181 (0.27%)
  Bulgaria 178 (0.26%)
  Serbia 177 (0.26%)
  Thailand 172 (0.26%)
  Romania 169 (0.25%)
  Syria 165 (0.24%)
  India 160 (0.24%)
  Croatia 151 (0.22%)
  Philippines 106 (0.16%)
  Pakistan 90 (0.13%)
  Germany 77 (0.11%)
  Poland 73 (0.11%)
  Austria 72 (0.11%)

Economy

Vaasa is generally speaking an industrial town, with several industrial parks. Industry comprises one-fourth of jobs.[citation needed]

There is a university (University of Vaasa), faculties of Åbo Akademi and Hanken, and two universities of applied sciences in the town. Many workers commute from Korsholm, Laihia, and other municipalities nearby.

The Vaskiluoto power stations complex is situated on the island of Vaskiluoto, supplying electricity to the national grid as well as district heat to the city.[26]

The multi-use cargo and passenger Port of Vaasa is located in Vaskiluoto, connecting Vaasa with Umeå, Sweden, and destinations further afield.[27]

The film production company Future Film has its head office in Vaasa.[28][29] Kotipizza has its head office in the Vaskiluodon Satamaterminaali.[30]

Transport

Main roads, including highway 3 (E12) and highway 8 (E8), connect Vaasa to Helsinki, Tampere, Oulu, Pori, Jyväskylä, Kokkola and Seinäjoki. There are 419 kilometres (260 mi) from Helsinki to Vaasa, 330 kilometres (210 mi) from Turku, 244 kilometres (152 mi) from Tampere, 319 kilometres (198 mi) from Oulu, 121 kilometres (75 mi) from Kokkola, 99 kilometres (62 mi) from Jakobstad, 193 kilometres (120 mi) from Pori, 83 kilometres (52 mi) from Lapua and 78 kilometres (48 mi) from Seinäjoki. It is also a relatively short distance from Sweden to Vaasa. The tourist route called Blue Highway also runs from the port of Vaasa and through the city. In 1962–1964, other Finnish cities introduced regional speed limits of 50 km/h, but in Vaasa the limit was 60 km/h for a long time.[31]

Vaasa Airport is located about nine kilometers southeast of the city center. Finnair and Scandinavian Airlines operate from Vaasa Airport,[32] but Norwegian Air Shuttle terminated the Vaasa–Helsinki route on 10 January 2020.[33] There is scheduled traffic from Vaasa Airport to Helsinki (flight time 45 min) and Stockholm (flight time 1 h 5 min).[34]

Culture

Other sights

Sport

Education

Vaasa has three universities. The largest one is the University of Vaasa, which is located in the neighbourhood of Palosaari. Palosaari is a peninsula near the center of Vaasa, connected to it by bridges. The other two universities are Åbo Akademi, headquartered in Turku, and the Hanken School of Economics headquartered in Helsinki. Unique to Vaasa is the Finland-Swedish teachers training school Vasa övningsskola, part of Åbo Akademi. The University of Helsinki also has a small unit, specialized in law studies, in the city centre.

The city has two universities of applied sciences: Vaasa University of Applied Sciences (former Vaasa Polytechnic), located right next to the University of Vaasa, and Novia University of Applied Sciences (former Swedish University of Applied Sciences).

City has about 13,000 university students and about 4,000 vocational school students.[9]

Notable people

Twin towns

As of 2006, Vaasa has town twinning treaties or treaties of cooperation signed with the following ten cities:[35][36]

^1 Godfather Town
^2 Twin Town
^3 Cooperation Treaty
^4 Sister City

See also

Notes

  1. ^ During the Finnish Civil War

Bibliography

  • Julkunen, Mikko: Vaasa - Vasa. Vaasa: Vaasa, 1982. ISBN 951-660-076-X (Photo book with English text.)

References

  1. ^ a b c d HS: Kaarle IX perusti Vaasan 1606 (in Finnish)
  2. ^ a b c Vaasa oli ennen Nikolainkaupunki ja Aurinkolahti Mustalahti – paikannimiä ei kuitenkaan pidä muuttaa heppoisin perustein – Kaleva (in Finnish)
  3. ^ a b Vaasa, Finland – Britannica
  4. ^ "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Preliminary population structure by area, 2022M01*-2023M02*". StatFin (in Finnish). Statistics Finland. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Population according to language and the number of foreigners and land area km2 by area as of 31 December 2008". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
  7. ^ "Population according to age (1-year) and sex by area and the regional division of each statistical reference year, 2003–2020". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Luettelo kuntien ja seurakuntien tuloveroprosenteista vuonna 2023". Tax Administration of Finland. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  9. ^ a b Todellinen opiskelijakaupunki – Vaasa (in Finnish)
  10. ^ Vaasa (Vasa) – Åbo Akademi University
  11. ^ Vaasan monipuolinen kulttuuri – Rannikkoseudun Sanomat (in Finnish)
  12. ^ FinWest: Vaasa – viihdyttävä kesäkaupunki (in Finnish)
  13. ^ Tropiclandia – Official Site (in English)
  14. ^ YLE: Huvipuisto Wasalandia sulkee porttinsa (in Finnish)
  15. ^ YLE: Aavekaupunki tervehtii turisteja Vaasassa – Wasalandian raunioiden kohtalo on edelleen täysin auki (in Finnish)
  16. ^ IL: Huvipuisto Wasalandia suljettiin kolme vuotta sitten - alue autioitui niille sijoilleen ja ammottaa nyt kolkkoa tyhjyyttään (in Finnish)
  17. ^ Tuomas Tepora & Aapo Roselius (2014). "The War of Liberation, the Civil Guards, and the Veterans' Union: Public Memory in the Interwar Period". The Finnish Civil War 1918. History of Warfare (vol. 101). ISBN 978-90-04-24366-8.
  18. ^ "«Reds» vs. «Whites»: The Finnish Civil War (January- May 1918)". Europe Centenary. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  19. ^ "Vaasa täyttää lauantaina 415 vuotta – Kaupunginjohtaja Tomas Häyry esittelee työkseen kaupungin hyviä puolia vieraille". Vaasa (in Finnish). 29 September 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  20. ^ "Ennen 8.4.1949 annettua kunnanvaakunalakia vahvistetut vaakunat ja vahvistamispäätökset I:7 Vaasa" (in Finnish). Kansallisarkiston digitaaliarkisto. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  21. ^ "Vaasa, Finland Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  22. ^ a b Ilmasto-opas.fi. "Suomen muuttuva ilmasto - Ilmasto-opas.fi". Ilmasto-opas (in Finnish). Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  23. ^ "Merituuli ja maatuuli - Ilmatieteen laitos". ilmatieteenlaitos.fi. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  24. ^ "Kesätilastot - Ilmatieteen laitos". ilmatieteenlaitos.fi. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  25. ^ "Suomen maakuntien ilmasto - Vaasa Airport Weather Station" (PDF). FMI. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  26. ^ "Vaskiluodon Voima in brief". VV.fi. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  27. ^ "Kvarken Ports Vaasa". KvarkenPorts.com. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  28. ^ "Etusivu." Future Film. Retrieved on 19 January 2011. "Future Film Oy - Hovrättsesplanaden 9, 65100 VAASA - FIN"
  29. ^ "Contact Information 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine." Future Film. Retrieved on 19 January 2011. "Office Oy Future Film Ab Hovioikeudenpuistikko 9 65100 VAASA FINLAND"
  30. ^ "Yhteystiedot & Palaute." Kotipizza. Retrieved on 11 October 2011. "Käyntiosoite: Vaskiluodon Satamaterminaali II kerros, 65170 Vaasa"
  31. ^ Jokela, Marko (3 February 2013). "Tappavia ylinopeuksia on suitsittu neljä vuosikymmentä". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). p. A12.
  32. ^ "Löydä hyödyllinen luettelo kaikista lentoyhtiöistä, jotka lentävät lentokentälle Vaasa!". www.skyscanner.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  33. ^ "Norwegian lopettaa Vaasan reitin". YLE (in Finnish). Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  34. ^ Lentomatkat: Aikatauluhaku – Finavia (in Finnish)
  35. ^ (in Swedish). Malmö stad. Archived from the original on 23 December 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  36. ^ Bellingham Sister Cities Association,

External links

  • Vaasa – Official website (in English)
  • Vaasa – Official website (in Finnish)
  • Vasa – Official website (in Swedish)
  • Tourist's Vaasa (in Finnish, Swedish, and English)

vaasa, other, uses, disambiguation, finnish, ˈʋɑːsɑ, swedish, vasa, finland, swedish, ˈvɑːsɑ, listen, sweden, swedish, ˈvɑ, ːsa, listen, years, 1855, 1917, nikolainkaupunki, swedish, nikolajstad, literally, meaning, city, nicholas, city, west, coast, finland, . For other uses see Vaasa disambiguation Vaasa Finnish ˈʋɑːsɑ Swedish Vasa Finland Swedish ˈvɑːsɑ listen Sweden Swedish ˈvɑ ːsa listen in the years 1855 1917 as Nikolainkaupunki Swedish Nikolajstad literally meaning city of Nicholas 2 is a city on the west coast of Finland It received its charter in 1606 during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa 1 Vaasa has a population of 68 049 28 February 2023 5 approximately 120 000 in the Vaasa sub region and is the regional capital of Ostrobothnia Swedish Osterbotten Finnish Pohjanmaa Vaasa is also well known as a major university and college city in Finland 9 Vaasa Vasa Swedish CityVaasan kaupunki Vasa stad City of VaasaClockwise from top left Vaasa Market Hall the ruins of Saint Mary Church the Court of Appeal the Holy Trinity Church Vaasa railway station the Port of Vaasa in Vaskiluoto and Kurtenia House and in the middle from top to bottom Vaasa City Hall and the Kauppapuistikko esplanadeFlagCoat of armsLocation of Vaasa in FinlandCoordinates 63 06 N 021 37 E 63 100 N 21 617 E 63 100 21 617 Coordinates 63 06 N 021 37 E 63 100 N 21 617 E 63 100 21 617Country FinlandRegionOstrobothniaSub regionVaasa sub regionCharter2 October 1606 1 Named forHouse of Vasa 1 Nicholas I of Russia 1855 1917 2 Capital city a 29 January 1918 3 May 1918 3 Government City managerTomas HayryArea 2018 01 01 4 City545 14 km2 210 48 sq mi Land188 81 km2 72 90 sq mi Water208 63 km2 80 55 sq mi Urban66 65 km2 25 73 sq mi Rank210th largest in FinlandPopulation 2023 02 28 5 City68 049 Rank15th largest in Finland Density360 41 km2 933 5 sq mi Urban65 414 Urban density981 5 km2 2 542 sq mi Population by native language 6 Finnish69 8 official Swedish24 8 Others5 4 Population by age 7 0 to 1415 15 to 6464 4 65 or older20 6 Time zoneUTC 02 00 EET Summer DST UTC 03 00 EEST Websitewww vaasa fiThe city is bilingual with 69 8 of the population speaking Finnish as their first language and 24 8 speaking Swedish 6 The surrounding Ostrobothnian municipalities such as Korsholm and Malax have a clear Swedish speaking majority which is why the Swedish language maintains a strong position in the city making it the most significant cultural center for Swedish Finns 10 11 12 Vaasa is also known for Tropiclandia Water Park which is located in the Vaskiluoto Island right next to a local spa hotel 13 In the immediate vicinity of Tropiclandia was the now deserted Wasalandia Amusement Park which ceased operations in 2015 due to a small number of visitors 14 15 16 Contents 1 History 1 1 Name 1 2 Foundation 1 3 Finnish War 1 4 Town fire 1 5 New town 1 6 Capital of Finland 1 7 Post war 2 Climate 3 Demographics 4 Economy 5 Transport 6 Culture 6 1 Other sights 6 2 Sport 7 Education 8 Notable people 9 Twin towns 10 See also 11 Notes 11 1 Bibliography 11 2 References 12 External linksHistory EditName Edit Over the years Vaasa has changed its name several times due to alternative spellings political decisions and language condition changes At first it was called Mustasaari or Mussor after the village where it was founded in 1606 but just a few years later the name was changed to Vasa to honor the royal Swedish lineage Mustasaari Finnish or Korsholm Swedish remains as the name of the surrounding mostly rural municipality which since 1973 surrounds the city The city was known as Vasa between 1606 and 1855 Nikolajstad Swedish and Nikolainkaupunki Finnish between 1855 and 1917 named after the then late Czar Nicholas I of Russia 2 Vasa Swedish and Vaasa Finnish after the February revolution with the Finnish spelling of the name being the primary one from around 1930 when Finnish speakers became the majority in the city Foundation Edit Old Vaasa in the 1840s by Johan Knutsson The history of Korsholm and also of Vaasa begins in the 14th century when seafarers from the coastal region in central Sweden disembarked at the present Old Vaasa and the wasteland owners from Southwest Finland came to guard their land In the middle of the century Saint Mary s Church was built and in the 1370s the building of the fortress at Korsholm Crysseborgh was undertaken and served as an administrative centre of the Vasa County King Charles IX of Sweden founded the town of Mustasaari Mussor on 2 October 1606 1 around the oldest harbour and trade point around the Korsholm church approximately seven kilometres 4 3 miles to the southeast from the present city In 1611 the town was chartered and renamed after the Royal House of Vasa Thanks to the sea connections ship building and trade especially tar trade Vaasa flourished in the 17th century and most of the inhabitants earned their living from it In 1683 the three subject or Trivial school moved from Nykarleby to Vaasa and four years later a new schoolhouse was built in Vaasa The first library in Finland was founded in Vaasa in 1794 In 1793 Vaasa had 2 178 inhabitants and in the year of the catastrophic town fire of 1852 the number had risen to 3 200 Finnish War Edit During the Finnish War fought between Sweden and Russia in 1808 1809 Vaasa suffered more than any other city In June 1808 Vaasa was occupied by the Russian forces and some of the local officials pledged allegiance to the occupying force On 25 June 1808 the Swedish colonel Johan Bergenstrahle was sent with 1 500 troops and four cannons to free Vaasa from the 1 700 Russian troops who were led by generalmajor Nikolay Demidov The Battle of Vaasa started with the Swedish force disembarking north of Vaasa in Osterhankmo and advancing all the way to the city where they attacked with 1 100 troops as some had to be left behind to secure the flank There was heavy fighting in the streets and in the end the Swedish forces were repelled and forced to retreat back the way they came Generalmajor Demidov suspected that the inhabitants of Vaasa had taken to arms and helped the Swedish forces even though the provincial governor had confiscated all weapons that spring and he took revenge by letting his men plunder the city for several days During those days 17 civilians were killed property was looted and destroyed many were assaulted and several people were taken to the village of Salmi in Kuortane where they had to endure the physical punishment called running the gauntlet The massacre in Vaasa was exceptional during the Finnish war as the Russian forces had avoided that kind of cruelty that far It was probably a result of the frustration the Russians felt because of intensive guerilla activity against them in the region On 30 June the Russian forces withdrew from Vaasa and all officials that had pledged allegiance to Russia were discharged and some were assaulted by locals On 13 September the Russian forces returned and on the next day the decisive Battle of Oravais which was won by Russia was fought some 50 kilometres 30 mi further north By winter 1808 the Russian forces had overrun all of Finland and in the Treaty of Fredrikshamn 17 September 1809 Sweden lost the whole eastern part of its realm Vaasa would now become a part of the newly formed Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire Town fire Edit The Court of Appeal nowadays the Church of Korsholm survived the fire of 1852 Illustration in Finland framstaldt i teckningar edited by Zacharias Topelius and published 1845 1852 The mainly wooden and densely built town was almost utterly destroyed in 1852 A fire started in a barn belonging to district court judge J F Auren on the morning of 3 August At noon the whole town was ablaze and the fire lasted for many hours By evening most of the town had burned to the ground Out of 379 buildings only 24 privately owned buildings had survived among them the Falander Wasastjerna patrician house built in 1780 1781 which now houses the Old Vaasa Museum The Court of Appeal built in 1775 nowadays the Church of Korsholm some Russian guard houses along with a gunpowder storage and the buildings of the Vaasa provincial hospital nowadays a psychiatric hospital also survived the blaze The ruins of the greystone church the belfry the town hall and the trivial school can still be found in their original places Much of the archived material concerning Vaasa and its inhabitants was destroyed in the fire According to popular belief the fire got started when a careless visitor from Vora fell asleep in Auren s barn and dropped his pipe in the dry hay New town Edit The new town of Nikolaistad Finnish Nikolainkaupunki named after the late Tsar Nicholas I rose in 1862 about seven kilometres 4 3 miles to the northwest from the old town The town s coastal location offered good conditions for seafaring The town plan was planned by Carl Axel Setterberg in the Empire style In the master plan the disastrous consequences of the fire were considered Main streets in the new town were five broad avenues which divided the town into sections Each block was divided by alleys The town was promptly renamed Vasa Vaasa after the Tsar Nicholas II was overthrown in 1917 Capital of Finland Edit The Jaeger Battallion on the city square of Vaasa in February 1918 The forces are being inspected by General Mannerheim During the Finnish Civil War Vaasa was the capital of Finland from 29 January to 3 May 1918 3 As a consequence of the occupation of central places and arresting of politicians in Helsinki the Senate decided to move the senators to Vaasa where the White Guards that supported the Senate had a strong position and the contacts to the West were good 17 18 The Senate of Finland began its work in Vaasa on 1 February 1918 and it had four members The Senate held its sessions in the Town Hall To express its gratitude to the town the Senate gave Vaasa the right to add the Cross of Freedom independent Finland s oldest mark of honour designed by Akseli Gallen Kallela to its coat of arms to the town s coat of arms 19 20 The coat of arms is unusual not only in this respect but also because of its non standard shape and a crown are included Because of its role in the civil war Vaasa became known as The White City A Statue of Freedom depicting a victorious White soldier was erected in the town square Post war Edit The language conditions in the city shifted in the 1930s and the majority became Finnish speaking Therefore the primary name also changed from Vasa to Vaasa according to Finnish spelling Post war Vaasa was industrialized led by the electronics manufacturer Stromberg later merged into ABB In 2013 the municipality of Vahakyro was merged into Vaasa It is currently an exclave area of the city since it is surrounded by other municipalities Climate EditNear the Polar Circle Vaasa falls in continental subarctic climate Koppen Dfc with severe dry winters and almost warm summers The prevailing direction of the winds North Atlantic Current and the proximity of the Gulf of Bothnia give the climate a certainly livability in spite of the latitude similar to the south of Alaska where continentality proximity to the poles and moderation intersect 21 The Fohn wind for example passes over the Scandinavian Mountains and leaves a milder and drier weather in the lee of the mountains where Vaasa is found affecting especially in the winter which explains sunny days even in the season of short solar duration 22 The location of some sea distance gives a seasonal delay of spring and summer at the same time that autumn and winter are affected late The average annual temperature is 4 7 C normal from 1991 to 2020 The low Ostrobothnia usually receives little snow but the contact of cold air with warmer and humid air can generate heavy snowfall Early summer as well as spring tends to be drier and the wettest month does not coincide with the warmer month End of April is usually the growing season with 250 300 mm approximately 22 The maritime breeze explains the difference in temperature distribution of precipitation and sunshine different from the Gulf of Finland the Gulf of Bothnia brings the sea wind in places further distant about 50 km from the coast 23 The city gets more sun than inland places although current log are unavailable 24 The highest ever recorded temperature was 32 2 C 89 6 F on 18 July 2018 although a record of 33 7 C 92 7 F was recorded in the city center the same day which in fact was the hottest day of Finland in 2018 by slightly edging a temperature recorded in Turku Artukainen of 33 6 C 92 5 F also on 18 July 2018 making it the highest temperature ever recorded in Vaasa Climate data for Vaasa 1981 2010 normals extremes 1961 presentMonth Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 7 7 45 9 8 6 47 5 14 5 58 1 21 8 71 2 28 6 83 5 31 8 89 2 32 2 90 0 31 6 88 9 27 7 81 9 18 5 65 3 13 2 55 8 8 8 47 8 32 2 90 0 Average high C F 3 5 25 7 3 4 25 9 0 6 33 1 6 0 42 8 14 0 57 2 18 4 65 1 20 6 69 1 18 4 65 1 12 8 55 0 6 9 44 4 1 6 34 9 1 6 29 1 7 6 45 6 Daily mean C F 6 8 19 8 6 9 19 6 3 1 26 4 2 0 35 6 8 7 47 7 13 6 56 5 16 0 60 8 14 0 57 2 9 0 48 2 4 0 39 2 1 0 30 2 4 6 23 7 3 7 38 7 Average low C F 10 5 13 1 10 8 12 6 7 0 19 4 1 9 28 6 3 3 37 9 8 3 46 9 11 0 51 8 9 6 49 3 5 3 41 5 1 3 34 3 3 7 25 3 8 4 16 9 0 3 31 5 Record low C F 36 2 33 2 38 6 37 5 30 6 23 1 18 1 0 6 7 6 18 3 2 4 27 7 1 6 34 9 0 5 31 1 6 0 21 2 15 6 3 9 27 9 18 2 34 4 29 9 38 6 37 5 Average precipitation mm inches 34 0 1 34 20 0 0 79 27 0 1 06 27 0 1 06 31 0 1 22 43 0 1 69 60 0 2 36 63 0 2 48 62 0 2 44 54 0 2 13 50 0 1 97 41 0 1 61 512 20 15 Average precipitation days 1 0 mm 8 0 6 0 7 0 6 0 7 0 6 0 9 0 10 0 11 0 10 0 11 0 9 0 100Mean monthly sunshine hours 29 1 71 9 131 1 190 2 277 5 303 0 282 8 220 0 131 5 84 6 39 8 20 9 1 782 4Source FMI 25 Demographics EditNationality Population Sweden 775 1 15 Russia 561 0 83 Latvia 369 0 55 Armenia 365 0 54 Yugoslavia 347 0 51 Iran 320 0 47 Vietnam 274 0 41 China 210 0 31 Estonia 199 0 30 Afghanistan 181 0 27 Bulgaria 178 0 26 Serbia 177 0 26 Thailand 172 0 26 Romania 169 0 25 Syria 165 0 24 India 160 0 24 Croatia 151 0 22 Philippines 106 0 16 Pakistan 90 0 13 Germany 77 0 11 Poland 73 0 11 Austria 72 0 11 Economy Edit The Vaskiluoto power stations in Vaskiluoto Vaasa Vaasa is generally speaking an industrial town with several industrial parks Industry comprises one fourth of jobs citation needed There is a university University of Vaasa faculties of Abo Akademi and Hanken and two universities of applied sciences in the town Many workers commute from Korsholm Laihia and other municipalities nearby The Vaskiluoto power stations complex is situated on the island of Vaskiluoto supplying electricity to the national grid as well as district heat to the city 26 The multi use cargo and passenger Port of Vaasa is located in Vaskiluoto connecting Vaasa with Umea Sweden and destinations further afield 27 The film production company Future Film has its head office in Vaasa 28 29 Kotipizza has its head office in the Vaskiluodon Satamaterminaali 30 Transport Edit Vaasa railway station Main roads including highway 3 E12 and highway 8 E8 connect Vaasa to Helsinki Tampere Oulu Pori Jyvaskyla Kokkola and Seinajoki There are 419 kilometres 260 mi from Helsinki to Vaasa 330 kilometres 210 mi from Turku 244 kilometres 152 mi from Tampere 319 kilometres 198 mi from Oulu 121 kilometres 75 mi from Kokkola 99 kilometres 62 mi from Jakobstad 193 kilometres 120 mi from Pori 83 kilometres 52 mi from Lapua and 78 kilometres 48 mi from Seinajoki It is also a relatively short distance from Sweden to Vaasa The tourist route called Blue Highway also runs from the port of Vaasa and through the city In 1962 1964 other Finnish cities introduced regional speed limits of 50 km h but in Vaasa the limit was 60 km h for a long time 31 Vaasa Airport is located about nine kilometers southeast of the city center Finnair and Scandinavian Airlines operate from Vaasa Airport 32 but Norwegian Air Shuttle terminated the Vaasa Helsinki route on 10 January 2020 33 There is scheduled traffic from Vaasa Airport to Helsinki flight time 45 min and Stockholm flight time 1 h 5 min 34 Culture EditOstrobothnian Museum Terranova Museum Meteoriihi Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art Vaasa Car amp Motor Museum Platform artist run gallery for contemporary art media art amp sound artOther sights Edit The Statue of Liberty Suomen Vapaudenpatsas Sport Edit Vaasan Sport men s ice hockey team playing in the Liiga home ice is Vaasan Sahko Areena Mailattaret Vaasa a women s Finnish baseball team playing in the Superpesis Vaasan Sport Naiset women s ice hockey team playing in the Naisten Liiga home ice is Vaasan Sahko Areena Vaasan Palloseura men s football club playing in the Ykkonen home ground is Hietalahti Stadium Vasa IFK men s football club playing in the Kakkonen home ground is Hietalahti Stadium FC Kiisto men s football club playing in the Kolmonen home ground is Kaarlen kentta Vaasa Rugby Club Vaasa Wolves inactive men s rugby union team played in the Finnish Championship Rugby League until 2019 Vaasa Foxes women s rugby sevens team playing in the Finnish Championship 7 s SeriesEducation Edit Vaasa University of Applied Sciences Vaasa has three universities The largest one is the University of Vaasa which is located in the neighbourhood of Palosaari Palosaari is a peninsula near the center of Vaasa connected to it by bridges The other two universities are Abo Akademi headquartered in Turku and the Hanken School of Economics headquartered in Helsinki Unique to Vaasa is the Finland Swedish teachers training school Vasa ovningsskola part of Abo Akademi The University of Helsinki also has a small unit specialized in law studies in the city centre The city has two universities of applied sciences Vaasa University of Applied Sciences former Vaasa Polytechnic located right next to the University of Vaasa and Novia University of Applied Sciences former Swedish University of Applied Sciences City has about 13 000 university students and about 4 000 vocational school students 9 Notable people Edit Toivo Kuula Fanny Churberg 1845 1892 Painter Sebastian Da Costa Finnish singer and rapper Seppo Evwaraye Professional American football player Rabbe Gronblom Businessman Kai Hahto Metal Drummer drum teacher Nanny Hammarstrom 1870 1953 Author Jarl Hemmer Author Edvin Hevonkoski Sculptor Mikaela Ingberg Javelin thrower Fritz Jakobsson Painter Vesa Vesku Jokinen Musician the lead singer of Klamydia Mikael Jungner MD of Yleisradio Samuli Kivimaki professional ice hockey player Heli Koivula Kruger Athlete Susanna Suski Korvala Singer Bjorn Kurten Paleontologist author Joachim Kurten Businessman politician Toivo Kuula Composer August Alexander Levon Industrialist businessman Jani Liimatainen Guitar player Nandor Mikola Painter Camilla Nylund Opera singer Jorma Ojaharju Author Oskar Osala Ice hockey player Sari Krooks Ice hockey player Pekka Puska Doctor expert on public health politician Viljo Revell Architect works included Toronto City Hall in Canada Seppo Sanaksenaho Mayor of Vaasa 1997 2001 Deputy Mayor 1979 1996 Leif Segerstam Musician composer conductor Monica Aspelund Singer Carl Axel Setterberg Architect creator of the new Vaasa Pekka Strang Actor Jani Toivola Member of parliament actor television host Finnish Idols 2007 The Voice TV Onni Tommila Actor Big Game Rare Exports A Christmas Tale Allu Tuppurainen Actor creator of Rolli Jenny Wilhelms Musician Carl Gustaf Wolff Businessman Mathilda Wrede Friend of the inmates Yrjo Sakari Yrjo Koskinen Georg Zacharias Forsman Politician professor fennoman Hakan Nyblom Finnish wrestler Miika Koivisto Ice hockey player Jukka Seppo Ice hockey player Lauri Tahka Singer songwriter Vappu Taipale Psychiatrist and politician Juha Tapio Singer lyricist composer and guitaristTwin towns EditSee also List of twin towns and sister cities in Finland As of 2006 update Vaasa has town twinning treaties or treaties of cooperation signed with the following ten cities 35 36 City Province Country YearMalmo Scania Sweden 19401Umea Vasterbotten Sweden 19402Harstad Troms Norway 19492Helsingor Capital Region of Denmark Denmark 19492Parnu Parnu County Estonia 19562Schwerin Mecklenburg Vorpommern Germany 19652Kiel Schleswig Holstein Germany 19672Sumperk Olomouc Region Czech Republic 19842Morogoro Morogoro Region Tanzania 19883Bellingham Washington United States 20094 1 Godfather Town 2 Twin Town 3 Cooperation Treaty 4 Sister CitySee also Edit Finland portalWasa British Columbia named after Vasa Blue Highway an international tourist route Seinajoki a neighboring city from the South Ostrobothnia region Notes Edit During the Finnish Civil War Bibliography Edit Julkunen Mikko Vaasa Vasa Vaasa Vaasa 1982 ISBN 951 660 076 X Photo book with English text References Edit a b c d HS Kaarle IX perusti Vaasan 1606 in Finnish a b c Vaasa oli ennen Nikolainkaupunki ja Aurinkolahti Mustalahti paikannimia ei kuitenkaan pida muuttaa heppoisin perustein Kaleva in Finnish a b Vaasa Finland Britannica Area of Finnish Municipalities 1 1 2018 PDF National Land Survey of Finland Retrieved 30 January 2018 a b Preliminary population structure by area 2022M01 2023M02 StatFin in Finnish Statistics Finland Retrieved 4 April 2023 a b Population according to language and the number of foreigners and land area km2 by area as of 31 December 2008 Statistics Finland s PX Web databases Statistics Finland Retrieved 29 March 2009 Population according to age 1 year and sex by area and the regional division of each statistical reference year 2003 2020 StatFin Statistics Finland Retrieved 2 May 2021 a b Luettelo kuntien ja seurakuntien tuloveroprosenteista vuonna 2023 Tax Administration of Finland 14 November 2022 Retrieved 7 May 2023 a b Todellinen opiskelijakaupunki Vaasa in Finnish Vaasa Vasa Abo Akademi University Vaasan monipuolinen kulttuuri Rannikkoseudun Sanomat in Finnish FinWest Vaasa viihdyttava kesakaupunki in Finnish Tropiclandia Official Site in English YLE Huvipuisto Wasalandia sulkee porttinsa in Finnish YLE Aavekaupunki tervehtii turisteja Vaasassa Wasalandian raunioiden kohtalo on edelleen taysin auki in Finnish IL Huvipuisto Wasalandia suljettiin kolme vuotta sitten alue autioitui niille sijoilleen ja ammottaa nyt kolkkoa tyhjyyttaan in Finnish Tuomas Tepora amp Aapo Roselius 2014 The War of Liberation the Civil Guards and the Veterans Union Public Memory in the Interwar Period The Finnish Civil War 1918 History of Warfare vol 101 ISBN 978 90 04 24366 8 Reds vs Whites The Finnish Civil War January May 1918 Europe Centenary Retrieved 26 April 2022 Vaasa tayttaa lauantaina 415 vuotta Kaupunginjohtaja Tomas Hayry esittelee tyokseen kaupungin hyvia puolia vieraille Vaasa in Finnish 29 September 2021 Retrieved 8 November 2021 Ennen 8 4 1949 annettua kunnanvaakunalakia vahvistetut vaakunat ja vahvistamispaatokset I 7 Vaasa in Finnish Kansallisarkiston digitaaliarkisto Retrieved 8 November 2021 Vaasa Finland Koppen Climate Classification Weatherbase Weatherbase Retrieved 3 March 2019 a b Ilmasto opas fi Suomen muuttuva ilmasto Ilmasto opas fi Ilmasto opas in Finnish Retrieved 3 March 2019 Merituuli ja maatuuli Ilmatieteen laitos ilmatieteenlaitos fi Retrieved 3 March 2019 Kesatilastot Ilmatieteen laitos ilmatieteenlaitos fi Retrieved 3 March 2019 Suomen maakuntien ilmasto Vaasa Airport Weather Station PDF FMI Retrieved 30 January 2022 Vaskiluodon Voima in brief VV fi Retrieved 30 September 2020 Kvarken Ports Vaasa KvarkenPorts com Retrieved 30 September 2020 Etusivu Future Film Retrieved on 19 January 2011 Future Film Oy Hovrattsesplanaden 9 65100 VAASA FIN Contact Information Archived 2011 07 20 at the Wayback Machine Future Film Retrieved on 19 January 2011 Office Oy Future Film Ab Hovioikeudenpuistikko 9 65100 VAASA FINLAND Yhteystiedot amp Palaute Kotipizza Retrieved on 11 October 2011 Kayntiosoite Vaskiluodon Satamaterminaali II kerros 65170 Vaasa Jokela Marko 3 February 2013 Tappavia ylinopeuksia on suitsittu nelja vuosikymmenta Helsingin Sanomat in Finnish p A12 Loyda hyodyllinen luettelo kaikista lentoyhtioista jotka lentavat lentokentalle Vaasa www skyscanner fi in Finnish Retrieved 8 November 2021 Norwegian lopettaa Vaasan reitin YLE in Finnish Retrieved 8 November 2021 Lentomatkat Aikatauluhaku Finavia in Finnish Vanorter in Swedish Malmo stad Archived from the original on 23 December 2016 Retrieved 6 November 2013 Bellingham Sister Cities Association External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vaasa Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Vaasa Vaasa Official website in English Vaasa Official website in Finnish Vasa Official website in Swedish Tourist s Vaasa in Finnish Swedish and English Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vaasa amp oldid 1153772542, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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