Iisalmi

Iisalmi (/ˈiisælmɪ/ ee-SAL-me; Finnish: [ˈiːsɑlmi]; Swedish: Idensalmi)[5] is a town and municipality in the region of Northern Savonia in Finland. It is located 87 kilometres (54 mi) north of Kuopio and south of Kajaani. The municipality has a population of 20,638 (26 October 2023),[2] which makes it the second largest of the five towns in Northern Savonia in population, only Kuopio being larger. It covers an area of 872.20 square kilometres (336.76 sq mi) of which 109.22 km2 (42.17 sq mi) is water.[1] The population density is 27.05 inhabitants per square kilometre (70.1/sq mi). The municipality is unilingually Finnish.

Iisalmi
Idensalmi
Town
Iisalmen kaupunki
Idensalmi stad
Iisalmi railway station
Iisalmi railway station
Flag of Iisalmi
Flag
Coat of arms of Iisalmi
Coat of arms
Location of Iisalmi in Finland
Location of Iisalmi in Finland
Coordinates: 63°33′24″N 27°11′18″E
Country Finland
RegionNorthern Savonia
Sub-regionUpper Savonia
Charter1627
City rights1891
Government
 • City MayorJarmo Ronkainen (2013–)
 • Chairman of the City BoardJuho Pulkka (2021–25)
 • Chairman of the City CouncilKati Åhman (2021–25)
Area
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total872.20 km2 (336.76 sq mi)
 • Land762.91 km2 (294.56 sq mi)
 • Water109.22 km2 (42.17 sq mi)
 • Rank110th largest in Finland
Population
 (2023-10-26)[2]
 • Total20,638
 • Rank50th largest in Finland
 • Density27.05/km2 (70.1/sq mi)
Population by native language
[3]
 • Finnish96.5% (official)
 • Others3.5%
Population by age
[4]
 • 0 to 1414.9%
 • 15 to 6458%
 • 65 or older27.2%
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)
Websitewww.iisalmi.fi

In the 2010s, Iisalmi is known as an export industry town,[6][7] as well as a significant study town in the region.[8]

History

Iisalmi traces its roots back to 1627, when the parish of Iisalmi was formed around the local church.[9] The town's old wooden church, Gustav Adolf Church, was consecrated in 1780.[10]

In the 18th century, when Finland was under Swedish control, Sweden was frequently at war with Imperial Russia, and the area of Koljonvirta in Iisalmi was a battlefield on which one of the greatest Swedish victories occurred. However, Sweden lost its last war with Russia and had to surrender Finland to the Russian Empire in 1809.

Iisalmi gained its status as town on October 20, 1891.[9]

Geography

There are 111 lakes in the Iisalmi region, the largest of which are Lake Onkivesi, Lake Haapajärvi, Lake Porovesi and Lake Nerkoo.[11]

Economy
The Olvi beer restaurant in Iisalmi

Olvi, the last big independent beer brewery in Finland, has its factory and headquarters in Iisalmi. (Other big Finnish breweries have been bought by multinational companies.)

Genelec, a manufacturer of active monitors and loudspeakers] used in recording studios worldwide, has its factory and headquarters in Iisalmi.

Normet, engineers and manufacturers of mechanised equipment for underground rock-mining and tunnelling, also has its factory and headquarters in Iisalmi. Headquarters is located in Espoo.[12]

Profile Vehicles makes ambulances and police cars.

Iisalmi has its own railway station on the VR network. The line between Iisalmi and Oulu was electrified in December 2006, replacing diesel haulage of trains.

Culture
Iisalmi Youth Center

Events

Iisalmi, even though being a relatively small town, has many cultural events on small and somewhat larger scales. One memorable event, of the many, is "Rompepäivät", which translates as "the days of old junk and stuff". People gather together bringing various old items, from small sewing needles to old tractors, for everyone to see and many small things to be sold. A few old restored cars, trucks, motorcycles and tractors, some of them Finnish-made, are displayed for others to see. Here people talk about "good old times" or wonder over "ancient artifacts". Sometimes some of the finely restored machines are for sale to anyone interested to buy—of course if they can afford it.

"Oluset" is a music festival organized each July annually. The main sponsor is local brewery company Olvi. "Oluset" roughly translates to "a few beers". Also a smaller festival, "Limuset" ("Little soft drink festival" is organize as well by Olvi. "Limuset" is mainly dedicated to kids and young people, and no alcoholic drinks are sold in the area.[13]

Food
Restaurant Kuappi

In the 1980s, each of Savonia's municipalities voted for its own parish dishes. Muurinpohjalettu, a thin pancake or crêpe made of wheat and barley, were chosen as the traditional food of Iisalmi.[14]

Muurinpohjalettu

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the world's smallest restaurant, Kuappi, is located in Iisalmi.[15][16]

Music

Currently the most famous Iisalmi-based band is a humorous country-rock orchestra Halavatun Papat. A rough translation of the name is "Damn Grandfathers".

20th-century composer Joonas Kokkonen was born here, as were singer-songwriter Jaakko Teppo and jazz pianist and composer Jarmo Savolainen.

Sports

Iisalmi is best known for its football club, PK-37 and ice hockey club, IPK (Iisalmen Peli-Karhut). Other known sports clubs are FBI (floorball club), Iisalmen palloveikot, Klubi-36, Iina, Iisalmen Visa and Koljonvirran ratsastajat (riding club).

Iisalmi has many good locations for playing sports. There is a very nice frisbee golf place near the Paloisvuori ski center. There are also many good beaches in Iisalmi, for example Perttu's beach and the Beach of the City. Many beaches offer an opportunity for beach volleyball too. In winter time Iisalmi offers good ski trails and skating rinks; winter sports fans can also go downhill skiing and snowboarding at the Paloisvuori ski center. In addition, Iisalmi has good facilities for gym workouts, swimming, bowling and minigolf.

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Finland

Twin towns — Sister cities

Iisalmi is twinned with:

See also

References
  1. "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. "Preliminary population statistics 2023, September". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  3. "Demographic Structure by area as of 31 December 2022". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  4. "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.
  5. Heikkilä, Mikko. "Iidesjärvi ja Iisalmi pisteenä Iin päälle – tutkielma Suomen Ii-alkuisten paikannimien alkuperästä ja suhteesta lapinrauniohin". Muinaistutkija (in Finnish). No. 3/2015. Suomen arkeologinen seura. pp. 30–48.
  6. "Luulitko, että Itä-Suomella menee huonosti? Iisalmen ihme imee enemmän työntekijöitä kuin seudulla riittää väkeä". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 2018-06-06. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  7. "Iisalmen seudulla löytyi keino saada vienti vetämään ja tilauskirjat täyteen – Ylä-Savoon syntyi oikea suomalainen talousihme". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 2017-12-10. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  8. "Opiskelijaelämää – Ylä-Savo". Ylä-Savo (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  9. Iisalmi: Historia Archived 2021-09-21 at the Wayback Machine (in Finnish)
  10. Kustaa Aadolfin kirkon historia Archived 2022-05-07 at the Wayback Machine – Iisalmen seurakunta (in Finnish)
  11. Iisalmen järvet – Järviwiki Archived 2021-07-24 at the Wayback Machine (in Finnish)
  12. "Defining the future underground". Normet. Archived from the original on 2021-08-12. Retrieved 2021-08-13.
  13. "Oluset". www.oluset.fi. Archived from the original on 2013-04-22. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
  14. "Savossa äänestettiin pitäjille nimikkoruoat". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish): 19. 1984-09-20.
  15. Laine, Oona: Maailman pienin ravintola löytyy Iisalmesta – intiimi tunnelma on taattu! Archived 2022-06-19 at the Wayback Machine, Ilta-Sanomat 19 July 2018. Accessed on 30 June 2022. (in Finnish)
  16. The world's smallest restaurants Archived 2023-02-13 at the Wayback Machine, Fox News 23 January 2013. Accessed on 30 June 2022.
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