What to see in Tampere, itinerary including the main monuments and places of interest in this city of Finland, including the Tammerkoski rapids.
Tourist information
Tampere is located between the Nasijarvi and Pyhajarvi lakes, an altitude difference of 18 meters separates the two lakes and creates the rapids of the Tammerkoski, the waterway that connects them and runs through the city.
Along its banks there are the historic red brick factories and the chimneys that testify to the past of Tampere, Finland's first industrial city, thanks to the Finlayson cotton mill and the rapids of the Tammerkoski, a precious natural resource used to produce electricity.
Founded in 1779 by the Swedish king Gustavo III, the first settlements in the Tampere area date back to 600 AD.
The rapids of the Tammerkoski, which are located in the city center, are clearly visible from the Hämeensilta bridge, characterized by the four statues of the sculptor Wäinö Aaltonen, representing the Merchant, the Tax Collector, the Maiden of Finland and the Hunter.
The bridge is part of the Hämeenkatu road, the main street of Tampere, while the heart of the city consists of the Central Square, where the Town Hall, the Theater and the Old wooden Church, Vanha Kirkko, overlook which with its detached bell tower, it is one of the symbols of the city.
What see
Among the religious architecture, the neo-Gothic Church Aleksanterin Kirkko, which takes its name from Tsar Alexander II, the Finlayson Kirkko, a church built for the employees of the homonymous textile factory and their families, and the Tampere Cathedral, in romantic style, stand out. national, designed by architect Lars Sonck.
The Church is known for the particularity of its frescoes and for the stained glass windows with a slightly macabre charm, made by the painter Hugo Simberg.
The main exhibition space in Tampere is the Vapriikki Museum Center, located in the old buildings of Tampella, where exhibitions on various themes are hosted, ranging from archeology to modern art and from craftsmanship to technology.
In the historic buildings of Finlayson there are various and interesting permanent and thematic exhibitions, while in the Amuri district some of the wooden houses inhabited in the nineteenth century by factory workers have been preserved.
In the summer there is the possibility to make splendid trips on the Tampere lakes.
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- Finland: useful information
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- Tampere (Finland): what to see
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Furthermore, for a panoramic view over the level of the lakes, it is possible to walk the paths that cross a wooded area, before reaching the top of the Pyynikki Ridge, located at 85 meters above sea level.
