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Vaasa (; sv, Vasa, , Sweden ), in the years 1855–1917 as Nikolainkaupunki ( sv, Nikolajstad; literally meaning "city of Nicholas),Vaasa oli ennen Nikolainkaupunki ja Aurinkolahti Mustalahti – paikannimiä ei kuitenkaan pidä muuttaa heppoisin perustein
– ''
Kaleva Kaleva or Kalevi may refer to: * CWT Kaleva Travel, a travel management company based in Finland * Kalevi (mythology) Kaleva – also known as Kalevi or Kalev – and his sons are important heroic figures in Estonian, Finnish and Karelian mytho ...
'' (in Finnish)
is a city on the west coast of
Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa. Vaasa has a population of () (approximately 120,000 in the Vaasa sub-region), and is the regional capital of Ostrobothnia ( sv, Österbotten; fi, Pohjanmaa). Vaasa is also well-known as a major
university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
and
college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...
city in Finland. The city is bilingual with of the population speaking
Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...
as their first language and speaking
Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
. The surrounding Ostrobothnian municipalities (such as
Korsholm Korsholm (; fi, Mustasaari) is a municipality of Finland. The town of Vaasa was founded in Korsholm parish in 1606 and today the municipality completely surrounds the city. It is a coastal, mostly rural municipality, consisting of a rural landscap ...
and
Malax Malax (; fi, Maalahti) is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Ostrobothnia region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population dens ...
) 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 A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run. Asia * Cen ...
for Swedish-Finns. Vaasa is also known for Tropiclandia Water Park, which is located in the
Vaskiluoto Island Vaskiluoto ( Swedish: ''Vasklot'') is a Finnish island in the Gulf of Bothnia, immediately in front of the city centre of Vaasa, Finland. It is connected to the mainland by the Vaskiluoto road and rail bridge, and has a surface area of . Vaskiluo ...
right next to a local spa hotel. In the immediate vicinity of Tropiclandia was the now deserted
Wasalandia Amusement Park Wasalandia Amusement Park was an amusement park in Vaasa, Finland Vaasa (; sv, Vasa, , Sweden ), in the years 1855–1917 as Nikolainkaupunki ( sv, Nikolajstad; literally meaning "city of Nicholas),
, which ceased operations in 2015 due to a small number of visitors.


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 or 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 Korsholm (; fi, Mustasaari) is a municipality of Finland. The town of Vaasa was founded in Korsholm parish in 1606 and today the municipality completely surrounds the city. It is a coastal, mostly rural municipality, consisting of a rural landscap ...
(Finnish) or
Korsholm Korsholm (; fi, Mustasaari) is a municipality of Finland. The town of Vaasa was founded in Korsholm parish in 1606 and today the municipality completely surrounds the city. It is a coastal, mostly rural municipality, consisting of a rural landscap ...
(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, (Swedish) and (Finnish) between 1855 and 1917, named after the then late Czar
Nicholas I of Russia , house = Romanov-Holstein-Gottorp , father = Paul I of Russia , mother = Maria Feodorovna (Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg) , birth_date = , birth_place = Gatchina Palace, Gatchina, Russian Empire , death_date = ...
, (Swedish) and (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

The history of
Korsholm Korsholm (; fi, Mustasaari) is a municipality of Finland. The town of Vaasa was founded in Korsholm parish in 1606 and today the municipality completely surrounds the city. It is a coastal, mostly rural municipality, consisting of a rural landscap ...
and also of Vaasa begins in the 14th century, when seafarers from the coastal region in central
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
disembarked at the present Old Vaasa, and the wasteland owners from
Southwest Finland Southwest Finland, calqued as Finland Proper ( fi, Varsinais-Suomi ; sv, Egentliga Finland), is a region in the southwest of Finland. It borders the regions of Satakunta, Pirkanmaa, Tavastia Proper (Kanta-Häme), Uusimaa, and Åland. The reg ...
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 Korsholm (; fi, Mustasaari) is a municipality of Finland. The town of Vaasa was founded in Korsholm parish in 1606 and today the municipality completely surrounds the city. It is a coastal, mostly rural municipality, consisting of a rural landscap ...
, Crysseborgh, was undertaken, and served as an administrative centre of the
Vasa County Vasa may refer to: Places * Vaşa, Azerbaijan * Vasa County, a historic county in modern-day Finland * Vaasa or Vasa, Finland * Vasa, Rajasthan, a village in Sirohi District, Rajasthan, India * Vasa, Palghar, a village in Maharashtra, India * ...
. King Charles IX of Sweden founded the town of Mustasaari/Mussor on October 2, 1606,HS: Kaarle IX perusti Vaasan 1606
(in Finnish)
around the oldest harbour and trade point around the Korsholm church approximately 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 Nykarleby (; fi, Uusikaarlepyy) is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the Ostrobothnia region. The municipality is bilingual, with the majority speaking Swedish () and the minority Finnish (). The largest employers in the to ...
to Vaasa, and four years later a new schoolhouse was built in Vaasa. The first
library A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...
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 The Finnish War ( sv, Finska kriget, russian: Финляндская война, fi, Suomen sota) was fought between the Kingdom of Sweden and the Russian Empire from 21 February 1808 to 17 September 1809 as part of the Napoleonic Wars. As a re ...
, fought between
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
and
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
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 Johan Bergenstråhle (13 May 1756 – 7 March 1840 in Stockholm) was a Swedish military officer who participated in Russo-Swedish War (1788-1790), and the Finnish War. In June 1808, he was sent as a colonel of the Swedish Army, with 1,000 men a ...
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 Kuortane is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the South Ostrobothnia region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . The neighboring municipalities of Kuortane are Al ...
where they had to endure the physical punishment called
running the gauntlet Running is a method of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. Running is a type of gait characterized by an aerial phase in which all feet are above the ground (though there are exceptions). This is ...
. 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 The Battle of Oravais ( fi, Oravaisten taistelu; sv, Slaget vid Oravais) was one of the decisive battles in the Finnish War, fought from 1808 to 1809 between Sweden and the Russian Empire as part of the wider Napoleonic Wars. Taking place in ...
, which was won by Russia, was fought some further north. By winter 1808, the Russian forces had overrun all of Finland, and in the
Treaty of Fredrikshamn The Treaty of Fredrikshamn ( sv, Freden i Fredrikshamn; russian: Фридрихсгамский мирный договор), or the Treaty of Hamina ( fi, Haminan rauha), was a peace treaty concluded between Sweden and Imperial Russia on 17 ...
(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 The Grand Duchy of Finland ( fi, Suomen suuriruhtinaskunta; sv, Storfurstendömet Finland; russian: Великое княжество Финляндское, , all of which literally translate as Grand Principality of Finland) was the predecess ...
within the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
.


Town fire

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 August 3. 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 FalanderWasastjerna
patrician Patrician may refer to: * Patrician (ancient Rome), the original aristocratic families of ancient Rome, and a synonym for "aristocratic" in modern English usage * Patrician (post-Roman Europe), the governing elites of cities in parts of medieval ...
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 ( fi, Nikolainkaupunki), named after the late
Tsar Nicholas I , house = Romanov-Holstein-Gottorp , father = Paul I of Russia , mother = Maria Feodorovna (Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg) , birth_date = , birth_place = Gatchina Palace, Gatchina, Russian Empire , death_date = ...
, rose in 1862 about 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 Carl Axel Setterberg (1812-1871) was a Swedish-born Finnish architect. Setterberg provided much of the urban design for the city of Vaasa, Finland. Biography Setterberg was born at Bogsta parish in Södermanland, Sweden. He studied to become ...
in the
Empire style The Empire style (, ''style Empire'') is an early-nineteenth-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts, representing the second phase of Neoclassicism. It flourished between 1800 and 1815 durin ...
. 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

During the
Finnish Civil War The Finnish Civil War; . Other designations: Brethren War, Citizen War, Class War, Freedom War, Red Rebellion and Revolution, . According to 1,005 interviews done by the newspaper ''Aamulehti'', the most popular names were as follows: Civil W ...
, Vaasa was the capital of Finland from 29 January to 3 May 1918.Vaasa, Finland – Britannica
/ref> As a consequence of the occupation of central places and arresting of politicians in
Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the capital, primate, and most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of Uusimaa in southern Finland, and has a population of . The city ...
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. 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 A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
, to the town's coat of arms. 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 ABB Ltd. is a Swedish- Swiss multinational corporation headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland. The company was formed in 1988 when Sweden's Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget (ASEA) and Switzerland's Brown, Boveri & Cie merged to crea ...
. In 2013 the municipality of
Vähäkyrö Vähäkyrö ( sv, Lillkyro) is a former municipality of Finland and an exclave of the city of Vaasa since January 1, 2013. It was located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Ostrobothnia region. The municipality had a population ...
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 A polar circle is a geographic term for a conditional circular line (arc) referring either to the Arctic Circle or the Antarctic Circle. These are two of the keynote circles of latitude (parallels). On Earth, the Arctic Circle is currently d ...
, Vaasa falls in
continental subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of an ocean, ge ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
: ''Dfc'') with severe dry winters and almost warm summers. The prevailing direction of the winds,
North Atlantic Current The North Atlantic Current (NAC), also known as North Atlantic Drift and North Atlantic Sea Movement, is a powerful warm western boundary current within the Atlantic Ocean that extends the Gulf Stream northeastward. The NAC originates from where ...
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 Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
, where continentality, proximity to the poles and moderation intersect. The
Föhn wind A Foehn or Föhn (, , ), is a type of dry, relatively warm, downslope wind that occurs in the leeward, lee (downwind side) of a mountain range. It is a rain shadow wind that results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air that has dropped m ...
, 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. 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 1991-2020). 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. 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. The city gets more sun than inland places, although current log are unavailable. 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.


Demographics


Economy

Vaasa is generally speaking an industrial town, with several industrial parks. Industry comprises one-fourth of jobs. There is a university (
University of Vaasa The University of Vaasa ( fi, Vaasan yliopisto, sv, Vasa universitet) is a multidisciplinary, business-oriented university in Vaasa, Finland. The campus of the university is situated by the Gulf of Bothnia adjacent to downtown Vaasa. The univ ...
), faculties of Åbo Akademi and Hanken, and two
universities of applied sciences A ''Fachhochschule'' (; plural ''Fachhochschulen''), abbreviated FH, is a university of applied sciences (UAS), in other words a German tertiary education institution that provides professional education in many applied sciences and applied arts ...
in the town. Many workers commute from
Korsholm Korsholm (; fi, Mustasaari) is a municipality of Finland. The town of Vaasa was founded in Korsholm parish in 1606 and today the municipality completely surrounds the city. It is a coastal, mostly rural municipality, consisting of a rural landscap ...
,
Laihia Laihia ( sv, Laihela) is a municipality of Finland, founded in 1576 through a separation from Isokyrö and Korsholm. It is located in the Ostrobothnia region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. Th ...
, and other municipalities nearby. The Vaskiluoto power stations complex is situated on the island of
Vaskiluoto Vaskiluoto ( Swedish: ''Vasklot'') is a Finnish island in the Gulf of Bothnia, immediately in front of the city centre of Vaasa, Finland. It is connected to the mainland by the Vaskiluoto road and rail bridge, and has a surface area of . Vaskiluo ...
, supplying electricity to the national grid as well as district heat to the city. The multi-use cargo and passenger
Port of Vaasa The Port of Vaasa ( Finnish: ''Vaasan satama'', Swedish: ''Vasa hamn'') is a mixed-use port in the city of Vaasa on the west coast of Finland, in the Kvarken area of the Gulf of Bothnia. It is situated on the island of Vaskiluoto, some due w ...
is located in Vaskiluoto, connecting Vaasa with
Umeå Umeå ( , , , locally ; South Westrobothnian: ;). fi, Uumaja; sju, Ubmeje; sma, Upmeje; se, Ubmi) is a city in northeast Sweden. It is the seat of Umeå Municipality and the capital of Västerbotten County. Situated on the Ume River, U ...
, Sweden, and destinations further afield. The film production company
Future Film Future Film Ltd (Future Film Oy) is a Finnish-based home-video distribution company headquartered in Vaasa. From early to late 1990s they were best known as the distributors of children's animation. Future Film's releases were dubbed occasionally ...
has its head office in Vaasa.Contact Information
."
Future Film Future Film Ltd (Future Film Oy) is a Finnish-based home-video distribution company headquartered in Vaasa. From early to late 1990s they were best known as the distributors of children's animation. Future Film's releases were dubbed occasionally ...
. Retrieved on 19 January 2011. "Office Oy Future Film Ab Hovioikeudenpuistikko 9 65100 VAASA FINLAND"
Kotipizza has its head office in the ''Vaskiluodon Satamaterminaali''.


Transport

Main roads, including
highway 3 The following highways are numbered 3, H-3, PRI-3, AH3, E03 and R3. For roads numbered A3, see A3 roads. For roads numbered M3, see M3. For roads numbered N3, see N3. For roads numbered 3A, see 3A. International * Asian Highway 3 * Europea ...
( E12) and highway 8 ( E8), connect Vaasa to
Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the capital, primate, and most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of Uusimaa in southern Finland, and has a population of . The city ...
,
Tampere Tampere ( , , ; sv, Tammerfors, ) is a city in the Pirkanmaa region, located in the western part of Finland. Tampere is the most populous inland city in the Nordic countries. It has a population of 244,029; the urban area has a population o ...
, Oulu, Pori,
Jyväskylä Jyväskylä () is a city and municipality in Finland in the western part of the Finnish Lakeland. It is located about 150 km north-east from Tampere, the third largest city in Finland; and about 270 km north from Helsinki, the capital of ...
,
Kokkola Kokkola (; sv, Karleby, ) is a town and municipality of Finland. The town is located in the Central Ostrobothnia region. The town has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . Neighbour municipali ...
and Seinäjoki. There are from Helsinki to Vaasa, from
Turku Turku ( ; ; sv, Åbo, ) is a city and former capital on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Finland Proper (''Varsinais-Suomi'') and the former Turku and Pori Province (''Turun ja Porin lääni''; ...
, from Tampere, from Oulu, from Kokkola, from
Jakobstad Jakobstad (; fi, Pietarsaari) is a town and municipality in Ostrobothnia, Finland. The town has a population of () and covers a land area of . The population density is . Neighboring municipalities are Larsmo, Pedersöre, and Nykarleby. The ...
, from Pori, from
Lapua Lapua (; sv, Lappo) is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located next to the Lapua River in the region of South Ostrobothnia. The town has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . The mun ...
and from Seinäjoki. It is also a relatively short distance from Sweden to Vaasa. The tourist route called
Blue Highway Blue Highway is an American contemporary bluegrass band formed in 1994 and based in Tennessee. The band's albums include ''Wondrous Love'' (2003), ''Marbletown'' (2005), and '' Original Traditional'' (2016). Background After helping found th ...
also runs from the port of Vaasa and through the city. In 1962–1964, other Finnish cities introduced regional
speed limit Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed - expre ...
s of 50 km/h, but in Vaasa the limit was 60 km/h for a long time.
Vaasa Airport Vaasa Airport ( fi, Vaasan lentoasema, sv, Vasa flygplats) is located in Vaasa, Finland, about south-east of Vaasa city centre. As of 2021, it is the 9th busiest airport in Finland with 19,231 passengers. Regular airlines at Vaasa airport are ...
is located about nine kilometers southeast of the city center.
Finnair Finnair ( fi, Finnair Oyj, sv, Finnair Abp) is the flag carrier and largest airline of Finland, with its headquarters in Vantaa on the grounds of Helsinki Airport, its hub. Finnair and its subsidiaries dominate both domestic and international ...
and Scandinavian Airlines operate from Vaasa Airport, but
Norwegian Air Shuttle Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, trading as Norwegian, is a Norwegian low-cost airline and Norway's largest airline. It is the fourth largest low-cost carrier in Europe behind Wizz Air, easyJet and Ryanair, the second-largest airline in Scandinavia ...
terminated the Vaasa–Helsinki route on January 10, 2020. There is scheduled traffic from Vaasa Airport to Helsinki (flight time 45 min) and
Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
(flight time 1 h 5 min).


Culture

*
Ostrobothnian Museum The Ostrobothnian Museum ( fi, Pohjanmaan museo) is a provincial museum of cultural history, which also serves as provincial art museum and a museum of natural science. The museum building, designed by in 1927, and the museum’s exhibition wing ...
* Terranova Museum * Meteoriihi * Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art * Vaasa Car & Motor Museum * Platform, artist run gallery for
contemporary art Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic co ...
,
media art New media art includes artworks designed and produced by means of electronic media technologies, comprising virtual art, computer graphics, computer animation, digital art, interactive art, sound art, Internet art, video games, robotics, 3D prin ...
, &
sound art Sound art is an artistic activity in which sound is utilized as a primary medium or material. Like many genres of contemporary art, sound art may be interdisciplinary in nature, or be used in hybrid forms. According to Brandon LaBelle, sound art ...


Other sights

* The
Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; French: ''La Liberté éclairant le monde'') is a List of colossal sculpture in situ, colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the U ...
(''Suomen Vapaudenpatsas'')


Sport

*
Vaasan Sport Sport, known by its full name as ''Hockey Team Vaasan Sport OY'', is a Finnish ice hockey team playing in Liiga, and is based at Vaasa Arena (capacity 4448) in Vaasa. The team was established in 1939 as IF Sport (Idrottsföreningen Sport). H ...
, men's
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
team playing in the
Liiga The SM-liiga (marketed as just Liiga from 2013 on), (Finnish for ''League'') colloquially called the Finnish Elite League in English or FM-ligan in Swedish, is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. It is one of the six founding leagu ...
, home ice is Vaasan Sähkö Areena * Mailattaret, Vaasa, a women's Finnish baseball team playing in the Superpesis. *
Vaasan Sport Naiset Vaasan Sport Naiset were a women's ice hockey team in Finland. They played in Vaasa, on the west coast of Finland, at the Vaasan Sähkö Areena. Founded in 1983, the team most recently played in the Naisten Liiga from the 2018–19 season unti ...
, women's ice hockey team playing in the
Naisten Liiga The Kansallinen Liiga ('National League') is the premier division of women's football in Finland. It was previously called the Jalkapallon naisten SM-sarja ('Women's Football Finnish Championship Series') during 1974 to 2006 and the Naisten Lii ...
, home ice is Vaasan Sähkö Areena *
Vaasan Palloseura Vaasan Palloseura (or VPS) is a Finnish football club, based in Vaasa. It currently plays in the first tier of Finnish football (''Veikkausliiga''). The club's current manager is Jussi Nuorela. The club plays its home matches at Hietalahti. ...
, men's football club playing in the
Ykkönen ''Ykkönen'' ( Finnish for 'Number One'; sv, Ettan) is the second highest level of the Finnish football league system (after the Veikkausliiga), although it is the highest league managed by the Football Association of Finland. The teams also pla ...
, home ground is
Hietalahti Stadium Hietalahti Stadium (, sv, Sandvikens fotbollsstadion), also known as Elisa Stadion for sponsorship reasons, is a multi-purpose stadium in Vaasa, Finland. It is currently used mostly for football (soccer), football matches and is the home stadium o ...
*
Vasa IFK Vasa IFK (VIFK) is a Finnish football club, located in Vaasa. It was founded in 1900. The club changed its name in 1988 after a merger with another club, BK-48, and was called BK-IFK during the late 1900s. The name was changed back to VIFK in ye ...
, men's football club playing in the
Kakkonen Kakkonen or II divisioona is the third level in the Finnish football league system, league system of Finnish football and comprises 36 Finland, Finnish football (soccer), football teams. The II divisioona was introduced in 1973 and in the mid-1 ...
, home ground is Hietalahti Stadium *
FC Kiisto FC Kiisto is a Finnish football club, based in the city of Vaasa. It currently plays in Kolmonen (Third Division). History Vaasan Kiisto was founded in September 1904 in Vaasa Finnish Gymnasiums gym hall, after members of Vaasa Workers Associ ...
, men's football club playing in the
Kolmonen Kolmonen or III divisioona is the fourth level in the league system of Finnish football and comprises 104 Finnish football teams. The III divisioona was introduced in 1973 and in the mid-1990s became known as the Kolmonen (''Number Three'' in E ...
, home ground is
Kaarlen kenttä Kaarlen kenttä is a multi-use stadium in Vaasa, Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norw ...
* 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 Series


Education

Vaasa has three universities. The largest one is the
University of Vaasa The University of Vaasa ( fi, Vaasan yliopisto, sv, Vasa universitet) is a multidisciplinary, business-oriented university in Vaasa, Finland. The campus of the university is situated by the Gulf of Bothnia adjacent to downtown Vaasa. The univ ...
, 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 Turku ( ; ; sv, Åbo, ) is a city and former capital on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Finland Proper (''Varsinais-Suomi'') and the former Turku and Pori Province (''Turun ja Porin lääni''; ...
, and the
Hanken School of Economics Hanken School of Economics (Swedish: ''Svenska handelshögskolan,'' also known as Hanken) is a business school in Finland with two locations, Helsinki and Vaasa. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest business school in Finland, and one of the oldest ...
headquartered in
Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the capital, primate, and most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of Uusimaa in southern Finland, and has a population of . The city ...
. Unique to Vaasa is the Finland-Swedish teachers training school
Vasa övningsskola Vasa övningsskola (VÖS) is a Swedish-speaking normal school in Vaasa, Finland. VÖS is a part of Åbo Akademi University, and its Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies located in Vaasa. It is the only Swedish normal school in Finland. VÖS pro ...
, part of Åbo Akademi. The
University of Helsinki The University of Helsinki ( fi, Helsingin yliopisto, sv, Helsingfors universitet, abbreviated UH) is a public research university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but founded in the city of Turku (in Swedish ''Åbo'') in 1640 as the ...
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 The Novia University of Applied Sciences ( sv, Yrkeshögskolan Novia) is an institution of higher professional education (vocational university) in Finland. It offers Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in Swedish in Vaasa, Turku, Raseborg ...
(former Swedish University of Applied Sciences). City has about 13,000 university students and about 4,000 vocational school students.Todellinen opiskelijakaupunki – Vaasa
(in Finnish)


Notable people

* Fanny Churberg (1845–1892) – Painter * Sebastian Da Costa – Musician *
Seppo Evwaraye Seppo Evwaraye (born June 1, 1982) is a Finnish former offensive guard in American football and former general manager and interim head coach of Finnish team Wasa Royals of Maple league. Seppo was first signed by Carolina Panthers as a free agent ...
– Professional
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
player * Rabbe Grönblom – Businessman *
Kai Hahto Kai Hahto (born 31 December 1973 in Vaasa, Finland) is a Finnish musician and drummer. Career Hahto was a member of the grindcore band Rotten Sound. In 2004 Hahto became one of the founders of the band Wintersun and left Rotten Sound later i ...
- Metal Drummer/drum teacher *
Nanny Hammarström Nanny Matilda Hammarström (March 23, 1870 – December 3, 1953) was a Finland-Swedish teacher and author. Hammarström was born in Vaasa. She taught mathematics, natural history, and geography at schools in Kokkola Kokkola (; sv, Karleby, ) ...
(1870–1953) – Author *
Jarl Hemmer Jarl Robert Hemmer (18 September 1893 – 6 December 1944) was a Swedish-speaking Finnish author. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in six consecutive years. Biography Hemmer was born into a wealthy family, from Vaasa, Finl ...
– Author * Edvin Hevonkoski – Sculptor * Mikaela Ingberg – Javelin thrower *
Fritz Jakobsson Fritz Jakobsson (born 8 January 1940 in Pori) is a painter living in Vaasa, Finland most known for his portraits. He started his career in 1967 and has since then had about 110 art exhibitions in Finland, Sweden, Germany and Italy. He has done o ...
– Painter *
Vesa 'Vesku' Jokinen Vesa "Vesku" Jokinen (born 1970) is the lead singer in Finnish punk rock band Klamydia, based in Vaasa on the Finnish west coast, and in Kylähullut. He and his friends in the band created the record label Kråklund Records in the beginning ...
– Musician, the lead singer of
Klamydia Klamydia (Finnish language for Chlamydia) is a Finnish punk rock band from Vaasa, Finland. The band's name was chosen because it was the worst name that came to their minds. History The band was formed in 1988, and has been continuously activ ...
* Mikael Jungner – MD of
Yleisradio Yleisradio Oy (Finnish, literally "General Radio Ltd." or "General Broadcast Ltd."; abbr. Yle ; sv, Rundradion Ab, italics=no), translated to English as the Finnish Broadcasting Company, is Finland's national public broadcasting company, founde ...
* Heli Koivula-Kruger – Athlete * Susanna 'Suski' Korvala – Singer *
Björn Kurtén Björn Olof Lennartson Kurtén (19 November 1924 – 28 December 1988) was a Finnish vertebrate paleontologist, belonging to the Swedish-speaking minority of his country. Early life and education Kurtén was born in Vaasa. Career He was a profe ...
– Paleontologist, author * Joachim Kurtén – Businessman, politician *
Toivo Kuula Toivo Timoteus Kuula (7 July 1883 – 18 May 1918) was a Finnish composer and conductor of the late-Romantic and early-modern periods, who emerged in the wake of Jean Sibelius, under whom he studied privately from 1906 to 1908. The core of Ku ...
– Composer * August Alexander Levón – Industrialist, businessman *
Jani Liimatainen Jani Allan Kristian Liimatainen (born 9 September 1980) is a Finnish musician, songwriter and backing vocalist, currently a member of melodic death metal band Insomnium. He is the former guitarist and one of the founding members of the power m ...
– Guitar player * Nandor Mikola – Painter *
Camilla Nylund Camilla Nylund (born 11 June 1968) is a Finnish operatic soprano. She appears internationally in lyric-dramatic roles such as Beethoven's Leonore, Verdi's Elisabetta, and Wagner's Elisabeth and Sieglinde. She is especially known for portrayin ...
– Opera singer *
Jorma Ojaharju Jorma Ojaharju (Vaasa, 10 October 1938 – 8 February 2011) was a Finnish author. He had been described as a "boxer of rough prose" because of his background as a sailor and a boxer, but also because of his relaxed narrative. Ojaharji published ...
– Author *
Oskar Osala Oskar Osala (born 26 December 1987) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player. He played in three National Hockey League (NHL) games with the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes and represented Finland in Olympic Winter Games 20 ...
– Ice hockey player *
Sari Krooks Sari Kristiina Krooks (born 2 February 1968 in Vaasa) is a Finland, Finnish retired ice hockey player. She played on the women's ice hockey team for Finland at the 1998 Winter Olympics, and won a bronze medal. References External links

* ...
– Ice hockey player *
Pekka Puska Pekka Puska (born 18 December 1945 in Vaasa) is a Finnish physician, docent and politician. Puska held the position of Director General of the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Finland in 2009–2013. THL was formed following t ...
– Doctor, expert on public health, politician *
Viljo Revell Viljo Gabriel Revell (25 January 1910 – 8 November 1964) was a Finnish architect of the functionalist school. In Finland he is best known for the design of the Lasipalatsi ("Glass Palace") and Palace Hotel, both in Helsinki. Internationally, ...
– Architect, works included
Toronto City Hall The Toronto City Hall, or New City Hall, is the seat of the municipal government of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and one of the city's most distinctive landmarks. Designed by Viljo Revell and engineered by Hannskarl Bandel, the building opened i ...
in Canada. *
Seppo Sanaksenaho Seppo Sanaksenaho (5 May 1938 – 1 November 2011) was a Finnish politician who served as the mayor of Vaasa from 1997 to 2001. Sanaksenaho was born in Oulu, Finland, in 1938. He earned an engineering degree from the Helsinki University of Tec ...
– Mayor of Vaasa 1997–2001, Deputy Mayor 1979–1996 *
Leif Segerstam Leif Selim Segerstam ( , ; born 2 March 1944) is a Finnish conductor, composer, violinist, violist and pianist, especially known for writing 350 symphonies as of August 2022, along with other works in his extensive oeuvre. Segerstam has con ...
– Musician, composer, conductor *
Monica Aspelund Monica Aspelund (born 16 July 1946 in Vaasa) is a Finnish singer. She is the older sister of Ami Aspelund. Life and career Born into a family of Swedish speaking Finns, Aspelund danced and sang in talent shows from an early age, making her re ...
– Singer *
Carl Axel Setterberg Carl Axel Setterberg (1812-1871) was a Swedish-born Finnish architect. Setterberg provided much of the urban design for the city of Vaasa, Finland. Biography Setterberg was born at Bogsta parish in Södermanland, Sweden. He studied to become ...
– Architect, creator of the new Vaasa *
Pekka Strang Pekka Kristian Strang (born 23 July 1977) is a Swedish-speaking population of Finland, Finland-Swedish actor and the artistic director of Lilla Teatern in Helsinki, 2005–2014. He grew up in Vaasa on the Finnish west coast. In 1997 he was admitt ...
– Actor * Jani Toivola – Member of parliament, actor, television host ( Finnish Idols 2007,
The Voice TV The Voice TV is a network of music television channels owned by ProSiebenSat.1 Media (formally SBS Broadcasting Group). Previously broadcast in Finland (2004-2012), Denmark (2004-2012), Norway (2004-2012) and Sweden (2004-2008). In October 2006 ...
) *
Onni Tommila Onni Tommila (born 18 July 1999) is a Finnish actor, known for the films ''Last Cowboy Standing'' (2009), '' Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale'' (2010) and '' Big Game'' (2014). Tommila also appeared in the 2005 '. He was also the voice of Eetu in ...
– Actor ( Big Game, Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale) *
Allu Tuppurainen Allan Rauli Kristian "Allu" Tuppurainen (born 1 April 1951) is a Finnish actor and screenwriter residing in Vaasa. He began acting in Finnish film in the early 1970s and has made a number of appearances in Finnish film ever since, appearing in ...
– Actor, creator of
Rölli Rölli (sometimes called Rollo in English language, English is a character from Finland, Finnish television portrayed by Allu Tuppurainen, Allan "Allu" Tuppurainen. The character originally appeared in segments on the children's TV show ''Pikku K ...
*
Jenny Wilhelms Jenny Wilhelms (born 1974) is a Finnish musician. She studied classical and folk music in many Nordic countries. She has been the lead singer of the innovative Folk music, folk band Gjallarhorn (band), Gjallarhorn from 1994. Later, according t ...
– Musician *
Carl Gustaf Wolff Carl Gustaf Wolff (28 October 1800 - 19 July 1868) was a prominent Finnish shipowner and businessman during his time. He was born in either Noormarkku (''Sw. Norrmark'') or Suomenlinna (''Sw. Sveaborg'') in Finland, when it still was a part of ...
– Businessman *
Mathilda Wrede Mathilda Wrede (March 8, 1864, Vaasa – December 25, 1928), was a Finnish evangelist and baroness, known for being a precursor in the rehabilitation of prisoners, and known in Finland as "Friend of the prisoners". Life Her father, Carl Gustaf ...
– "Friend of the inmates" *
Yrjö Sakari Yrjö-Koskinen Baron Yrjö Sakari Yrjö-Koskinen (birth name Georg Zakarias Forsman, author name Yrjö Koskinen; 10 December 1830 in Vaasa – 13 November 1903 in Helsinki) was a friherre, senator, professor, historian, politician and the chairman of the Fin ...
(Georg Zacharias Forsman) – Politician, professor,
fennoman The Fennoman movement or Fennomania was a Finnish nationalist movement in the 19th-century Grand Duchy of Finland, built on the work of the ''fennophile'' interests of the 18th and early-19th centuries. History After the Crimean War, Fennoma ...
* Daco Junior – Finnish singer and rapper * Håkan Nyblom
Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...
wrestler Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat spor ...
* Miika Koivisto – Ice hockey player * Jukka Seppo - Ice hockey player * Lauri Tähkä - Singer/songwriter * Vappu Taipale - Psychiatrist and politician * Juha Tapio - Singer, lyricist, composer and guitarist


Twin towns

, Vaasa has town twinning treaties or treaties of cooperation signed with the following ten cities:Bellingham Sister Cities Association
Godfather Town
Twin Town
Cooperation Treaty
Sister City


See also

*Wasa, British Columbia (named after Vasa) *
Blue Highway Blue Highway is an American contemporary bluegrass band formed in 1994 and based in Tennessee. The band's albums include ''Wondrous Love'' (2003), ''Marbletown'' (2005), and '' Original Traditional'' (2016). Background After helping found th ...
(an international tourist route) * Seinäjoki (a neighboring city from the South Ostrobothnia region)


Notes


Bibliography

* Julkunen, Mikko: ''Vaasa - Vasa''. ''Vaasa: Vaasa'', 1982. (Photo book with English text.)


References


External links


Vaasa
– Official website
Vaasa
– Official website
Vasa
– Official website
Tourist's Vaasa
{{Authority control Vaasa, Cities and towns in Finland Populated coastal places in Finland Grand Duchy of Finland Populated places established in 1606 Former capitals of Finland 1606 establishments in Sweden Port cities and towns in Finland