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Jyväskylä () is a
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
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 Finland. The Jyväskylä sub-region includes Jyväskylä,
Hankasalmi Hankasalmi is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Central Finland region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . The municipality is unilingually Finnish. Han ...
, Laukaa, Petäjävesi,
Toivakka Toivakka is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Central Finland region, near Jyväskylä. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . The municipality is unilingually ...
, and
Uurainen Uurainen ( sv, Uurainen, also ) is a municipality of Finland. It is part of the Central Finland region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . Neighbouring municipalities a ...
. Other border municipalities of Jyväskylä are
Joutsa Joutsa is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland region. Jyväskylä is located about north of the Joutsa municipality. The municipality has a population of () and covers an ...
, Jämsä and
Luhanka Luhanka ( sv, Luhanka, also ) is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Central Finland region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. In relation to its population Luhanka is not just the small ...
. Jyväskylä is the largest city in the region of Central Finland and in the Finnish Lakeland; as of , Jyväskylä had a population of . The city has been one of the fastest-growing cities in Finland during the 20th century, when in 1940, there were only 8,000 inhabitants in Jyväskylä. Elias Lönnrot, the compiler of the Finnish national epic, the '' Kalevala'', gave the city the nickname " Athens of Finland". This nickname refers to the major role of Jyväskylä as an educational centre. The works of the notable Finnish architect,
Alvar Aalto Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto (; 3 February 1898 – 11 May 1976) was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware, as well as sculptures and paintings. He never regarded himself as an artist, see ...
, can be seen throughout the city. The city hosts the Rally Finland, which is part of the World Rally Championship. It is also home of the annual
Jyväskylä Arts Festival Jyväskylä Arts Festival ( fi, Jyväskylän kesä) is an arts festival celebrated annually at Jyväskylä, Finland since 1956. It has since become one of the biggest arts festival An arts festival is a festival that can encompass a wide rang ...
.


Etymology

The second part of the city's name, ''kylä'', means village. The first part of the city's name, ''jyväs-'', looks like the stem of an adjective ''*jyvänen'', derived from ''jyvä'', "grain" (compare Wiktionary). Alternatively, it has been associated with '' Taxus'', a genus of
yews Yew is a common name given to various species of trees. It is most prominently given to any of various coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Taxus'': * European yew or common yew (''Taxus baccata'') * Pacific yew or western yew (''Taxus b ...
, and the Old Prussian word ''juwis''. It has also been speculated that the word ''jyväs'' refers to the sun's reflection of the surface of the water. Erkki Fredrikson, the curator of the
Museum of Central Finland The Museum of Central Finland ( Finnish: ''Keski-Suomen museo'', also known colloquially as ''KeMu'') is a museum of cultural history located in Jyväskylä, the capital of the Central Finland region. It serves as the regional museum for Ce ...
, put forward a theory related to the name, that the origin word for the city's name was ''syväs'' and not ''jyväs'', and that the name was once derived from ''Jyväsjoki'' (literally the "grain river"), which, according to Fredrikson's assumption, was actually called ''Syväsjoki'' (literally the "deep river"). However, the name Jyväsjoki was registered in 1506 for the region's first known resident, Heikki Ihanninpoika Jyväsjoki. His house was located at the mouth of the Äijälänjoki River, which in Fredrikson's opinion also supports the Syväsjoki theory. The village, known at the beginning as Jyväsjoki village, gradually transformed into Jyväskylä.


History

In the Jyväskylä region, there are archeological findings from the
Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...
. According to the oldest available taxation documents (''maakirja''), there were seven estates on the Jyväskylä region in 1539. One of them, the estate of Mattila, alone possessed the areas stretching from the village of Keljo to the villages of Vesanka and Palokka. The oldest estate in Jyväskylä continuously held by the same family is the estate of Lahti, which emerged when the estate of Mattila was split between two brothers in 1600. The history of the estate of Lahti and the family of Lahti have had a significant impact on the development of Jyväskylä region. Lahdenrinne, in the south-west corner of Jyväsjärvi lake, belongs to the old heartland of the estate of Lahti. The name Jyväskylä was mentioned in 1575 as ''Jyueskylä''. Its name is derived from the lake
Jyväsjärvi Lake Jyväsjärvi () is a lake situated in the centre of Jyväskylä in Finland. The lake can be also considered as the Northern end of Lake Päijänne. Parts of Jyväsjärvi have been filled many times to gain more land for the enlarging city o ...
. A shorter form of the name, ''Jyväs'' (written ''Jyuexe'', possibly the translative case) was mentioned slightly earlier in 1565 and again (this time written ''Jyues'') in 1570. The City of Jyväskylä was founded on 22 March 1837, when Emperor of Russia and
Grand Duke of Finland Grand Duke of Finland, or, more accurately, the Grand Prince of Finland ( fi, Suomen suuriruhtinas, sv, Storfurste av Finland, rus, Великий князь Финляндский, r=Velikiy knyaz' Finlyandskiy, p=vʲɪˈlʲikɪj knʲæsʲ fʲ ...
, Nicholas I of Russia, signed the charter of the city and the infrastructure was essentially built from scratch; before that, Jyväskylä was a village belonging to the larger rural municipality of Laukaa, being the largest village of the whole parish. At the times Finnish military battalion
Suomen kaarti Finnish Guards' Rifle Battalion ( fi, Henkikaartin 3. Suomen Tarkk’ampujapataljoona, sv, Livgardets 3:e finska skarpskyttebataljon, russian: Лейб-гвардии 3-й стрелковый Финский батальон, Leib-gvardii 3-j str ...
participated under his rule in military operations against the Polish
November Uprising The November Uprising (1830–31), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in W ...
and later in Hungary, Turkey and Bessarabia (today Moldova). While Nicholas I of Russia abolished many autonomous areas, it has been argued, that the loyalty of Finnish military influenced his approach towards Finnish autonomy. The original town was built between Lake Jyväsjärvi (which is connected to Lake Päijänne) and the Jyväskylä ridge (Harju), and consisted of most of the current grid-style city centre. The establishment of schools in the 1850s and '60s proved to be the most significant step in regards to the later development of Jyväskylä. The first three Finnish-speaking schools in the world were founded in Jyväskylä, the lycée in 1858, the teachers’ college in 1863, and the girls’ school in 1864. Well-trained teaching staff and pupils from different parts of the country changed the atmosphere of Jyväskylä irrevocably. In the early 20th century, the town expanded several times. Most of today's Jyväskylä was built after the Continuation War, when refugees from
Karelia Karelia ( Karelian and fi, Karjala, ; rus, Каре́лия, links=y, r=Karélija, p=kɐˈrʲelʲɪjə, historically ''Korjela''; sv, Karelen), the land of the Karelian people, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for ...
and other parts of the country moved to the city, and housing was badly needed. During the 21st century Jyväskylä has grown fast – by over 1,000 inhabitants every year.
Säynätsalo Säynätsalo is a former municipality in Finland and a part of Jyväskylä. As of November 2010 its population was 3,340. Säynätsalo municipality consisted of islands of Säynätsalo and Lehtisaari and also a part of Muuratsalo island. All of t ...
was consolidated with Jyväskylä in 1993, and Jyväskylän maalaiskunta and
Korpilahti Korpilahti is a former municipality of Finland. Together with Jyväskylän maalaiskunta, Korpilahti was consolidated with Jyväskylä on January 1, 2009. It is located in the former province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland ...
, for their part, on January 1, 2009.


Geography

Jyväskylä is located on the northern coast of Lake Päijänne, north-east of Tampere, south-west of
Kuopio Kuopio (, ) is a Finnish city and municipality located in the region of Northern Savonia. It has a population of , which makes it the most populous municipality in Finland. Along with Joensuu, Kuopio is one of the major urban, economic, and cult ...
and north of Helsinki. The hilly and forested terrain in Jyväskylä is surrounded by hundreds of lakes. To reach Jyväskylä from the east, one needs to go through or pass the hill
Kanavuori Kanavuori is a district, a hill and a nature reserve in Jyväskylä, Finland. It is a part of Vaajakoski-Jyskä ward. It is located at around from the city centre on the shores of Vaajavirta river between lake Päijänne and lake Leppävesi ...
, which used to host a military depot full of ammunition and armaments. Jyväskylä is located in the Finnish Lakeland. There are 328 lakes in the city, and lakes and rivers constitute 20,1% (295 km2) of the total area of the city. The city's largest lakes are Päijänne, Leppävesi, Tuomiojärvi, Palokkajärvi, Luonetjärvi, and Alvajärvi-Korttajärvi. The city center is located on the shores of a small
Jyväsjärvi Lake Jyväsjärvi () is a lake situated in the centre of Jyväskylä in Finland. The lake can be also considered as the Northern end of Lake Päijänne. Parts of Jyväsjärvi have been filled many times to gain more land for the enlarging city o ...
. The landscape in Jyväskylä is hilly, forested and full of waters. The architect
Alvar Aalto Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto (; 3 February 1898 – 11 May 1976) was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware, as well as sculptures and paintings. He never regarded himself as an artist, see ...
compared the hilly landscape of Jyväskylä to Toscana in Italy: ''"The slope of Jyväskylä ridge is almost like the mountain vineyards of Fiesole"''.


Climate

The defined climate is a subarctic continental ( Köppen: ''Dfc''). Because of its northern location, winters are long, snowy, cold, and dark. During midwinter, the city receives daylight for only around five hours. Summers are mild, with the average daily maximum temperature being in July. During the summer, Jyväskylä experiences long daylight and white nights i.e. midnight twilight.


Demographics


Population

Jyväskylä was the fastest growing Finnish city in the 20th century. The population has continued to grow rapidly in the 21st century.


Languages

96.7% of the population spoke Finnish as their first language in 2010. The share of Swedish speakers was 0.2%. Other languages made up the remaining 3% of the population.


Migration

In year 2019, there were about 7,650 foreigners in Jyväskylä.


Military

Jyväskylä hosts the headquarters of the Finnish Air Force, in Tikkakoski. As a central location, it has traditionally been important base for military operations. Jyväskylä became known as major firearms manufacturer ( Tikkakoski) during the world wars, producing machine guns and ammunition. According to reporting in ''
Helsingin Sanomat ''Helsingin Sanomat'', abbreviated ''HS'' and colloquially known as , is the largest subscription newspaper in Finland and the Nordic countries, owned by Sanoma. Except after certain holidays, it is published daily. Its name derives from that of ...
'', since the 1990s Jyväskylä has served as a
signals intelligence Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication ( ...
collection site, primarily targeting military maneuvers around St. Petersburg.


Economy

Because of excellent connections, Jyväskylä was a busy marketplace even before the first permanent settlements were founded in the current city centre. The establishment of Finland's first three Finnish-speaking schools: the lycée in 1858, the teachers’ college in 1863, and the girls’ school in 1864 proved to be the most significant steps in regards to later development of Jyväskylä. Educational services became the heart of the economic growth of the city. In 1912 Wilhelm Schauman founded a
plywood Plywood is a material manufactured from thin layers or "plies" of wood veneer that are glued together with adjacent layers having their wood grain rotated up to 90 degrees to one another. It is an engineered wood from the family of manufactured ...
mill on the shores of Jyväsjärvi. Soon other kinds of forest based businesses opened factories and premises in the city. Thus, lumber, pulp, and paper became the second stronghold of the economy in Jyväskylä. Later, the high quality education and paper machinery industry tempted information technology businesses to settle in the city. Nowadays, the main sources of subsistence in Jyväskylä are educational and health care services, paper machinery production, information technology, and
renewable energy Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. It includes sources such as sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy ...
. The most important private employers are paper machinery producer Metso ltd., retail trade company Keskimaa Cooperative Society, real estate service company ISS, and wind turbine gear manufacturer
Moventas Moventas is a Finnish company manufacturing mechanical power transmission equipment and providing after sales service for the renewable energy industry. Moventas is part of the Santasalo Moventas Group, owned by the global industrial engineerin ...
. The biggest public employers are the City of Jyväskylä, the Central Finland Health Care District, the University of Jyväskylä, and the Air Force Academy. , only 1% of the labor force works on the primary sector, 21% on the secondary sector, and 78% on the
service sector The tertiary sector of the economy, generally known as the service sector, is the third of the three economic sectors in the three-sector model (also known as the economic cycle). The others are the primary sector (raw materials) and the second ...
of the economy. In April 2012, the unemployment rate in Jyväskylä was 12.2%, which was higher than average in Finland (9.8% in 1/2012). As of July 2012, there are about 61,000 jobs in Jyväskylä. The average income per income earner was €24,380 in 2010. In 2011, Jyväskylä topped in an image evaluation study among businesses. The city reached the highest score of large Finnish cities in the study, succeeding especially in the availability of skilled work force, on commercial services, on transport connections, and on geographical location. The Gross domestic product per capita in the city of Jyväskylä was €33,688 in 2005. The self-sufficiency in workplaces exceeded 100% in the city, raising the GDP per capita higher than the national average. The GDP per capita of the whole Jyväskylä region was €28,718 in 2007. The regional GDP per capita is lower than the Finnish national average, mainly due to high number of students and a relatively high unemployment rate.


Culture


Museums

The
Alvar Aalto Museum The Alvar Aalto Museum is a Finnish museum operating in two cities, Jyväskylä and Helsinki, in two locations each, dedicated to architect and designer Alvar Aalto. All four locations are open to the public. They are: *The Alvar Aalto Museum in ...
and the
Museum of Central Finland The Museum of Central Finland ( Finnish: ''Keski-Suomen museo'', also known colloquially as ''KeMu'') is a museum of cultural history located in Jyväskylä, the capital of the Central Finland region. It serves as the regional museum for Ce ...
form a center of culture in the immediate vicinity of the historical campus of the University of Jyväskylä. Both museums are designed by functionalist
Alvar Aalto Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto (; 3 February 1898 – 11 May 1976) was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware, as well as sculptures and paintings. He never regarded himself as an artist, see ...
. The Alvar Aalto Museum displays the artist's most important work and design. The Museum of Central Finland specializes in cultural history. It serves both as the town museum of Jyväskylä and the provincial museum of Central Finland. In summer 2015 Alvar Aalto Foundation and the city of Jyväskylä launched an architect competition to connect the two museums. One of architect Aalto's most significant works, Säynätsalo Town Hall, is located in Säynätsalo island. The city hosts the
Craft Museum of Finland Craft Museum of Finland is a museum in the city of Jyväskylä. Like the other national specialist museums in Finland, its task is to promote and guide museum activities and coordinate museum cooperation in the field of crafts. The museum also does ...
, which presents a range of different handicraft techniques from across the country, as well as a centre dedicated to the conservation of textiles that serves private customers, museums and organisations. The National Costume Center of Finland forms a part of the museum. The
Aviation Museum of Central Finland The Finnish Air Force Museum ( fi, Suomen Ilmavoimamuseo), formerly the Aviation Museum of Central Finland ( fi, Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseo), is an aviation museum located near Jyväskylä Airport in Tikkakoski, Jyväskylä, Finland. The museum ...
near the
Jyväskylä Airport Jyväskylä Airport (; fi, Jyväskylän lentoasema) is an airport in Jyväskylä, Finland. It is located in the center of the Finnish Lake District approximately north of the center of Jyväskylä. The airport terminal was renovated in the fall ...
in Tikkakoski exhibits the aviation history of Finland. The University of Jyväskylä Museum is specialized in the history of the University and diversity of nature in Central Finland. Jyväskylä Art Museum, located the city centre is the regional art museum of Central Finland. In collaboration with the Centre for Creative Photography, the Jyväskylä Art Museum maintains The Ratamo Printmaking and Photography Centre. This centre consists of the Galleria Ratamo along with a printmaking workshop, photography studio and artist workspaces all situated in Jyväskylä's former roundhouse. In addition, historical churches in the city are open for public, most notables of them being the
Taulumäki Church Taulumäki Church ( fi, Taulumäen kirkko) is the principal Lutheran church in Jyväskylä, the administrative centre of the Central Finland region. Designed by architect Elsi Borg (1893–1958), its construction began in 1928. The church was inaug ...
and the Jyväskylä City Church.


Theaters

The biggest theater in the city is the
Jyväskylä City Theatre The Jyväskylä City Theatre (Finnish: ''Jyväskylän kaupunginteatteri''), founded in 1961, is the municipal theatre of the city of Jyväskylä, Finland. Overview The theatre comprises two stages: the main auditorium seats 551 spectators, the ...
, designed by Alvar Aalto. It stands right in the center of the city. In addition to the City Theatre, more than dozen amateur drama companies serve audiences of all ages. The most popular theatres include: * Huoneteatteri (The Room Theatre), Sammonkatu 4 * Jyväskylä University Student Theatre, Student Union Building, Keskussairaalantie 2 * Jyväskylän kansannäyttämö, Sammonkatu 7 * AdAstra Theatre, Koskenharjuntie 8 * Teatterikone, Köhniönkatu 31 * Jyväskylän teatteriyhdistys Kulissi, Siltakatu 25 * Improvisaatioteatteri Ässiä Hatusta, University Campus, Student Union Building, Keskussairaalantie 2


Music

In the 2010s, Jyväskylä earned a reputation as one of the most productive and high-quality
rap music Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
centers, and Jyväskylä has been titled in the media as the "capital of Finnish rap".
Gettomasa Aleksi Lehikoinen (born November 22, 1993), better known by his stage name Gettomasa, is a Finnish rapper. He won the Finnish battle rap championship in 2012. He released his debut album ''Vellamo LP'' in 2014 with Finnish music producer Ruuben. H ...
, among others, the rap artists from Jyväskylä who deserved their encouragement.


Annual events

* Arctic and Fabulous Film Festival offers different forms and genres of Nordic film in the middle of most freezing winter season in February. * Jyväskylä City's Birthday Week (last week of March) offers a number of concerts, theatre, exhibitions and debates around the city. * Jyrock in April is an indie and alternative rock and pop festival. * Lutakko liekeissä in August is a rock festival held in rock club Tanssisali Lutakko. * Yläkaupungin Yö in May is one of the biggest annual street festivals of the city. * Sataman Yö is an annual pop music festival organised one week before the midsummer in the harbour of Jyväskylä. *
Jyväskylä Arts Festival Jyväskylä Arts Festival ( fi, Jyväskylän kesä) is an arts festival celebrated annually at Jyväskylä, Finland since 1956. It has since become one of the biggest arts festival An arts festival is a festival that can encompass a wide rang ...
in the middle of July accommodates musicians, bands, contemporary circus, comedians, mimes, physical theatre, storytellers and film makers. It is one of the most well known festivals in Finland. *
Neste Oil Rally Finland Rally Finland (formerly known as the Neste Rally Finland, Neste Oil Rally Finland, 1000 Lakes Rally and Rally of the Thousand Lakes; fi, Suomen ralli, sv, Finska rallyt) is a rally competition in the Finnish Lakeland in Central Finland. The ra ...
in the end of July is the biggest annually organised event in Nordic countries and a part of the WRC World Rally Championships. *
Athenis Finlandiae Athenis Finlandiae is a yearly event arranged in the city of Jyväskylä and it is an excellent example of a different kind of a cultural event that combines history, art and entertainment. The goals of the event are to cherish the Latin language ...
organised in August is a cultural festival combining elements from ancient history, arts and science. * Finlandia Marathon in the beginning of September is a marathon festival designed for everybody from a top athlete to an amateur jogger. Time of Dance – the largest annual festival of Finnish contemporary dance is taking place in the end of September. * The International Print Triennial Graphica Creativa is organised every three years since 1975. It was the very first international graphic art exhibition in Finland. The latest triennial was organised in 2012.


Sports

The University of Jyväskylä is the only university in Northern Europe with a faculty of sports. The faculty has been a key player to develop a strong sports culture in the city, which is why Jyväskylä is also dubbed the "capital of Finnish sport". The city hosts the
Neste Oil Rally Finland Rally Finland (formerly known as the Neste Rally Finland, Neste Oil Rally Finland, 1000 Lakes Rally and Rally of the Thousand Lakes; fi, Suomen ralli, sv, Finska rallyt) is a rally competition in the Finnish Lakeland in Central Finland. The ra ...
(formerly known as the 1000 Lakes Rally). It is the biggest annually organised public event in the
Nordic countries The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or ''Norden''; literal translation, lit. 'the North') are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe and the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It includes the sovereign states of Denmar ...
, gathering over 500,000 spectators every year. The rally has been held since 1951, first as a national competition, then from 1959 on as a European Rally Championship event and since the introduction of the World Rally Championship in
1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, U.S. ...
, as Finland's WRC event. Ice hockey venue
Synergia-areena Synergia-areena is an arena in Jyväskylä, Finland. It is primarily used for 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. I ...
, Hippos Finnish baseball stadium, swimming hall AaltoAlvari, and many other primary sport venues of the city are located in Hippos, two kilometres () away from the city centre. The Matti Nykänen ski jumping hill is located next to the Laajavuori ski resort just few kilometres west from the city centre. The main football stadium lies on the slopes of Harju just next to the city centre. The Killeri hippodrome on the western parts of the city serves different horse racing competitions. At winter time, amateur ice skaters can practice their skills in Viitaniemi or on the lake Jyväsjärvi, which has a long ice skating track. The inventor of Finnish national sport pesäpallo, Lauri "Tahko" Pihkala, studied and lived in Jyväskylä. The Upper secondary school of Jyväskylän Lyseo hosted the historic event of first pesäpallo match in world in September 1920. Sports teams from Jyväskylä include: * JYP plays in the top-tier Finnish men's ice hockey league, SM-liiga. The team was the 2009 and 2012 Finnish Champion. The team also won the European Trophy in 2013 and the European Champions Hockey League tournament in 2018. * JYP Naiset is a three-time Finnish Champion of 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 ...
, the top-tier Finnish women’s ice hockey league. As of 2021, the team plays in the second-tier Naisten Mestis. * JyPK (Jyväskylän Pallokerho) plays in the Kansallinen Liiga, the premier division of Finnish women’s
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
. *
FC Vaajakoski FC Vaajakoski is an active sports club from Jyväskylä in Finland. The club was formed in 1993 and their home ground is at the Vaajakosken keskuskenttä. The men's first team currently plays in the Kakkonen (Second Division). The Chairman of ...
plays in Kakkonen, the third tier of the men’s Finnish football league system. *
FC Blackbird FC may refer to: Businesses, organisations, and schools * Fergusson College, a science and arts college in Pune, India * Finncomm Airlines (IATA code) * FranklinCovey company, NYSE stock symbol FC * Frontier Corps, a paramilitary force in Pakis ...
and Jyväskylän Jalkapalloklubi (JJK Jyväskylä) play in Kolmonen, the fourth tier of the men’s Finnish football league system. JJK played in the premier division Veikkausliiga in 2017. *
Jyväskylän Seudun Palloseura Jyväskylän Seudun Palloseura (abbreviated JPS) is a sports club from Jyväskylä, Finland. The club was formed in 1962 and their home ground is at the Vehkalammen kenttä. The men's football team currently plays in the Kolmonen (Third Divisio ...
(JPS) plays in the highest
bandy Bandy is a winter sport and ball sport played by two teams wearing ice skates on a large ice surface (either indoors or outdoors) while using sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal. The international governing body for bandy is ...
division,
Bandyliiga The Bandyliiga (; 'Bandy League') is the top level of men's bandy in Finland. The league was founded in 1908 as the Jääpallon SM-sarja ('Bandy Finnish Championship Series') and the present name has been used since the 1991–92 season. Bandyl ...
, and won the Finnish Championship for the first time in 2019. Their home arena is the
Vehkalammen kenttä Vehkalammen kenttä is a sports ground in Jyväskylä in Finland, the home ground of bandy club Jyväskylän Seudun Palloseura Jyväskylän Seudun Palloseura (abbreviated JPS) is a sports club from Jyväskylä, Finland. The club was formed in ...
. *
Jyväskylä Track and Field Club 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 ...
(JKU) is one of the leading track and field clubs in Finland. * Jyväskylän Kiri is the most successful men’s pesäpallo team in history. Currently they play in the top division
Superpesis The Superpesis, known as SM-sarja from 1955 to 1989, is the top professional pesäpallo league in Finland. It was created in 1990 to replace the SM-sarja which was fundamentally an amateur league. The Superpesis is directly overseen by the Finnis ...
. * Jyväskylän Saukot plays in the Finnish men’s women’s water polo top division. * Kampuksen Dynamo (KaDy) plays futsal in the Finnish top league. * Kirittäret holds fourteen Finnish Championships in women's pesäpallo and plays in the
Superpesis The Superpesis, known as SM-sarja from 1955 to 1989, is the top professional pesäpallo league in Finland. It was created in 1990 to replace the SM-sarja which was fundamentally an amateur league. The Superpesis is directly overseen by the Finnis ...
. * Jyväskylän seudun Jaguaarit plays in the Finnish third-tier American football league, the Amerikkalaisen jalkapallon II-divisioona (2nd Division). * Happee plays in the top-tier Finnish
floorball Floorball is a type of floor hockey with five players and a goalkeeper in each team. Men and women play indoors with sticks and a plastic ball with holes. Matches are played in three twenty-minute periods. The sport of bandy also played a role ...
leagues, the men's
F-liiga The F-liiga is the top men’s floorball league in Finland. The league was founded as Salibandyn SM-sarja (English: Floorball Finnish Champions-Series) in 1986 by the Finnish Floorball Federation (SSBL). It was renamed to Salibandyliiga for the 1 ...
and women's
F-liiga The F-liiga is the top men’s floorball league in Finland. The league was founded as Salibandyn SM-sarja (English: Floorball Finnish Champions-Series) in 1986 by the Finnish Floorball Federation (SSBL). It was renamed to Salibandyliiga for the 1 ...
. Men's Finnish Championship in 2014. * Hongikon Nuorisoseuran Urheilijat (HoNsU) plays basketball in the Naisten Korisliiga, the top-tier women’s league, and the men’s
Koripallon I-divisioona The Koripallon I-divisioona is the second tier professional basketball league in Finland. The teams play playoffsJyväskylä Freestyle Club 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 ...
is the main
freestyle skiing Freestyle skiing is a skiing discipline comprising aerials, Mogul Skiing, moguls, Ski Cross, cross, Half-pipe skiing, half-pipe, slopestyle and big air as part of the Freestyle skiing at the Winter Olympics, Winter Olympics. It can consist of a ...
club. *
Jyväskylä Ski Club 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 ...
(JHS) is one of the most well known
cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreation ...
, ski jumping,
alpine skiing Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether for ...
,
snowboarding Snowboarding is a recreational and competitive activity that involves descending a snow-covered surface while standing on a snowboard that is almost always attached to a rider's feet. It features in the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympi ...
, Nordic combined, and biathlon clubs in Finland. * Meloiloa Canoe Club plays
canoe polo Canoe polo, also known as kayak polo, is one of the competitive disciplines of kayaking. The sport is also known simply as "polo" by its players and supporters. Each team has five players on the pitch (and up to three substitutes), who compete ...
and practices whitewater slalom,
canoe racing A canoe is a lightweight narrow watercraft, water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle. In British Englis ...
, wildwater canoeing and marathon kayaking. *
Jyväskylä Rugby Club 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 ...
plays rugby union (rugby) in the
Finnish Championship League Finnish Championship League (''Rugbyn SM-sarja'') is the premier rugby union competition in Finland, formed in 2002. The league is governed by the Finnish Rugby Federation, the governing body for Rugby union in Finland. The league is played in s ...
; former national champions. * Jyväskylän Fight Club is the city's most successful
martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
and
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ; pt, jiu-jitsu brasileiro ) is a self-defence martial art and combat sport based on grappling, ground fighting (ne-waza) and submission holds. BJJ focuses on the skill of taking an opponent to the ground, control ...
academy. * Jigotai is the largest martial arts club in Central Finland ( judo,
karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...
,
kickboxing Kickboxing is a combat sports, combat sport focused on kicking and punch (strike), punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is pract ...
, t'ai chi, aikido, taido, etc.) * Mukwan is a well-known Taekwondo and
martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
club in Jyväskylä since 1984. * Liikunnan Riemu plays futsal in the Finnish top league, the
Futsal-Liiga The Futsal-Liiga is the premier futsal league in Finland. It was established in 1998. Winners External linkswww.futsal.fi/liigafutsalp ...
, since 2013. * Jyväskylän Liitokiekkoilijat Ry (JyLi Ry) competes in
Ultimate Ultimate or Ultimates may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Albums * ''Ultimate'' (Jolin Tsai album) * ''Ultimate'' (Pet Shop Boys album) *''Ultimate!'', an album by The Yardbirds *''The Ultimate (Bryan Adams Album)'', a compilatio ...
,
Disc golf Disc golf, also known as frisbee golf, is a flying disc sport in which players throw a disc at a target; it is played using rules similar to golf. Most disc golf discs are made out of polypropylene plastic, otherwise known as polypropene, which ...
and other disc sports. *
Jaguars Spirit Athletes The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large felidae, cat species and the only extant taxon, living member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in t ...
(JSA) is the primary cheerleading club. * Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, the official Toyota world rally team run by 4-time world champion and Jyväskylä native Tommi Mäkinen. The city hosted the 2006 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship for Women Division B.


Government

The city council of Jyväskylä is the main decision making body at the local level. Its 75 members are elected every fourth year in municipal elections. The city council elects the mayor. The current mayor is
Timo Koivisto Timo is a masculine given name. It is primarily used in Finnish, Estonian, Dutch and German societies. It may be used as an abbreviation of Timothy (given name), Timothy. Arts and entertainment *Timo Alakotila (born 1959), Finnish musician *Timo ...
.


Seat distribution in the city council

The prevalence of the social democratic party can be explained in part by the
Vaajakoski Vaajakoski is a district of Jyväskylä, 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 t ...
, a major industrial center historically that is currently part of Jyväskylä, and its heritage of industrial workers voting social democrats. Jyväskylä was the only place during the 2017 municipal elections where the Green League was the largest party.


Administrative division

The city of Jyväskylä is divided into fourteen wards (; ), which are further divided into 89 districts. The ward division does not always follow district boundaries. The following is a listing of the 14 wards of Jyväskylä by population, as of November 2010 # Kantakaupunki (city centre), population 25,149 # Kuokkala, population 16,904 #
Vaajakoski-Jyskä Vaajakoski-Jyskä is a ward of Jyväskylä, Finland. It is located seven kilometres from the city centre on both sides of Vaajavirta river on the Northern end of lake Päijänne and on the Western end of Lake Leppävesi. As of July 2011 the popu ...
, population 14,588 # Palokka-Puuppola, population 14,395 # Kypärämäki-Kortepohja, population 10,537 #
Huhtasuo Huhtasuo is one of the districts of Jyväskylä, Finland. It is located about 3–8 kilometers from the city center to the northeast. Kangaslampi (Jyväskylä), Kangaslampi, Sulku, Varikko, Huhtakeskus and Kaakkolampi are subareas of the district. ...
, population 8,691 # Keltinmäki-Myllyjärvi, population 7,524 # Keljo, population 5,494 #
Halssila Halssila is one of the districts of Jyväskylä, Finland, located about three kilometers to east from the city center. As of December 2020, the population of Halssila was 6,123. History Halssila started to develop in the 1920s when factor work ...
, population 5,479 # Tikkakoski-Nyrölä, population 5,401 #
Korpilahti Korpilahti is a former municipality of Finland. Together with Jyväskylän maalaiskunta, Korpilahti was consolidated with Jyväskylä on January 1, 2009. It is located in the former province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland ...
, population 4,993 # Lohikoski-Seppälänkangas, population 4,650 #
Säynätsalo Säynätsalo is a former municipality in Finland and a part of Jyväskylä. As of November 2010 its population was 3,340. Säynätsalo municipality consisted of islands of Säynätsalo and Lehtisaari and also a part of Muuratsalo island. All of t ...
, population 3,340 # Kuohu-Vesanka, population 2,118


Former city managers

*
Varma T. Suosalmi Varma may refer to: * Varma (surname) * ''Varma'' (icebreaker), a Latvian ship * ''Adithya Varma'', a 2019 Tamil-language drama film * Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company Varma Pension Insurance Company (Finnish: ''Keskinäinen työeläkevaku ...
1930–1935 *
Arvo Haapasalo Arvo is a Finnish and Estonian given name for males and may refer to: *Arvo Aalto (born 1932), Finnish politician *Arvo Aaltonen (1892–1949), Finnish swimmer and Olympic medalist *Arvo Aller (born 1973), Estonian politician *Arvo Andresson (195 ...
1935–1955 *
Jorma Tuominen Jorma can refer to: *Jorma (name), Finnish given name *Jorma (album), released by Kaukonen in 1979 *Jorma (wine), a Finnish wine *nowadays in Finnish language ''jorma'' is a very well-known slang word that means penis A penis (plural ''p ...
1955–1959 *
Veli Järvinen Veli is a male Finnish language, Finnish and Estonian language, Estonian given name, meaning ''brother''. It is also an Turkish language, Ottoman Turkish name, mainly used by Ottoman affiliated populations as a male given name, meaning ''guardian''. ...
1959–1974 *
Jaakko Loven Jaakko is a Finnish male first name, etymologically rooted in the Biblical names Jacob or James. The name day of Jaakko in the Finnish calendar is July 25. Jaakko may refer to: *Kings who are in English named ''James'' are in Finnish named ''Jaakko ...
1975–1994 *
Pekka Kettunen Pekka is a Finnish male given name. It was most popular around the middle of the 20th century. As of 2013 there were more than 100,000 people registered with this name in Finland. The nameday is the 29th of June in the Finnish tradition and the 25th ...
1994–2004 *
Markku Andersson Markku Andersson (born 27 March 1950)Curriculum vitae
Jyväskylä. Accessed on 18 February 2011.
2004–2015


Cityscape

Jyväskylä was founded in the northern end of the lake Päijänne at the crossroads of three major waterways.
Lakes A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...
control the cityscape. The city
grid plan In urban planning, the grid plan, grid street plan, or gridiron plan is a type of city plan in which streets run at right angles to each other, forming a grid. Two inherent characteristics of the grid plan, frequent intersections and orthogona ...
from 1833 by Jacob Leonard Boringh can be well recognised in the city center. Nevertheless, due to very rapid population growth, the cityscape has gone through one of the most massive changes in all of Finland. Nowadays, Jyväskylä is a city of modern architecture. The city has more buildings designed by one of the best known international functionalist architects
Alvar Aalto Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto (; 3 February 1898 – 11 May 1976) was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware, as well as sculptures and paintings. He never regarded himself as an artist, see ...
than any other city in the world. The establishment of schools in the 1850s and 1860s proved to be the most important step from the point of view of the later development of Jyväskylä. The headquarters of the University of Jyväskylä are considered to be Aalto's masterpieces. Later, a modern architect
Arto Sipinen Arto Sipinen (20 March 1936 – 23 December 2017) was a Finnish architect. He worked in the office of architects Alvar Aalto in 1959–61 and Viljo Revell in 1961–63. He founded his own architect's office in 1965. Sipinen has taught at Helsi ...
, a pupil of Aalto, has influenced the cityscape since the 1970s by designing most of the new university buildings in the city. The outskirts of the city are mainly populated by student apartments and single-family houses. Some of the most important buildings, like
Säynätsalo Town Hall The Säynätsalo Town Hall ( fi, Säynätsalon kunnantalo) is a multifunction building complex, consisting of two main buildings organised around a centralised courtyard; a U-shaped council chamber and town hall with administrative offices and a ...
, designed by Aalto are located outside the city centre in Säynätsalo and Muuratsalo. Consolidated areas Korpilahti, Jyväskylän maalaiskunta, Säynätsalo and also western parts of Jyväskylä are mainly countryside dominated by hilly forests and lakes.


Transport

Jyväskylä railway station is served by VR direct trains to Helsinki,
Pieksämäki Pieksämäki () is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the Southern Savonia region, about north of Mikkeli, east of Jyväskylä and south of Kuopio. The town has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The ...
, Tampere, Turku, Vaasa and many other destinations in Finland. The station was extensively modernised in 2002.
Jyväskylä Airport Jyväskylä Airport (; fi, Jyväskylän lentoasema) is an airport in Jyväskylä, Finland. It is located in the center of the Finnish Lake District approximately north of the center of Jyväskylä. The airport terminal was renovated in the fall ...
is situated in Tikkakoski, about north of Jyväskylä. It has regular direct flights to Helsinki Airport. The airport serves also as a military and charter airport. The city is on crossroads of many main roads of Finland.
Highway 4 Route 4, or Highway 4, may refer to several highways in the following countries: International * AH4, Asian Highway 4 * European route E04 * European route E004 * Cairo – Cape Town Highway Albania * SH-4 road in Albania from Durres to Kakav ...
( E75) passes the city from south to north, and
Highway 9 Route 9, or Highway 9, may refer to: International * European route E09 * European route E009 Albania * SH-9 Road in Albania. Argentina * National Route 9 Australia New South Wales * A9 (Sydney) South Australia * ** Port River Expr ...
( E63) from southeast to northwest. Highway 23 between
Pori ) , website www.pori.fi Pori (; sv, Björneborg ) is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäki River, west of Tampere, north of Turku and north-w ...
and Joensuu also runs through Jyväskylä.
Jyväskylä harbour 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 ...
is home to many passenger ships operating on lake Päijänne. During summer time, there are direct ship connections to Lahti, Jämsä, Suolahti, Viitasaari, and some other cities. The public transportation system of Jyväskylä is managed by the city under the
Linkki Linkki is a basketball club in Finland, based in Kuopio. Its men's representative team and the A-boys' teams played in the men's league series in the 2019–2020 season. At its best, Linkki's men's representative team has played at the second hig ...
brand and operated under contract to the city by Jyväskylän liikenne, Länsilinjat and Mennään Bussilla. It is based on bus lines.


Education

Jyväskylä is a traditional centre of education. Including school children, and the students in high schools, vocational schools, the university of applied sciences, and the universities, the number of students and pupils in the city reaches 45,000, boosting Jyväskylä's reputation as a "student city". Over 30% of the city population are students. A number of firsts in Finnish education have taken place in Jyväskylä: * Jyväskylä Lyceum (Finnish: ''Jyväskylän Lyseon lukio'') is the world's first junior secondary school with Finnish as the language of instruction. It started its first term on 1 October 1858 and turned 160 years old in 2018. Lyceum still exists and is one of the three upper secondary schools in the city. * The first Finnish-medium teacher training college (1863) * The first Finnish-medium school for girls (1864) * Finland's first Summer University (1912) Due to this, among other things, the city has earned the nickname ''Athens of Finland''. The teacher training college later evolved into the College of Education (1934) and further into the multidisciplinary University of Jyväskylä (1966). The University of Jyväskylä is one of the most popular universities in Finland. Almost 16,000 students are enrolled to study for a bachelor's or master's degree, and the university also offers PhD programs in most of its subjects. Historically, the university has excelled in the study of education, but in the last few decades it has also gained respect in the sciences. It is the only university in Finland offering university-level education in sports, training sports teachers and coaches. Today the University offers also Cyber Security degrees, in close co-operation with the Finnish Defence Forces. According to the
Ministry of Employment and the Economy The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (TEM, fi, työ- ja elinkeinoministeriö, ) is one of the ministries of the Finnish Government. The ministry implements industry, labor, and local development policies. There are two ministerial p ...
the city has been acknowledged in 2013 as the Cyber Security City, providing a portfolio of Cyber Security related studies and activities.
JAMK University of Applied Sciences JAMK University of Applied Sciences ( fi, Jyväskylän ammattikorkeakoulu) is a university of applied sciences (a polytechnic) in Finland, in the region of Central Finland. There are several bachelor's degree programs offered in English: * Int ...
has 8.000 students. It has four different units: School of Business and Services Management, School of Health and Social Studies, School of Technology and Teacher Education College.
HUMAK University of Applied Sciences Humak University of Applied Sciences ( fi, Humanistinen ammattikorkeakoulu, i.e. "Humanist"; HUMAK) is a university of applied sciences (a polytechnic) in Finland. Humak is a leading educator in the humanities, pedagogy, and cultural management in ...
educates cultural management in Jyväskylä.


Notable people


International relations


Twin towns — Sister cities — Friendship cities

Jyväskylä is a member city of
Eurotowns network Eurotowns is a network of medium-sized European cities with a population between 50,000 and 250,000 inhabitants. The organisation was founded in 1991. Its members include Avilés, Böblingen, Chelm, Detmold, Eskilstuna, Gävle, Girona, Haarl ...
and is twinned with:


See also

*
Asteroid An asteroid is a minor planet of the inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic or icy bodies with no atmosphere. ...
1500 Jyväskylä 1500 Jyväskylä ('), provisional designation , is a stony Florian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 7 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 16 October 1938, by Finnish astronomer Yrjö Väisälä at the T ...
(named after the town by its Finnish discoverer, Yrjö Väisälä). *
Nokkakivi Amusement Park Nokkakivi (; translates to "Beak Rock") is an amusement park in Lievestuore, Laukaa, Finland. It is located along the Highway 9 ( E63), and the distance from the amusement park to the nearest big city, Jyväskylä, is . Nokkakivi is owned by Bel ...
*
St. Olaf's Church, Jyväskylä St. Olaf's Church ( fi, Pyhän Olavin kirkko) is a Catholic church in the Harju district of Jyväskylä, in Finland. After World War II, the Catholic parishes of Karelia and Vyborg Terijoki were merged, with services held in Lahti. A more central ...
*
Vaajakoski Motorway ) , maint=the Finnish Transport Agency , image=Vaajakosken Moottoritie.jpg , map=Finland national road 9.png , length_km=663 , length_round= , length_ref= , established= , direction_a= , terminus_a=Turku , junction= , direction_b= , terminus_b=Niir ...


References


Further reading

; History * * *


External links

*
City of Jyväskylä
– International version of the official website
Map of JyväskyläRegion of Jyväskylä Tourist Information
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jyvaskyla Grand Duchy of Finland Populated lakeshore places in Finland Inland port cities and towns in Finland Rally Finland 1837 establishments in the Russian Empire