Welcome to Tampere, an international city of culture, science and commerce! The home of the famous black sausage was born as a factory town but has grown to be a lot more than that. Tampere leaves nobody cold.

Tampere is an inland city, the biggest in the Nordic countries, but the importance of water ways is greater and more physical than in many coastal cities. The unique location of the city centre on an isthmus between two lakes means you are never far from water. A special attraction is the Tammerkoski rapids, essential to the birth and development of the city, flowing through its heart like a giant aorta.

The location also results in the peculiar shape the city takes on the map. Since the lakes cover the greater part of the northern and southern directions, most city districts and suburbs have spread east and west in a bowlike form. The knot of the bow, embracing the rapids, is the city centre, where the main action in cultural and commercial life is concentrated.

City Centre

The backbone of the city is the cobbled main street, Hämeenkatu, which forms the basis for the checked street pattern covering nearly all of the centre. Hämeenkatu starts at the railway station, leads west over the Hämeensilta and past the Keskustori, and continues as far as the Alexander Church and the Metso.

Most popular shopping resorts are located either in the close vicinity of Hämeenkatu or in Koskikeskus, the shopping paradise by the rapids. Next to the Tampereen Rautatieasema, there is the massive department store Stockmann, and along the main street west of the bridge the equally big City Sokos. These two can, however, be taken as mere landmarks, since the city centre is filled withsmaller chain stores, shoe and clothing shops, restaurants of different standards and ethnic origins, bars, atmospheric pubs and cosy cafes.

Close to the rapids, the northern part of the centre consists of two traditional factory areas, Finlaysonin Tehdasalue and Tampella, both now in other use. In addition to educational institutions and different companies, such popular haunts as Plevna and Vapriikin Museokeskus operate here. The business premises by the rapids are among the most wanted in the city, and the same applies to the new blocks of flats built on the Tampella side. Factories have not yet completely disappeared from the city centre; the cardboard factory of Tako is still throwing thich pillars of smoke up to the sky.

East of the railway, the centre stretches to Tammela, a district famous for its square—Vapriikin Museokeskus—that every now and then turns into a lively marketplace. About half a kilometre south, the main building of Tampereen Yliopisto and the majestic concert and conference centre Tampere-talo (Tampere Hall) stand next to each other. Here science and art truly live side by side. Other landmarks of the southern part of the centre include the, which dominates the view over the little bay of Ratina, and the coach station that architecturally represents pure functionalism.

Pyynikki and Pispala

To the west of the centre, the steep slopes of Pyynikki Garden, the highest gravel ridge in the world, are covered by tall old pine trees. The magnificent views over the two lakes, Näsijärvi in the north and Pyhäjärvi in the south, can be admired from the Pyynikin Näkötorni, or on top of the high cliffs on the southern side. Pyynikki is an exceptional city resort, providing great recreation and wonderful scenery. On the Pyhäjärvi lakefront, the Pyynikki Summer Theatre with its rotating stands provides enjoyable outdoor performances, whatever the weather.

Yet more to the west, the ridge curves to the district of Pispala, whose wooden houses sit very close to each other on the face of the ridge. This principle of building was enabled by the fact that earlier Pispala did not officially belong to Tampere, and thus people did not need to obey city regulations when they were building their houses. The whole of Pispala is covered by private homes. Narrow streets cross the slopes, and the famous Pispala stairs climb the southern side to the very top. Due to the height and steepness of the ridge, a walk around Pispala is a nice but physically demanding experience.

Owing to its good reputation and unique environment, Pispala has become a very popular district. Most people who are born there also stay there, and a majority of the best sites are occupied by the homes of relatively wealthy people. To a certain extent, this applies to Pyynikki as well; the eastern side of the ridge is lined by a row of luxury residences.

The Lakes

The importance of the two large bodies of water—and the rapids connecting them—for the city of Tampere can hardly be overestimated. The water of the rapids flows through the centre from north to south, descending 18 metres on its route from Lake Näsijärvi to Lake Pyhäjärvi. The lakes used to be essential for the transportation of people and goods, and nowadays this tradition of lake cruising is enjoyed by tourists. In summer, southbound Suomen Hopealinja boats to Hämeenlinna depart from the Laukontori, and on Lake Näsijärvi the old steam ship Tarjanne sails the Runoilijan Tie to the north.

Since Lake Pyhäjärvi lies in the south, it always glitters when observed from the city in sunny weather. According to many locals, the lake is at its best in March, when its snowy surface bathes in the bright spring sun. The popular summer resort Viikinsaari is a few kilometres away, the boatride from the city taking only 15 minutes. The international airport of Tampere is located in Pirkkala, to the south of the lake.

Lake Näsijärvi, or the part of it close to Tampere, can best be seen from the top of Näsinneula. This tower, indisputably the number one landmark of the city, is the highest building in the Nordic countries. Perhaps providing a revealing example of the local sense of humour, there used to be a rumour that the tower was built from the top to the bottom.

East and West

Each of the numerous districts of Tampere have their own special characteristics, always known by the people who live there. To the east of the centre stands the Kalevan Kirkko, whose somewhat extraordinary appearance divides public opinion effectively, and behind it spreads the populous district of Kaleva. There are a lot of blocks of flats here, providing homes for a large number of students as well as some old people who have stayed in the area since the fifties. Bordered by an area of nice houses, Kauppi is known for the Kaupin Urheilupuisto. To the east of Kauppi and Kaleva, there is a continuous chain of districts and suburbs stretching to the border of the neighboring municipality, Kangasala: Kissanmaa, Ruotula, Messukylä, Kaukajärvi, Linnainmaa, Holvasti, and many others.

During the last few years, several new suburbs have been built near the motorway in the east. From the city-centre, these areas may seem slightly remote, but for many families with children the good traffic connections and the closeness of non-urban nature outweigh cultural delights and other benefits of the city centre.

In the west, the ridge gradually descends from Pispala to Epilä, a district whose main street could almost belong to any country village. Lielahti offers excellent shopping facilities for motorists, and Tohloppi is known as the second home of the Finnish Broadcasting Company. The green district of Lamminpää provides great opportunities for the outdoor types. Tesoma has a mixed reputation, justified or not. Those who have no prejudice often enjoy the district. The westernmost area of Tampere is bordered by the city's neighbours Ylöjärvi and Nokia, the latter of which often sounds strangely familiar even to people living on the other side of the globe.

South

Following the eastern shore of Lake Pyhäjärvi, Hatanpää is a historically significant district; the mansion, now housing theNukke- ja Pukumuseo Hatanpään Kartano, was one of the early nerve centres of Tampere. Presently, Hatanpää is mostly taken up by car sales businesses and technology companies. The Hatanpään Puisto-Arboretum on the lakefront is worth visiting in summer when the flowers are in full bloom.

Viinikka, with the church steeple as a good landmark, and Nekala are the most important southern districts on the other side of the Helsinki road. When arrived at from the south, the city does not necessarily show the traveller its best sides. Besides industrial buildings, the wide row of railroad tracks and the nearby cargo terminals get the best visibility.

In the minds of locals, Hervanta forms a world of its own, a geographically and mentally distinct part of the city. This young but populous district is surrounded by beautiful forests and lakes, but the densely populated area itself has a slightly less pleasant appearance. In many respects, Hervanta is a student district; for example, Tampereen Teknillinen Korkeakoulu and the only police academy in Finland can be found here. Thousands of students reside in colossal blocks of flats, many of which have been equipped with direct and fast internet connections early on in the 1990s. Thus Hervanta has two very different natures. On the one hand, it looks like a gloomy suburb; on the other, it is a highly esteemed centre of modern technological expertise.

Tampere is not something that can be explained exhaustively. Embraced by the lakes, this city of science, art, and industry continuously reveals new fascinating sides of itself. The Tammerkoski waterfront invites everyone to visit, and it is an invitation worth accepting.