Situated in the Northern Ostrobothnia region in Finland and located at the mouth of the Oulujoki River in the Gulf of Bothnia, is the attractive city of Oulu, the most populated city in northern Finland. Established on April 8, 1605 by the Swedish King Charles IX, Oulu was built facing the fort on the island of Linnansaari after peace settlements with the Russians in order to avoid any invasion or attacks.
A large part of the city was destroyed in a major fire that broke in the city in 1822. Carl Ludvig Engel, an architect known for the buildings in the Helsinki Senate Square in neoclassical architecture was assigned the job of rebuilding Oulu. His architecture forms the town centre that we see today with the Oulu Cathedral built in 1832 being an example of his work. The spire of the church was later completed in 1844.
From a little town that was known in the past for salmon and wood tar, is today a thriving centre of IT and wellness technology, including industries such as steel, wood refining and paper. It is also a culturally rich city, especially in the field of music and proof of this is the several music festivals that take place here besides other cultural events. Oulu is also well known for hosting the Air Guitar World Championships.
Some of the notable places of interest in Oulu include the city centre consisting of the Oulu City Hall, Oulu Cathedral, the market square comprising of the City Library, City Theatre, old tar and store houses. Mannerheim Park and the Rapids Centre with its beautiful fountains are also worth visiting. Museums include the Northern Ostrobothnia Museum, the Oulu Art Museum, the Pateniemi Sawmill Museum and the Vehicle Musuem among others.
Oulu Airport is the second largest in Finland and is located 15km from the city centre. The Port of Oulu is the busiest in Finland and consists of four different ports. The Oulu Railway Station is well connected to various cities with the journey to Helsinki taking 5 hours 44 minutes. Also one could travel by car to Oulu on the three highways connecting the city to other regions. The chief connection is Highway 4 from Helsinki.
The best time to visit Oulu is in summer, as the weather is pleasant during this time. Days are long and sometimes there can be daylight throughout the night and hence it is the best time to visit. Winter can be severely cold.
Photo by Sandra Rugina provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by Esa-Matti Sarjanoja provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by Esa-Matti Sarjanoja provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by Daniel Meyer provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by Sandra Rugina provided courtesy of Panoramio.com