Wanderlust of a Flâneur: Rovaniemi (Lapin maakunta, Finland)

The pall signifies the confluence of the Kemijoki and Ounasjoki rivers, with the lightning bolts depicting power plants. The flame signifies a signal fire that was often lit on riverside hilltops when the region was placed under threat of oppressors. (by Toivo Vuorela)

City: Rovaniemi

Region: Lapin maakunta

Country: Finland

GPS Coordinates
My Commentary: Rovaniemi is city that I consider being urban in an average level, which is good because there is the downtown are with a shipping centre and stores but also it's still a country-side area (considering that Finland has lots of forests and lakes everywhere). I must also mention the Santa Claus' Village, which is quite interesting to visit and talk to the real Santa Claus already inside the Arctic Circle.

Links:

Napapiiri - Santa Claus' Village in Rovaniemi

Official Website of the Municipality of Rovaniemi

Visit Rovaniemi (Facebook)

Interesting Facts:

- In Rovaniemi you can meet Santa Claus face to face at Napapiiri

- The video for the Nightwish single "The Islander" was filmed in Rovaniemi by Stobe Harju.

- The University of Lapland is the northernmost university in Finland and in the European Union

- You can cross the Arctic Circle in Rovaniemi's territory

- The Rovaniemi Church was destroyed during the Lapland War and the church today is a totally rebuilt church building, completed in 1950

History of Rovaniemi: There has probably been continuous settlement in the Rovaniemi area since the Stone Age. Periodic clearance of new land for agriculture and the practise of slash-and-burn cultivation began around 750–530 B.C. Artifacts found in the area suggest that an increasing number of travellers from Karelia in the east, Häme in the south and the Arctic Ocean coast in the north must have come there from 500 A.D. onwards. The Sami are considered to be Lapland's most indigenous existing population.

It is first mentioned by name in official documents in 1453, existing effectively as a set of small villages whose inhabitants earned their living mainly in agriculture and animal husbandry—with fishing and hunting the most important offshoots.

The exploitation of Lapland's natural resources in the 1800s boosted Rovaniemi's growth. Extensive logging sites and gold fever attracted thousands of people to Lapland. As the mining of natural resources was increased, Rovaniemi became the business centre of the province of Lapland. During the Second World War, Finland signed the Moscow Armistice and found itself involved in the Lapland War with its former German ally. Retreating German forces utilised scorched earth tactics, and though initially German General Lothar Rendulicordered only the public buildings in Rovaniemi to be destroyed, on 13 October 1944 the German army received orders to destroy all the buildings in Rovaniemi, only excluding hospitals and houses where inhabitants were present.While the German rear guard was going about the destruction, an ammunition train in Rovaniemi station exploded and set fire to the wooden houses of the town. The German troops suffered many casualties, mainly from glass splinters. A Finnish commando unit claimed to have blown up the ammunition train and may well have been the primary cause of the town's ruin. The cause was then unknown and generally assumed to be the deliberate intent of Rendulic. During these hostilities 90% of all the buildings in Rovaniemi were destroyed. There is a German cemetery 19 km from Rovaniemi where soldiers killed fighting in Lapland during the war are entombed.

My Photos in Rovaniemi

Part of: Europe 2013 series

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My Commentary: That was my first time in Rovaniemi and I enjoyed my staying there, at the same time I did many things with Samuel and Maíra, I had the opportunity to relax a little too. The temperature was hot and I forced to wear bermudas even in Finland. Rovaniemi is a place with many possibilities for exploring, it's possible to make a good route and spend some days on it. At Napapiiri I had the unique opportunity to meet Santa Claus face to face, so I told him "I'm glad I'm meeting you after all this years" and yes, he speaks English! I must also mention the second-hand shops, they are just great in Finland, I bought many interesting stuff as a Rhapsody "Dawn of Victory" CD, an old Bible in Swedish, an interactive CD with many maps of Finland etc...