Riihimäki

The topic of Riihimäki has generated a great deal of interest and controversy in recent times. As the world moves towards an increasingly technological and globalized future, Riihimäki has become a central element in people's daily lives. From its impacts on society to its implications on the economy, Riihimäki continues to be the subject of debate and discussion around the world. In this article, we will explore in depth the different aspects of Riihimäki, from its evolution throughout history to its role in the world today. In addition, we will analyze the opinions and positions of different experts on the subject, with the aim of providing a broad and objective vision of Riihimäki and its impact on current society.

"Riihimaki" redirects here. For the Canadian YouTuber, see Lauren Riihimaki.
Riihimäki
Town
Riihimäen kaupunki
Riihimäki stad
Riihimäki railway station
Riihimäki railway station
Coat of arms of Riihimäki
Coat of arms
Location of Riihimäki in Finland
Location of Riihimäki in Finland
Coordinates: 60°44′N 024°46′E / 60.733°N 24.767°E / 60.733; 24.767
Country Finland
RegionKanta-Häme
Sub-regionRiihimäki
Charter1922
City rights1960
Government
 • City managerJouni Eho [1]
Area
 (2018-01-01)[2]
 • Total
125.56 km2 (48.48 sq mi)
 • Land121.01 km2 (46.72 sq mi)
 • Water4.54 km2 (1.75 sq mi)
 • Rank290th largest in Finland
Population
 (2024-12-31)[3]
 • Total
28,650
 • Rank38th largest in Finland
 • Density236.76/km2 (613.2/sq mi)
Population by native language
[4]
 • Finnish91.4% (official)
 • Swedish0.4%
 • Others8.1%
Population by age
[5]
 • 0 to 1415.4%
 • 15 to 6461.8%
 • 65 or older22.8%
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)
Websitewww.riihimaki.fi/en/

Riihimäki (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈriːhiˌmæki]; lit. 'drying barn hill') is a town and municipality in the south of Finland, about 69 kilometres (43 mi) north of Helsinki and 109 kilometres (68 miles) southeast of Tampere. An important railway junction is located in Riihimäki, since railway tracks from Riihimäki lead to Helsinki, Tampere and Lahti. Several businesses also operate in Riihimäki. Notably, Würth Oy has its Finnish headquarters and logistics center in Riihimäki. Valio has a major dairy in the Herajoki part of Riihimäki. The famous Sako rifles are also produced in Riihimäki.

Travel Centre

The town is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Tavastia Proper region. Its neighboring municipalities are Janakkala in the north, Hausjärvi in the east, Hyvinkää in the south and Loppi in the west. The town has a population of 28,650 (31 December 2024)[3] and covers an area of 125.56 square kilometres (48.48 sq mi) of which 4.54 km2 (1.75 sq mi) is water.[2] The population density is 236.76 inhabitants per square kilometre (613.2/sq mi). The municipality is unilingually Finnish.

Riihimäki is home to the Riihimäki Prison, which is, alongside Turku Prison, one of the prisons in the country with the highest security rating (A+), and is home to the country's most dangerous prisoners.[7][8]

History

Riihimäki was established around the Riihimäki railway station by the Helsinki–Riihimäki railway and is one of the original stations on Finland's first railway between Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, which opened in 1862. It became the first railway junction in Finland when the Riihimäki – Saint Petersburg track's first section from Riihimäki to Lahti was opened in 1869. In 1907-1952 a narrow-gauge railway also operated between Riihimäki and Loppi. Today, the quickest way to travel between Riihimäki and Loppi is by car along the national road 54, which runs between Tammela and Hollola.

In 1910, a cavalry regiment was also established in the city. In 1944, the Signal Regiment was moved to the Riihimäki garrison.

In 1922, Riihimäki separated from Hausjärvi and became an independent market-town. Riihimäki got its city rights in 1960. It was home to the reputed Riihimäki Glass company that remained in business from 1910 through 1990.

The Finnish Glass Museum with its permanent display created by famous designer Tapio Wirkkala was opened in 1981.

A VR Class Hv1 steam locomotive#554 'Heikki' near Riihimäki Railway Station

Sports

Notable individuals

Athletes

Politicians

The arts

Other

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Finland

Riihimäki is twinned with:

References

Notes
  1. ^ "Jouni Eho valittiin Riihimäen johtoon – uusi kaupunginjohtaja uskoo, että robotiikka ja sotilasteknologia avaavat mahdollisuuksia". 15 August 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-08-15. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Population increased most in Uusimaa in 2024". Population structure. Statistics Finland. 2025-01-23. ISSN 1797-5395. Retrieved 2025-01-23.
  4. ^ "Number of foreign-language speakers exceeded 600,000 during 2024". Population structure. Statistics Finland. 2025-04-04. ISSN 1797-5395. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  5. ^ "Population according to age (1-year) and sex by area and the regional division of each statistical reference year, 2003–2020". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Luettelo kuntien ja seurakuntien tuloveroprosenteista vuonna 2023". Tax Administration of Finland. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Huumeita ujutetaan vankiloihin yllätyssuklaamunien muovikoteloissa". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2010-03-19. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  8. ^ "Tältä näyttää Suomen korkeimman turvaluokituksen vankila - elinkautisvanki: "Kai sitä ihminen tottuu joka paikkaan"". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  9. ^ "Aalborg Twin Towns". Europeprize.net. Archived from the original on 7 September 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.

Media related to Riihimäki at Wikimedia Commons Riihimäki travel guide from Wikivoyage