Jyväskylä
Population 149,000 / 62.1 degrees north
Jyväskylä, Finland
Jyväskylä is the regional capital of Central Finland in the Lakeland district and has a population of approximately 149,000. Elias Lonnrot, the author of the Kalevala, nicknamed the city “The Athens of Finland” because of the city’s important role as a centre of education for Finland.
Fun Facts About Jyväskylä
Latitude: 62.1 degrees north
Population: 149,000
Jyväskylä coat-of-arms
In this Travel Guide...
Map of Jyväskylä
Uniquely Jyväskylä
Here are some things that you must do and try in Jyväskylä
Architecture
Alvar Aalto Buildings
Jyväskylä has the largest number of Alvar Aalto buildings of any city in the world, with 29 total. Aalto started his career and lived here. He designed buildings such as the Capitolium in the university, as well as the Jyväskylä City Theatre. The Workers Club, Aalto’s first significant building (from 1924) is standing on the corner of Vainonkatu.
Things to See & Do
Here’s an overview of some of the best things to see and do in Jyväskylä
Museum
Alvar Aalto Museum
The Alvar Aalto Museum has the artists most important work and design. The museum specialises in architecture and design and functions as a national centre on all things related to Aalto.
Museum
Museum of Central Finland
The Museum of Central Finland specialises in cultural history. The building is designed by Alvar Aalto.
Museum
Craft Museum of Finland
The Craft Museum of Finland presents a range of different handicraft techniques from across the country, as well as a centre dedicated to the conservation of textiles for private customers. The National Costume Centre of Finland is part of the museum.
Museum
Aviation Museum of Finland
The Aviation Museum of Central Finland exhibits the aviation history of Finland and inside you can see a German biplane called Stieglitz.
Hikes, Day Trips & Experiences
Looking to go for a hike or take part in a unique experience? Here are our recommendations!
Harbour
Jyväskylä Harbour
Jyväskylä’s harbour has become the best place to hang out in the city. There are cafes, cruises, a sauna and walking trails.
Road-Trips
Follow our road-trip guides for scenic trips around Jyväskylä
Self-Guided Walks
Jyväskylä on YouTube
Watch our YouTube videos featuring Jyväskylä
History of Jyväskylä
Archaeological finds here show that people have lived here since the Stone Age. In the oldest available taxation documents, there were seven estates in the region in 1539.
The city was officially founded on the 22nd of March 1837, when the Emperor of Russia and Grand Duke of Finland, Nicolas I of Russia, signed the charter of the city. The infrastructure was essentially built from scratch. The establishment of schools in the 1850s and 1869s proved to be the most significant step in regards to the development of the city. The first three Finnish-speaking schools were founded here, and in 1863 the teachers college was established.
Most of the city seen today was built after the Continuation War.
Jyväskylä Today
Jyväskylä is one of the fastest-growing regions in Finland; in 1940, there were only 8,000 inhabitants living here.
Jyväskylä is located in the Finnish Lakeland, and there are 328 lakes here making up 20.1% of the whole city.
Jyväskylä is the third largest monolingual Finnish-speaking municipality in Finland, with only around 0.2% of the population speaking Swedish as their first language. Approximately 6.9% of the population are from a different country. Most foreign-born citizens come from the former Soviet Union, Sweden, Russia, Iran and Afghanistan.
Jyväskylä has the headquarters of the Finnish Air Force thanks to its central location. Jyväskylä became a major firearms manufacturer during the world wars.
The main industries here are related to education and healthcare, paper machinery production, IT and renewable energy.
The University of Jyväskylä is the only university in Northern Europe with a faculty of sports. The faculty has been a key player in developing a strong sports culture in the city.
Travel Information
Getting Here
Fly:
Drive: You can get here by bus from Helsinki.
Train: Trains run regularly between Helsinki and Jyväskylä
Ferry:
Getting Around
You can easily walk around Jyväskylä.
Shops
Places to Eat
Cafes & Bakeries
Quick Bites
Reasonable Restaurants
High End & Unique Eats
Places to Stay
Hostels & Camping
B&Bs & Guesthouses
Chains & Mid-Range
Sokos Hotel Alexandra is the main hotel in the city.
High End & Unique Properties
Boutique Hotel Yopuu has rooms designed in Finnish style as well as an excellent breakfast.
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