Riihimäki is a town in the province of Kanta-Häme, or Tavastia Proper, in southern Finland. It is one of Finland’s main railway junctions and is home to one of only two high-security prisons in Finland. The town is the seat of the local municipality, a municipality that has a population of around 28.300 inhabitants.
A Short History of Riihimäki
This area was earlier a swamp surrounded by smaller settlements. The town itself had to wait until the construction of the first Finnish railway line, which was completed in 1862. At that time, a settlement for the workers had been established here and it had received the name Riihimäki. It eventually also included a railway station, with its station building being completed in 1868. The first line went from Helsinki to Hämeenlinna and it was in 1869 joined by a line between Riimäki and Lahti in 1869. This made Riihimäki the first railway junction in Finland.
The settlement grew in the vicinity of the railway station, a church was built in 1905, and Riihimäki was about to become an industrial town. Important industries included a sawmill and a glass factory.
The town did not survive the Winter War unharmed. The Soviet bombings caused great damage, something that did not occur during the later Continuation War. After the war, Riihimaki became the home to several refugees from the Antrea Municipality in South Karelia, an area that Finland ceded to the Soviet Union. Riihimäki continued to develop after the war and received its town privileges in 1960.
Things to Do and See
Riihimäki is much more than only a railway station. It is a small town whose center includes a few shops, restaurants, and other services. A larger shopping center is located at its outskirt. There are also plenty of parks and playgrounds within easy reach of the center.
Riihimäki Railway Station
Riihimäki Railway Station has for more than a century been at the center of Riihimäki’s development. It opened in 1862 and has since been the one place that many outsiders know when talking about the town. It was the first railway junction in Finland and has even had a line to Saint Petersburg in Russia.
Historiallinen Rautatienpuisto
The historical railway park can in many ways be considered the old town of Riihimäki. This is where many of the older buildings in the town are located. It is an old residential area for railway workers and includes many buildings from the late 19th century and early 20th century. This is also where you will find the Riihimäki City Museum, which is housed in a building from 1858.
The Finnish Glass Museum
The Finnish Glass Museum opened in 1981 at the former glassworks in Riihimäki. It has a national focus for the country’s historical glass industry covering about three centuries.
Riihimäen Taidemuseo
The Riihimäki Art Museum exhibits Finnish art pieces mainly from the first half of the 20th century. Its collection is mostly based on donations and covers a long list of artists.
Riihimäen Keskuskirkko
The city church is a wooden church built in 1905. It stands on a small hill with a view of the city. The church belongs to Riihimäki Parish within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.
How to Get to Riihimäki
- Flights: The closest major airport is Helsinki Airport (HEL), 62 kilometers to the south, with both domestic and international flights.
- Car: Riihimäki is at the intersection between Road E12 and Road 54, north of the capital Helsinki.
- Train: Riihimäki is one of the main railway stations in the country with trains to and from places like Helsinki, Hämeenlinna, Lahti, Tampere, and Oulu.
The driving distance from 5 major Finnish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Helsinki – 70 kilometers (54 min)
- Turku – 154 kilometers (2 h 5 min)
- Vaasa – 355 kilometers (4 h 3 min)
- Oulu – 571 kilometers (6 h 25 min)
- Joensuu – 402 kilometers (4 h 42 min)
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