Riihimäki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Riihimäki
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Town
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| Riihimäen kaupunki Riihimäki stad |
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Riihimäki railway station
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Location of Riihimäki in Finland
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| Country |  Finland |
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| Region | Kanta-Häme | |
| Sub-region | Riihimäki sub-region | |
| Charter | 1922 | |
| City rights | 1960 | |
| Area
(2018-01-01)
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| • Total | 125.56 km2 (48.48 sq mi) | |
| • Land | 121.01 km2 (46.72 sq mi) | |
| • Water | 4.54 km2 (1.75 sq mi) | |
| Area rank | 290th largest in Finland | |
| Population
(2023-12-31)
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| • Total | 28,483 | |
| • Rank | 38th largest in Finland | |
| • Density | 235.38/km2 (609.6/sq mi) | |
| Population by native language | ||
| • Finnish | 92.8% (official) | |
| • Swedish | 0.4% | |
| • Others | 6.8% | |
| Population by age | ||
| • 0 to 14 | 15.4% | |
| • 15 to 64 | 61.8% | |
| • 65 or older | 22.8% | |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) | |
Riihimäki (pronounced REE-hee-mah-kee) is a town and municipality in southern Finland. It's about 69 kilometers (43 miles) north of Helsinki, Finland's capital. Riihimäki is a very important place for trains because railway lines from here go to Helsinki, Tampere, and Lahti.
Many businesses also have their homes in Riihimäki. For example, Würth Oy has its main office and a big storage center here. Valio, a well-known dairy company, has a large dairy in the Herajoki part of Riihimäki. Also, the famous Sako rifles are made in Riihimäki.
The town is located in the Southern Finland province and is part of the Tavastia Proper region. Its nearby towns include Janakkala to the north and Hyvinkää to the south. Riihimäki has a population of about 28,483 people (as of 31 December 2023). The town covers an area of 125.56 square kilometres (48.48 sq mi), with some of it being water. The official language spoken in Riihimäki is Finnish.
Riihimäki is also home to the Riihimäki Prison. This prison is known for its high security.
Contents
History of Riihimäki
Riihimäki started to grow around its Riihimäki railway station. This station was part of Finland's very first railway line, which opened in 1862 between Helsinki and Hämeenlinna.
Becoming a Railway Hub
Riihimäki became the first railway junction in Finland. This happened when a new railway section from Riihimäki to Lahti opened in 1869. This new line was part of a bigger railway that went all the way to Saint Petersburg. For a while, from 1907 to 1952, there was even a smaller, narrow-gauge railway connecting Riihimäki and Loppi. Today, people usually travel between Riihimäki and Loppi by car.
Town Status and Industries
In 1910, a cavalry regiment (a type of army unit with soldiers on horseback) was set up in the city. In 1922, Riihimäki officially separated from the nearby area of Hausjärvi. It became its own independent market-town. Later, in 1960, Riihimäki was given full city rights.
The town was also famous for the Riihimäki Glass company. This company made beautiful glass items from 1910 until 1990. Today, you can learn all about glass at the Finnish Glass Museum in Riihimäki. The museum opened in 1981 and has amazing displays designed by the famous artist Tapio Wirkkala.
Sports in Riihimäki
Riihimäki has many different sports clubs for young people to join. Here are some of the popular sports played in the town:
- Ice hockey: Played by teams like Peltosaaren Nikkarit and Kiekko-Nikkarit.
- Figure skating: Riihimäen Taitoluistelijat is the local club.
- Synchronized skating: Riihimäen Jäätaiturit is the team for this sport.
- Basketball: The Kolmoskori club plays basketball.
- Soccer: Riihimäen Ilves, also known as RIPS, is the local soccer team.
- Floorball: SC Top is the floorball club.
- Handball: The Cocks team is well-known for handball.
- Finnish baseball: Riihi-Pesis, formerly RPL, plays this unique Finnish sport.
- Athletics: Riihimäen Kisko focuses on track and field sports.
- Swimming: Riihimäen Uimaseura is the swimming club.
Famous People from Riihimäki
Many talented people, especially athletes and artists, have come from Riihimäki.
Athletes
- Jukka Jalonen: A national ice hockey coach.
- Jussi Veikkanen: A professional road racing cyclist.
- Kari Tiainen: A world champion in motorcycle enduro racing.
- Pekka Vasala: An Olympic champion in the 1,500 meters running race (1972).
- Daniel O'Shaughnessy: A football (soccer) player.
Artists and Performers
- Pekka Autiovuori: A well-known actor.
- Renny Harlin: A famous film director and producer.
- Aku Hirviniemi: A popular actor.
- Maija Isola: A designer known for her patterns.
- Janne Kataja: An actor and entertainer.
- Erkki Junkkarinen: A beloved singer.
Other Notable Individuals
- Ragnar Granit: A scientist who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1967.
Twin Towns and Sister Cities
Riihimäki has special friendships with other cities around the world. These are called twin towns or sister cities:
Szolnok, Hungary
Skedsmo, Norway
Húsavík, Iceland
Gus-Khrustalny, Russia
Karlskoga, Sweden
Aalborg, Denmark
Bad Segeberg, Germany
See also
In Spanish: Riihimäki para niños
