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Kajaani is a town in Finland. It is located in the province of Oulu and is the capital of the Kainuu region. It is located southeast of Ouluj rvi (Lake Oulu), which drains to the Gulf of Bothnia along the Oulujoki (Oulu river). The city ... more »
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Hotels Kajaani is a town in Finland.
It is located in the province of Oulu and is the capital of the Kainuu region. It is located southeast of Oulujärvi (Lake Oulu), which drains to the Gulf of Bothnia along the Oulujoki (Oulu river). The city has a population of 35,675 and covers an area of 1369 km² of which 212 km² is water. The population density is 30.8 inhabitants per km². The city is unilingually Finnish.
Kajaani is in the center of the region of Kainuu. The folklorist Elias Lönnrot began his travels from here when collecting folklore in Karelia.
Important industries in the city today are the wood industry and the paper industry. An important employer in the city is also the Kainuu Brigade, which is the largest garrison in Finland — the Brigade employs some 600 people and trains 4000 conscripts a year. There is a polytechnical institute in the city.
Since 1993 The Art Museum of Kajaani (Kajaanin taidemuseo) has operated in the city. The collection of the museum centers on Finnish modern art.
The City Theatre of Kajaani (Kajaanin kaupunginteatteri) was established in 1969 and is one of the most respected theaters in Finland. It was chosen as the Theatre of the Year in 2003.
Some notable annual cultural venues in Kajaani are Kajaanin Runoviikko (The Poetry Week of Kajaani) and Kainuun Jazzkevät (The Jazz Spring of Kainuu).
Kajaani was founded in 1651 as one of the Finnish cities founded by the Governor General of Finland Per Brahe. At that time, the Kainuu region — as wood country — was an important wood tar producer, and the tar trade was the major industry. The barrels of tar were shipped to Oulujärvi and then along the Oulujoki to Oulu on the Bothnian coast of the Baltic sea. From there, the tar was shipped to continental Europe, where it was used as a sealant and an anti-rot agent for ship hulls.
One famous historical monument in Kajaani are the ruins of the Kajaani castle, located on the river Kajaani in the centre of the city. The castle was originally built in 1604 and completed in 1619. The castle served as an administrative centre, prison, military base and a refuge for the citizens.
During the Greater Wrath in the 18th century the castle was forced to surrender to Russian forces. The Russians blew the castle up in March 1716 and it has been in ruins ever since. Today, the ruins are especially popular among children who like to explore the dark, twisty little passages and have fantasy adventures.
In the 20th century Kajaani became industrialized and the city started to grow especially after a railroad connection was established. The populational growth was strongest just after the Second World War, although the crises of the 1960s and 70s were harsh on Kajaani and the city lost almost 10,000 people in the course of a decade. The city is still loosing its population.
In 1977 the municipality of Kajaanin mlk (or Kajaanin maalaiskunta) and Kajaani were merged to form the City of Kajaani which, in addition to railroad and road connections, is served by a Finnair-operated air connection to Helsinki, during the summer twice daily and three times a day during the winter schedule period. Kajaani airport, located in the Paltaniemi area, close to central Kajaani, is maintained and operated by Finavia, the Finnish aviation authority, also serving the needs of non-commercial general aviation.
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