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In 2008, Joensuu celebrates the 160 years of existence. The city of Joensuu,
which was founded by the Czar Nikolai I of Russia in 1848, has grown to the
regional capital of North Karelia. During the 19th century Joensuu was a city of
manufacture and commerce. Since 1860 the local sawmills started to grow and
prosper, as the city received the rights for commerce and the restrictions
against the industrial activities were removed. An important centre of glass
industry was developed in Utra - with a considerable foreign population of about
11%. There was, for instance, a Swedish language school available in those
times.
The water traffic was improved by the building of the Saimaa Canal
in 1856. Thus, lively trade between the regions of North Karelia, St.Petersburg
and the Central Europe was made possible. In the beginning of the 20th century
Joensuu was one of the largest harbour cities in Finland.
The River
Pielinen has always been the lively heart of Joensuu. Throughout the centuries,
the Karelian traders have travelled along the river and the canals, which were
completed at the end of 1870, increased the river traffic. Thousands of
steamboats, barges and logging boats sailed along the river during this golden
age of river traffic. The River Pielisjoki has also been an important route for
log-rafting and thus provides wood for the sawmills and for the whole lumber
industry.
During the last decades, the small agrarian town has developed into
a vital center of the North Karelia region. Joensuu had a population of 24,000
in 1954. Since 1960, the economic growth in Finland has been strong.
Simultaneously started the urbanization process. In the 1960 s the population
of North Karelia decreased over 8% - and that of the city of Joensuu grew by
28%. In 1960, North Karelia was also declared as an own administrative region
and Joensuu became the capital of the region. In the 1970, the kindergarten
system and the comprehensive school system were established, and a lot of
improvements took place in the domain of social benefits.
The
establishment of the University of Joensuu in 1969, and the further growth of
the university have been crucial to the development of the city. Currently, the
university comprises of six faculties and nine independent units and has
close to 8,000 full-time students. Diversified international cooperation in
science, industry and commerce benefits the whole region.
The closeness
of the eastern border has been an important factor throughout the history of the
city. The Republic of Karelia in Russia has become - once again - a significant
area for cross-border cooperation. The border station Värtsilä Niirala is
about an hour s drive away from Joensuu. It was opened a good decade ago, and
already now over one million people cross the border annually. Export companies
in Joensuu continue the traditions of the last century in foreign trade. And the
cultural life flourishes and takes new impressions and reflections from the
cultural diversity around the border. |
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