FACTS AND HISTORY OF PORI (Björneborg in Swedish and Arctopolis in Latin)

Where is Pori? / General facts

Population

* Finnish cities are usually divided into three categories:
Big city (suuri kaupunki): over 100 000 inhabitants (8 cities)
Medium-sized city (keskisuuri kaupunki): 50 000 - 100 000 inhabitants (11 cities) and
Small town (pikkukaupunki): under 50 000 inhabitants (the rest)

History of Pori

Pori was founded in 1558 by John (the Duke of Finland (picture right) and son of King of Sweden) to Satakunta, which is one of the oldest regions in Finland and first recognizable cultures have risen from Satakunta. Pori is 9th oldest town in Finland.
Before Pori was founded, Ulvila was the main trading post but the rise of the surrounding land forced people to move closer to sea. John (Juhana Herttua in Finnish) founded the city of Pori and the trading post and most of the people moved to the new city from Ulvila.
Pori was the most northern city in Finland at that time and the most important trading place. Pori has had its ups and downs, like in 17th century when Sweden was in war and the state denied foreign trade. Also the depression of the early 1990's hit Pori quite hard.
Pori founded a new seaport at Reposaari in 1765 and it is still a very pictoresque and idyllic place to visit.
The town has had lots of disasters, like numerous fires and especially fire of 1852 burnt almost the whole town.
Pori has been industrial city until lately when university consortium and university of applied sciences have arrived and turned the old industrial town to a student town.
Pori has also been very busy cultural centre: The national Finnish language theatre was formed in Pori in 1872, Pori Jazz festival was founded in 1966 and kept annually since then, Satakunnan Kansa is one of the oldest still published daily newspapers (since 1873), Pori-Rock is nationally famous institution in music business, and there are lots of other cultural happenings. Pori is also known from Yyteri Beach (where Rolling Stones performed in 1965) with its 6 km of sand dunes and beaches and where thousands of sunbathers visit every year.

THE CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF PORI
(updated every now and then).

The establishment letter of Pori - 1558

History of Pori I-II (1558-1809). In Finnish only.

Map of Pori - 1696

Map of Pori before year 1811

Map of Pori - 1902

Map of Pori - 1910

Map of Pori today

Pori has 78 districts and I have listed them here. Number on the picture states the district. Some districts can be found outside the picture.
1: City centre (contains I-IV districts which are known as Linna, Teljä, Malminpää and Karhunpää), 5: Fifth District (a.k.a. Itätulli), 6: Sixth District (Päärnäinen), 7: Seventh District (Aittaluoto), 8: Eighth District (Isosanta), 9: Ninth District (Riihiketo), 10: Tenth district (Tiilinummi), 11: Tiilimäki, 12: Uusikoivisto, 13: Kuninkaanhaka, 14: Herralahti, 15: Tupala, 16: Koivula, 17: Kalaholma, 18: Isojoenranta, 19: Sunniemenranta, 20: Koivistonluoto, 21: Karjaranta, 22: Käppärä, 23: Musa, 24: Tikkula, 25: Vähärauma, 26: Liinaharja, 27: Liikastenmäki, 28: Tuorsniemi, 29: Pietniemi, 30: Ulasoori, 31: Leppäkorpi, 32: Isomäki, 33: Tiiliruukki, 34: Kyläsaari, 35: Uusiniitty, 36: Pihlava, 37: Rieskala, 38: Metsämaa, 39: Enäjärvi, 40: Harmaalinna, 41: Kartano, 42: Impola, 43: Vanhakoivisto, 44: Väinölä, 45: Metallinkylä, 46: Mikkola, 47: Sampola, 48: Paratiisinmäki, 49: Luotsinmäki, 50: Murtosenmutka, 51: Ruosniemi, 52: Toejoki, 53: Pormestarinluoto, 54: Hyvelänviiki, 55: Lotskeri, 56: Hyvelä, 57: Kirjurinluoto, 58: Hanhiluoto, 59: Hevosluoto, 60: Yyteri, 61: Kaanaa, 62: Uniluoto, 63: Karhuluoto, 64: Herrainpäivät, 65: Mäntyluoto, 66: Kirrinsanta, 67: Kaanaankorpi, 68: (-), 69: Viikinäinen, 70: Raatimiehenluoto, 71: Reposaari, 72: Parkkiluoto, 73: Tahkoluoto, 74: Isokatava, 75: Vähäkatava, 76: Tyltty, 77: Lukkarinsanta and 78: Tuulikylä.
Click the link and the map of Pori will open to you in different window.
Districts of Pori

Map of city centre

Here is the map of city centre where I have listed some interesting places. Best way as a tourist is to go to Promenadikeskus (promenade centre) and tourist office Hööveli to get some better and more accurate maps of Pori.
1: Market place, 2: Pori Theatre (BTW, address is Hallituskatu 14), 3: Promenade centre (promenadikeskus), 4: Keski-Porin kirkko (Main church), 5: Railway station, 6: Airport, 7: Satakunnan museo (Museum), 8: Raatihuone (Old Courthouse), 9: Kaupungintalo (City Hall), 10: Shopping centre Iso-Karhu, 11: Art Museum, 12: Kauppahalli (Market hall), 13: Central library, 14: Luontotalo Arkki (The Ark nature centre), 15: Kävelykatu (Promenade. Starts from Mikonkatu and ends to market place), 16: Bus-station (for external travels), 17: Bus-station (for internal travels), 18: Police station & fire department, 19: Kivi-Pori (Stone-Pori, area built after 1852 fire disaster), 20: Eetuntori (Central place of promenade walk), 21: Raatihuone park, 22: Ratsula-shop (clothing), 23: Poriginal art gallery, 24: Brewery (where they make the nationally famous beer called Karhu (=bear)), 25: Shopping centre Be-Pop, 26: Main Post-office. Click the link and the map of Pori will open to you in different window.
Map of City centre

Miscellaneous facts (2005)

Because Pori locates near sea, the wind blows quite hard sometimes but still Finland's lucky to have four so different seasons. Maximum temperature on 7 July was 27,8 Celsius (approx. 82 Fahrenheits) and minimum temperature on 1 March was -21,2 Celsius (approx. -6 Fahrenheits).

52% of the population are women and from the total amount: 0-14 years - 15,5%; 15-64 years - 65,7% and over 65 - 18,8%. There are 365 swedish speaking Porinians (that's 0,48%) and 1002 foreign citizens (1,3%).

City of Pori is the biggest employer with 6753 employees. Then comes Satakunta Central Hospital (2 101), Luvata (1 110), Kemira (700) and Technip (677). 70% of the jobs are in commerce these days, 28% in industry and construction. Only 1% of jobs are in agriculture, forestry and fishing, (1% is unknown). Unemployment rate varies from 12-14% at the moment.

There are 442 km of streets in Pori and for light traffic there are 243 km. 618 traffic accidents happened last year (1,7 accidents per day).

Local bus company (Porin Linjat) had 1,8 million passengers while Pori Airport had 60 000 passengers.

Municipal library (city library) had 1,8 million book loans. Satakunta Museum has 83 000 items and 38 000 visitors. Pori Art museum had 17 special exhibitions and 31 000 visitors. Pori Sinfonietta had 41 performances and 14 000 saw them perform. Juselius Mausoleum had 11 000 visitors. Pori Jazz had over 100 000 visitors.

Pori has 8 youth houses, a sports hall, football hall, 2 ice arenas, 3 swimming pools, 179 outdoor sport fields, 3 camping centres.