Siilinjärvi is a municipality of Finland. It is located in Northern Savonia, 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of the city of Kuopio, which largely surrounds Siilinjärvi. Another neighbour municipality with Kuopio is Lapinlahti. The name, in Finnish, apparently translates literally as “Hedgehog’s Lake”, although its etymology actually stems from a Sámi word meaning winter dwelling. Lakes are essential part of the geography of Siilinjärvi. There are 123 lakes, and the biggest of them are Kallavesi and Juurusvesi–Akonvesi. Water area is 106.85 km2, which is 21% of the whole area of Siilinjärvi.
The median age is relatively low; 23% of the population are under 15 years old. The main sources of income are services and industry. Siilinjärvi has eleven elementary schools and two secondary schools (one is located in Suininlahti and one downtown). One of the most important employers in Siilinjärvi is Siilinjärvi apatite mine owned by Yara International. Another big employer is Lujabetoni.
The airport of Kuopio is located in the village of Rissala in Siilinjärvi along the Highway 9. The airport is also the home of the Karelian Air Command and the 31st Squadron of the Finnish Air Force.
Siilinjärvi is the birthplace of politician and former prime minister of Finland and European Commissioner Jyrki Katainen.
Structure and attractions of the municipality
Most of the housing is concentrated along Highway 5 , which splits the municipality in a south-north direction . In addition to this, there are several small village concentrations around the municipality. There are 935 summer cottages in the municipality.Apartment building on Sandelsintie in Vuorela, completed in 2008.
Siilinjärvi has two large residential centers located more than ten kilometers apart: Kirkonkylä and Toivala-Vuorela. The Kirkonkylä area is home to about 10,000 people and its largest residential areas are; downtown, Leppäkaarre, Simonsalo, Harjamäki and Kasurila. Toivala-Vuorela, located near the Kuopio border, is a residential center for about 5,000 people and includes the residential areas of Toivala, Vuorela and Haaparinte.
In the vicinity of the city center, there are also the residential areas of Siilinpää, Sulkavanniity, Kirkonmäki, Räisälä, Ahmo, Pylvammi, Vesijärvi, Joentaus, Päivärinte, Honkamäki, Tynnörinen and Vanhan Pappila.
In addition to the city center, apartment building construction is concentrated in Vuorela, Harjamäki, Siilinpää, Simonsalo, Kirkonmäki and Leppäkaarte.
In 2009, a major construction project began in the city center, when the construction of several apartment buildings on Asematie began. The apartment buildings will be 4-7 storey. Another big going the current construction project is the construction of a residential area in Haaparinte. A completely new detached house and terraced house area will be built in the triangle between Toivala, Vuorela and the motorway . The five-part construction project in the area covers a total of more than one hundred residential buildings. At what the fourth phase of the area will be built.
Attractions
- Siilinjärvi Church
- Vuorela Church
- Siilinjärvi Orthodox Church
- Windmill church
- Toivalan tsasouna
- Memorial to the Finnish War of 1808–1809 . Monument to Colonel Sandels ‘ battles in Toivalansalmi in Vuorela in front of the spa hotel Kuntopaikka.
- Spa hotel Kuntopaikka in Vuorela.
- Revelation (statue of a deer along the highway)
- Monument to Ahti Sonninen
- Harjamäki Hospital Museum
- Story Hospital Museum
- Pöljä Homeland Museum
- Mäntyranta summer theater
- Mantu Baseball Stadium
- Recreational pool Fontanella
- Yara gypsum mountains (formerly Kemira)
- Kasurila ski resort
- Riihikalleria
- Advertising column “Siilinjärvi needle”
- Tension current bridge
- Tarinaharju- Patakukkula nature trail
- Story golf
- Ahmo Sports Center