Heinola () is a town and a municipality of inhabitants () The neighbour municipalities of Heinola are Asikkala, Hartola, Iitti, Kouvola, Mäntyharju, Nastola, Pertunmaa and Sysmä.

In the coat of arms of Heinola, the Tavastia's provincial animal, the Eurasian lynx, crosses a fess resembling an arch bridge; it refers to the Jyränkö Bridge (Jyrängönsilta) from 1932, which crosses Jyrängönvirta, the smaller part of the Kymi River. The coat of arms was designed by Gustaf von Numers and approved by the Heinola Town Council at its meeting on 23 September 1958. The coat of arms was approved for use by the Ministry of the Interior on 11 November of the same year.

In June 2024, Heinola was included in The Times newspaper's list of 30 attractive summer destinations where people can vacation without the oppressive heat.

History

Heinola used to be a remote village of then larger Hollola until it gained significance in 1776 when Gustav III of Sweden promoted it to be the governmental center of the province in which it was then located. The grid plan of the city center is from that era. Heinola also became a center of commerce for nearby regions.

When Finland became a part of Russia in 1809, the capital of the province was moved eastwards with the state border. To compensate this, Heinola was granted town rights on 26 December 1839 by Czar Nicholas I. Before World War II, Heinola was widely known as a spa town, and until 1972 it served as a location for an institute (seminaari) that taught elementary school teachers. These both were established in the 1890s and played an important role in the town life. The actual competition happened in nearby Joutsa.

| date = April2016

| source = FMI climatological normals for Finland 1991-2020

| Jan avg record high C = 3.5

| Feb avg record high C = 3.8

| Dec avg record high C = 4.6

| Nov avg record high C = 8.4

| Mar avg record high C = 9.3

| Oct avg record high C = 14.0

| Apr avg record high C = 17.9

| Sep avg record high C = 21.2

| May avg record high C = 24.9

| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

| Jun avg record high C = 27.3

| Aug avg record high C = 27.1

| Jul avg record high C = 28.5

| year avg record high C = 29.6

| Jan avg record low C = -22.7

| Feb avg record low C = -22.7

| Dec avg record low C = -17.0

| Mar avg record low C = -16.7

| Apr avg record low C = -8.1

| May avg record low C = -2.5

| Jun avg record low C = 3.6

| Jul avg record low C = 7.6

| Aug avg record low C = 5.5

| Sep avg record low C = 0.2

| Oct avg record low C = -5.8

| Nov avg record low C = -10.7

| year avg record low C = -26.4

Economy

After World War II Heinola has been economically an industrial town, mainly due to its wood processing industry. Industry remained the largest source of employment until the 1970s, when the trade and services sector grew larger, following a national trend.

Volkswagen Beetles were built in Heinola.

Heinola has been hit hard by Late-2000s recession. UPM-Kymmene, that used to be the largest employer after the public sector, reported closing down its sawmill and plywood mill in Heinola during 2010.

Sights

thumb|Heinola Bird Sanctuary

The bird zoo is located just next to the old bus station. The founding idea of the bird zoo is to offer help for birds that have injured themselves in the traffic, power lines and glass surfaces, and to rehabilitate them back to the nature. The birds that remain in the care, and the ones that are not capable of returning to the nature, but are considered to maintain a meaningful life in capture, are available for spectators to see. For school groups and tourists, this can be a good opportunity to identify some of the species that are not so easily spotted in the wild. In the summer, tropical birds that spend the winter inside are also to be seen.

Culture

Food

In the 1980s, Heinola's traditional parish dishes were tappaiskeitto ("butchery soup") and pancakes.

International relations

Twin towns — sister cities

Heinola is twinned with:

  • Karlshamn, Sweden
  • Peine (district), Germany
  • Piešťany, Slovakia

See also

  • Heinolan Peliitat
  • Lusi (Heinola)
  • Vierumäki

References

  • Town of Heinola – official website