Nokia Things to Do

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Long before the mobile phones there was industry under the name of Nokia. In early 1800's industrialists took notice of Nokianvirta as a lot of power was needed to carry on the work. The rapids were used to keep the work going and needed plentiful of supply. Finland's fourth groundwood mill was founded in 1968. In 1890 Nokia factory tried electric light for the first time and 13 years later power station was completed. They wanted to increase the electricity production and therefore a canal and a dam were constructed in 1913. Back those days electricity in fact was cheap!

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The part of Kokemäenjoki-river which run through Nokia are called Nokianvirta on the banks of which were situated groundwood, paper and sulphite cellulose and rubber mills. The latter is still functioning and producing footwear and tyres. Emäkoski Bridge from 1957 connects the eastern and western banks. Before it there was an iron bridge which was constructed in 1893. Even before that you had to take a ferry to cross the river. There are many possibilities for long nature walks on the banks of the river. As little girls my sister and I used to play, first where there is now Melo Power Plant and then in Haavisto, creating a world that lived only in our imagination. We have spent hundreds, if not thousands, of days in the forests there.

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The clubhouse was a personal donation from rubber factory director Eduard Polon to the personnel of the factory. Built in 1930. Today it is owned by Nokia Town and is used for hobby groups, exhibitions, parties, concerts...In 2003 it was voted as the most beautiful building in Nokia. My sister's wedding reception took place here back in 1973 and as a child I went to church's club there.

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I remember this old hospital from my childhood. Dad was in an accident and he broke his leg and spent several weeks, if not months in the hospital and we visited him there every day. The hospital was built in 1926.

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A nice white house on the left side of the road serves today as centre where you can do handicrafts like weaving. It's funny that when I still lived in Nokia (some 30 years ago) I never paid any attention to this building, but now I find it very pretty.

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"We should build a road here"...said papermill director Ingwald Sourander, when he looked down from the railway station towards to the factory. The road, called Souranderintie /Sourander's Road/ was build in 1923. It was called the most beautiful road in Nokia and to keep up to this reputation some lovely buildings were built on both sides of the road.

Today train travels twelve times a day between Tampere and Pori, six times each way. Only some years ago the passenger trains did not stop in Nokia, but now you can reach Tampere in less than 20 minutes. The railway station building is from 1895.

Visit Siuro, beautiful active village west from Nokia,
easy to reach by car appr. 10km trip, or take bus that says SIURO, number 79 if i remember right...
check the church, mylly, rapids and have beer or coffee at legendary "siuro koskibaari"

Across the main road from the church is Hinttala Museum, where you can see how people lived in Finland about one hundred years ago. It's only a small place but very interesting. As a child my sister and I used to go there and play until somebody told us to go home!