Lapua (Swedish: Lappo) is a Finnish city located in the province
of Southern Ostrobothnia. The city is home to 14,331 people. The
area of the municipality is 750.78 km², of which 13.63 km² are
water bodies. The population density is 19.4 inhabitants / km². The
neighboring municipalities of Lapua are Alajärvi, Kauhava, Kuortane,
Lappajärvi and Seinäjoki. The former neighboring municipalities are
Nurmo and Ylistaro connected to Seinäjoki and Ylihärmä connected to
Kauhava.
Lapua is perhaps best known for the Lapua movement,
the explosion of the Lapua Cartridge Factory (1976) and the
kindergarten. Olympic-level athletes such as Harri Koskela, Tapio
Korjus and Mikko Huhtala have also made the city famous. Lapua
Virkia's women's super nest team has won the Finnish baseball
championship 11 times, won the Finnish Championship silver six times
and bronze seven times.
Today, the city is also known for its
rich cultural life. Culture got its own house when the former Lapua
Cartridge Factory building was renovated into the city's cultural
center. The place is now known as the Old Paukku Cultural Center and
houses, among others, Lapua Music College, City Library, Lapua
Citizens' College, Lapua Theater, Lapua Art Museum, Lapua Movement
Museum, Lapua Cartridge Factory Museum, Patruun Gallery, Pyhälahti
Photographic Museum, Ostrobothnia Photography Center and the
Ostrobothnia Photography Center.
In the old Pauku, annual
music event Old Bird Festival and Old Bird Philosophy Days. In
addition, the locality organizes annually e.g. Lapua Day
celebration, Ritafest rock festival and every other year the
international organ music event Lapua Organ Festival.
Well-known cultural figures born in Lapua include e.g. artist Teemu
Mäki, founder of the Million Rain band, musician Heikki Salo,
dialect writer Harri Harju, late actor Esko Nikkari and dancer Jukka
Haapalainen.
The local newspaper Lapuan Sanomat is published
in Lapua.