Outokumpu (until the end of 1967, Kuusjärvi) is a Finnish city located in the province of North Karelia. The city is inhabited by 6,607 people. Outokumpu covers an area of 584.06 km², of which 138.23 km² is water. The population density is 14.82 inhabitants / km².
Outokumpu is located on the border of three
provinces; Of the city's neighboring municipalities, Liperi and
Polvijärvi, like Outokumpu, belong to the province of North Karelia,
Kaavi and Tuusniemi to North Savo and Heinävesi to South Savo.
The residential areas of Outokumpu's city center include
Jokipohja, Kaasila, Kalaton, Kyykeri, Mustikkakorpi, Mustola and
Partalanmäki.
Villages
Alavi (Alavi-Suvisranta-Herneaho),
Harmaasalo, Kuusjärvi, Paloranta, Rikkaranta-Lähtevä-Kuminvaara,
Sysmä-Sätös, Törisevä, Viuruniemi.
Agglomerations
At the
end of 2017, Outokumpu had 7,003 inhabitants, of whom 4,691 lived in
urban areas, 2,224 in sparsely populated areas and the coordinates
of the place of residence of 88 inhabitants were unknown. The degree
of agglomeration is calculated for those residents whose coordinates
of residence are known; Outokumpu's agglomeration rate is 67.8%.
Outokumpu's agglomeration population belongs to only one
agglomeration, Outokumpu's city center, which had 4,691 inhabitants
at the end of 2017.
History
Outokumpu operated the
Outokumpu mine from 1913 to 1989. Today, the mining area is a
museum. The mining hump is visible as a hill that clearly stands out
from the surroundings, with a wide view from above. The old mining
tower also remains as a landmark in the city center. In 1971–1985,
the Vuonos mine also operated in the municipality.
The rural
area, originally known as Kuusjärvi, was transformed into
Outokumpu's city in 1968, which in 1977 became a city. Mining had a
strong impact on the municipality's identity. The spruce heel used
on the coat of arms affirmed on April 18, 1953, referred to the
original name of the municipality and the copper symbol for the
mine. The coat of arms was designed by herald Olof Eriksson. The
coat of arms was taken as an unaltered Outokumpu coat of arms. With
becoming a merchant, the mound of the mine gave the whole
municipality a name.
Esko-Pekka Tiitinen, a cultural
multi-actor from Outokumpu, has written a novel about Outokumpu's
history in the arms of Kivi (January, 2011), which follows the birth
and later stages of a mining village through the imaginary Vänskä
family. The history of the mine is also told in the book Mining
History by Arto Hakola from Outokumpu.
Outokumpu Church, made
of plastered brick and designed by Bertel Liljeqvist and Samuel
Salvesen, was completed in 1955. County architect Ferdinand Öhman
designed the parish's first Kuusjärvi church, which was built in
1878. Outokumpu Orthodox