Valkeakoski is a city of about 21,000 inhabitants, located 35
kilometers south of Tampere. It belongs to the province of Pirkanmaa
and the region of South Pirkanmaa.
Valkeakoski is especially
known for the paper industry and as a diverse city of culture and
sports. The neighboring municipalities of Valkeakoski are Akaa,
Hattula, Hämeenlinna, Kangasala, Lempäälä and Pälkäne.
Valkeakoski is located in the middle of the Lake Häme lake landscape
at the confluence of Mallasvesi and Vanajavesi. Water dominates the
cityscape of the center in the form of a canal passing through it.
The electrical energy obtained from the harnessed power of the
rapids between Maltasvesi and Vanajavesi was at one time the enabler
of the establishment of one of Finland's first paper mills, the
Myllysaari paper mill.
The Myllysaari paper mill has already
been closed and now houses a museum.
UPM-Kymmene
Corporation's Tervasaari paper mill right next to Myllysaari
continues the traditions of the paper industry in the area.
The Tervasaari paper mill produces label paper with two paper
machines. The mill is currently a smaller paper mill with an annual
production of 350,000 tons. Tervasaari produces the most label
background paper in the world.
At the beginning of the 20th
century, a narrow-gauge 600 mm gauge Valkeakoski factory track ran
between the factories and the log plan of Hakala beach.
Valkeakoski Day is October 27.