Iisalmi

It covers an area of Iisalmi km2 of which Iisalmi is water. The population density is Iisalmi PD/km2. The municipality is unilingually Finnish. In the 2010s, Iisalmi is known as an export industry town, as well as a significant study town in the region.

• Name — Iisalmi • Official Name — Iisalmen kaupunki Idensalmi stad • Other Name — Idensalmi • Settlement Type — Town • Image Skyline — Iisalmi railway station.jpg • Image Caption — Iisalmi railway station • Image Flag — Iisalmi.lippu.svg • Flag Size — 120x70px • Image Shield — Iisalmi.vaakuna.svg • Shield Size — 120x80px • Image Map — Iisalmi sijainti Suomi.svg • Map Caption — Location of Iisalmi in Finland • Mapframe — yes • Mapframe Marker — town • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — Finland • Subdivision Type1 — Region • Subdivision Name1 — North Savo • Subdivision Type2 — Sub-region • Subdivision Name2 — Upper Savo • Leader Title1 — City Mayor • Leader Name1 — Jarmo Ronkainen (2013–) • Leader Title2 — Chairman of the City Board • Leader Name2 — Juho Pulkka (2021–25) • Leader Title3 — Chairman of the City Council • Leader Name3 — Kati Åhman (2021–25) • Established Title — Charter • Established Date — 1627 • Established Title2 — City rights • Established Date2 — 1891 • Timezone — EET • Utc Offset — +02:00 • Timezone Dst — EEST • Utc Offset Dst — +03:00 • Website — https: www.iisalmi.fi/ Iisalmi (lang; Idensalmi) is a town and municipality in the region of North Savo in Finland. It is located 87 km north of Kuopio and south of Kajaani. The municipality has a population of (sourcedate), which makes it the second largest of the five towns in North Savo in population, only Kuopio being larger. It covers an area of Iisalmi km2 of which Iisalmi is water. The population density is Iisalmi PD/km2. The municipality is unilingually Finnish. In the 2010s, Iisalmi is known as an export industry town, as well as a significant study town in the region.

Iisalmi traces its roots back to 1627, when the parish of Iisalmi was formed around the local church. The town's old wooden church, Gustav Adolf Church, was consecrated in 1780. In the 18th century, when Finland was under Swedish control, Sweden was frequently at war with Imperial Russia, and the area of Koljonvirta in Iisalmi was a battlefield on which one of the greatest Swedish victories (and the last Swedish victory on Finnish soil) occurred. However, Sweden lost its last war with Russia and had to surrender Finland to the Russian Empire in 1809. Iisalmi gained its status as town on October 20, 1891.

There are 111 lakes in the Iisalmi region, the largest of which are Lake Onkivesi, Lake Haapajärvi, Lake Porovesi and Lake Nerkoo.

• Illustration — The Olvi beer restaurant in Iisalmi Olvi, the last big independent beer brewery in Finland, has its factory and headquarters in Iisalmi. (Other big Finnish breweries have been bought by multinational companies.) Genelec, a manufacturer of active monitors and loudspeakers used in recording studios worldwide, has its factory and headquarters in Iisalmi. Normet, engineers and manufacturers of mechanised equipment for underground rock-mining and tunnelling, also has its factory and headquarters in Iisalmi. Profile Vehicles makes ambulances and police cars. Iisalmi has its own railway station on the VR network. The line between Iisalmi and Oulu was electrified in December 2006, replacing diesel haulage of trains.

• Illustration — Iisalmi Youth Center

Iisalmi, even though being a relatively small town, has many cultural events on small and somewhat larger scales. One event, of the many, is "Rompepäivät", which translates as "the days of old junk and stuff". People gather together bringing various old items, from small sewing needles to old tractors, for everyone to see and many small things to be sold. A few old restored cars, trucks, motorcycles and tractors, some of them Finnish-made, are displayed for others to see. "Oluset" is a music festival organized each July annually. The main sponsor is local brewery company Olvi. "Oluset" roughly translates to "a few beers". Also a smaller festival, "Limuset" ("Little soft drink festival" is organize as well by Olvi. "Limuset" is mainly dedicated to kids and young people, and no alcoholic drinks are sold in the area.

• Illustration — Restaurant Kuappi In the 1980s, each municipality in Savo voted for its own parish dishes. For Iisalmi, the choice was Muurinpohjalettu, a thin pancake or crêpe made of wheat and barley. • Illustration — Muurinpohjalettu According to the Guinness Book of Records, the world's smallest restaurant, Kuappi, is located in Iisalmi.

Currently the most famous Iisalmi-based band is a humorous country-rock orchestra Halavatun Papat. A rough translation of the name is "Damn Grandfathers". 20th-century composer Joonas Kokkonen was born here, as were singer-songwriter Jaakko Teppo and jazz pianist and composer Jarmo Savolainen.

Iisalmi is best known for its football club, PK-37 and ice hockey club, IPK (Iisalmen Peli-Karhut). Other known sports clubs are FBI (floorball club), Iisalmen palloveikot, Klubi-36, Iina, Iisalmen Visa and Koljonvirran ratsastajat (riding club). Iisalmi has many locations for playing sports. There is a frisbee golf place near the Paloisvuori ski center. There are also many beaches in Iisalmi, for example Perttu's beach and the Beach of the City. Many beaches offer an opportunity for beach volleyball too. In winter time Iisalmi offers ski trails and skating rinks; winter sports fans may also go downhill skiing and snowboarding at the Paloisvuori ski center. In addition, Iisalmi has facilities for gym workouts, swimming, motorsports, bowling and minigolf.

Iisalmi is twinned with: • Notodden, Norway • Pécel, Hungary • Nyköping, Sweden • Lüneburg, Germany • Nykøbing Falster, Denmark • Kirishi, Russia • Võru, Estonia