Details
Founded: 1900sCategory: Historic city squares, old towns and villages in Finland
Historical period: Russian Grand Duchy (Finland)
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Pispala is a city district located on the northern slope of Pispalanharju, the highest esker in Finland. Together with Pyynikki, Pispala is widely considered the most beautiful district of Tampere and tourists are often guided there for the view and the unique urban design features of the area.
Pispala is named after the House of Pispa, which had the obligation to house the bishops during their travel. Pispala was all farming land until as recently as 1869. As Tampere was industrialised Pispala grew without a unified local development plan, resulting in unique building styles and solutions. Pispala has always had a strong labour background and in the beginning of the 20th century it was the heart of labour movement in Tampere. In the Civil War (1918) Pispala was the last stronghold of besieged red guards and lot of local inhabitants were killed in the war or executed after it.
Today Pispala is a popular residential area and together with neighbouring Pyynikki it forms an important historical area of Tampere. The unique architecture of small wooden houses and narrow streets is very well-preserved. Many well-known Finnish artists and celebrities have lived and live in Pispala including Lauri Viita, Olavi Virta, Mikko Alatalo, Hannu Salama, Seela Sella, Keith Armstrong, Aaro Hellaakoski.
A monument to the Finnish poet Lauri Viita is located near the highest point of the ridge and there is a famous landmark in the area called the Shot tower (Pispalan haulitorni).
Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.
The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.
Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.