Finlayson, Tampere, Finland - SpottingHistory.com

Finlayson ironworks and metallurgy factory was established in 1820 by the Scottish industrialist James Finlayson when he was noticed the energy potential of the free rapids in Tampere. Machine business was not very profitable and Finlayson started to manufacture and weave cotton yarn and textiles. James Finlayson sold the factory to Carl Samuel Nottbeck and Georg Rauch already in 1836. Oldest still existing building, "Kuusvooninkinen" or the "Old Factory", was completed in 1837. It was the first modern industrial building in Finland including for example an automatic sprinkler system.

Finlayson factory extended quickly. In the 1850s it was already the largest factory site Nordic countries. In 1900 Finlayson had nearly 3300 employees and it was a “town inside the town”. Finlayson had its own church, school, ships and electric railway. First electric light in Finland was also turned on in a building called Plevna (1882). Nottbeck family built two magnificent palaces near the factory area.

During the Finnish Civil War in 1918 Tampere was the center of red army. Poor living conditions turned Finlayson and near Tampella factory labour to support the socialism and many of them were joined to red guards. Heavy battles were fought in the factory area and city centre. Plenty of Finlayson workers were died in battles of executed when the white army conquered Tampere.

Finlayson textile business was downsized seriously since the 1980s and manufacturing ended in Tampere in the beginning of the 1990s. Today there are museums, offices, movie theater and shopping centre in old factory buildings. The rapids together with old red-brick factory buildings make the area one of Finland's national heritage landscapes.

Risto (SpottingHistory admin) said 10 years ago

Thanks Mari, very good clarification. I updated the description.

Mari from Switzerland said 10 years ago

In your article you mention that James Finlayson is English industrialist, however, I need to correct that he is Scottish.

User Reviews

Frequent Worldtraveller (14 months ago)
Unique surrounding in the best town in Finland. Landscape beautiful and perfect for a nice stroll around the Tammerkoski rapid.

Justyna A (14 months ago)
It was nice to take a walk there, however it was so cold and windy that we didn't stay there long. But for sure the place has a great industrial spirit. I hope to come back there on summer time.

Filippo M (2 years ago)
Finlayson became the largest industrial enterprise in Scandinavia. This growth was based on unique courage and open-mindedness. The company’s weaving hall had the honour of switching on the first electric lights in the Nordic. The company had its own hospital, daycare centre, school, fire brigade, pharmacy and nursing home. The company even its own social security system at a time when no one had yet heard of such a thing. More significantly, Finlayson was the first company in Finland to offer women an opportunity to an independent life: an apartment and livelihood. Women’s status in Finnish society is evident in the fact that in 1906 Finland became the first country in Europe to grant women the right to vote.

Sami Mehtonen (2 years ago)
Atmospheric, decent restaurants and services for most tastes. Even the interior has kept some of the rustic factory vibe. Great archotecture, great food. Great for photo ops too!

Laura Wilkinson (2 years ago)
Beautiful and surprising. Can find new little nooks. Home to many nice restaurants and cafes. Lovely place in the summer but also worth seeing in winter.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Govisity / Tip na Trip / kosice.guide

Historic Site of the week

Spisskà Kapitula

Spišskà Kapitula, a unique fortified ecclesiastical ensemble, began as a small fortified settlement overlooking Spišské Podhradie in the 12th century. It was the site of the residence of the Provost of the castle, in the no longer extant St Martin"s monastery, and later became a capitulary. This was destroyed in by Tatars in 1241-1243, but the pilgrim"s chapel, in rotunda form and dedicated to the Virgin, survived until the 18th century and the monastery until the 15th century.

The complex of buildings there is based on the Cathedral of St Martin, where building began in 1285 as a three-aisled Romanesque basilica with a chancel at the west end and a double spire. It owes its present form to successive remodellings and additions in the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles.

The Provost's residence was completed in 1281 and further religious buildings were added. Frequent raids by marauding Bulgars and others led to its being fortified in the 14th century. The cathedral was rebuilt in the later 14th century. In 1776 it became the residence of the Bishop and four years later a seminary was established. In 1819 the first teacher training centre in Hungary was founded there.

The Bishop's Palace is largely Baroque, with some excellent interior decorations, like many of the religious buildings in the group. The oval ground plan of the centre of the town is due to its having been fortified in the 14th century. The various religious buildings had defensive functions in this early period. New monastery buildings were erected when the provost"s residence was rebuilt and the whole area fortified. The earlier central fortifications were removed in the 18th century.

Spišské Kapitula is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Levoča, Spiš Castle and the associated cultural monuments.

Do you know an ancient castle or magnificent church near you?

Why not share it with other people interested in history? You can add your own historic sites and attractions to SpottingHistory.com.

It's absolutely free, easy, and doesn't even need registration!

Upload data

Finlayson

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Hidden Gems of Finnish Archipelago

House of the Dragon Filming Locations

Historic Landmarks of Sicily

Historic Site of the week

Spisskà Kapitula

Looks like you are a history fan!