Espoo Cathedral

Espoo (, Finnish: [ˈespoː]; Swedish: Esbo) is a city and municipality in the region of Uusimaa in Finland. Espoo is situated on the northern shore of the Gulf of Finland and borders Helsinki, Vantaa, Kirkkonummi, Vihti and Nurmijärvi. The city also includes the enclave of Kauniainen. The city of Espoo covers an area of 528.03 square kilometres (203.9 sq mi) with a population of 311,888, placing it as Finland's second most populous city. Espoo is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, where more than 1.5 million people reside.Espoo was settled in the Prehistoric Era, with evidence of human settlements dating back 8,000 years. However, the population disappeared during the early Iron Age. During the Early Middle Ages, the region was populated by Tavastians and Southwestern Finns. Following the Northern Crusades, Swedish settlers began to emigrate to the coastal regions of modern-day Finland. Espoo was subsequently founded as an autonomous Catholic parish in the 15th century. Following the conclusion of the Finnish War, the decision to make Helsinki the new capital of the Russian-controlled Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812 had a significant positive impact on the municipality's growth and development. Nevertheless, the territory continued to be mainly agrarian until the twentieth century. In the years that followed World War II, Espoo underwent swift urbanization and significant demographic shifts, with Finnish becoming the majority language around 1950, replacing Swedish. The municipality attained market town status in 1963 and was subsequently granted city status in 1972.The city is characterized by a suburban landscape dominated by detached housing. Additionally, it is recognized for its expansive natural surroundings such as a 58-kilometre shoreline, an archipelago, forests, lakes, and a national park. Administratively, Espoo is divided into seven major districts, with each being further divided into smaller districts and neighbourhoods. Unlike traditional cities, Espoo does not have a central city area. Instead, it has five distinct city centres, namely Leppävaara, Tapiola, Matinkylä, Espoon keskus and Espoonlahti. Additionally, Espoo has numerous local centres formed around historical manors.Aalto University is situated in Otaniemi, Espoo, alongside a thriving scientific community that comprises various startups and associations such as VTT – the Technical Research Centre of Finland. Espoo is home to several leading enterprises like Nokia, HMD Global, Tieto, KONE, Neste, Fortum, Orion Corporation, Outokumpu, and Foreca, in addition to game developers Rovio and Remedy Entertainment. In 2015, Espoo became a member of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.

Espoon keskus (Finnish for Espoo Centre, Swedish: Esbo centrum) is the central district of Espoo, the second biggest city of Finland and the administrative centre with the city hall of Espoo. The areas of Kiltakallio, Kirkkojärvi, Saarniraivio, Suna, Suvela and Tuomarila belong to Espoon keskus. To the east, Espoon keskus borders the city of Kauniainen, an enclave within the city of Espoo. Even though Espoon keskus is located at the approximate geographical centre of the city, it is not a major population or economic center. In fact, Espoon keskus has had a negative reputation among the people living in Espoo in the past. At the moment the city of Espoo is making a serious effort to give Espoon keskus a new look. A new upper secondary school and a swimming hall have been built, the general appearance of the area is being lifted and new road building projects are about. Many people from the Finnish capital area, mainly from Helsinki, view the district of Tapiola and its environs as the real commercial centre of Espoo, even though they are very close to the city border with Helsinki.

Espoo railway station (Finnish: Espoon rautatieasema, Swedish: Esbo järnvägstation) is a railway station in the district of Espoon keskus in the city of Espoo, Finland. It is between the stations of Tuomarila and Kauklahti, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the Helsinki Central railway station. Before October 25, 2015, Espoo was the station in Espoo city that also served long-distance trains, but since then Leppävaara railway station has had that role in Espoo. The old Espoo station was built in 1903 according to plans by the architect Bruno Granholm. The station was expanded in 1909. The station building has many ornamental details. The station acted as the Espoo station building from 1903 to 1981, and the post office was also moved to the station as soon as it was finished, when the offices of the stationmaster and post officer were combined. The Espoo station is on the bridge over the tracks, and the post office is to the south of the tracks.

Entresse is a shopping centre in the district of Espoon keskus in Espoo, Finland. The shopping centre was opened on 25 November 2008 and is located opposite the older shopping centre Espoontori and the Espoo train station.

Tuomarila, (Swedish Domsby) is a district of Espoo, Finland. Tuomarila has its own railway station and a primary school.

Peltos whistle-stop (Finnish: Pellon seisake, Swedish: Åkers hållplats) was a railway halt in Espoo, Finland midway between Espoo railway station & Kauklahti railway station, about 1.8 km from each. Peltos halt was opened on 2 January 1931. The whistle-stop was planned to be abolished in 1978 but due a local small hospital and the wishes of a few locals it remained. The Peltos halt was very rarely used as the area is in a field and has very few houses near it. On 28 May 1995 Pelto whistle-stop was abolished due to extremely low number of users (estimated 5-20 per day.) There is currently nothing remaining of the whistle-stop; even the crossing was abolished in 2006. The L train was the only train that stopped at Pelto, and only if a passenger requested it to do so.

Oittaa is a district in Espoo, Finland, located on the southern shore of Lake Bodom. There is a popular camping area and a public beach in Oittaa.

Tuomarila (Finnish) or Domsby (Swedish) is a station on the VR commuter rail network located in Espoo, Finland. The station serves the E commuter line from Helsinki to Kauklahti; and the U and night train L lines between Helsinki and Kirkkonummi. The station is located between Koivuhovi and Espoo Central. It is approximately nineteen kilometres from central Helsinki. The station has two platforms, and was opened in 1931. The station is unmanned. The old station building is no longer open to the public, as it is in private ownership and as of 2021, used as a private home.

Glims Farmstead Museum is a museum located in Espoo, Finland and a branch of the Espoo City Museum. Glims tells about farming culture and rural life in the past centuries. The Glims farm was still a working farm in the beginning of the 20th century and it has been a museum since 1958. The museum area is located next to Jorvi Hospital.

FM- and TV-mast Helsinki-Espoo is a mast located on Harmaakallio hill near Latokaski, Espoo, Finland. Its current height is 326 metres (1,070 ft). When the mast was first built in 1971, its height was 303 metres (994'). Its height was increased to 326 metres (1070') in 1988, when the station was expanded, and the present mast was erected. It shares the title of third highest structure in Finland, after the Tiirismaa (in Hollola), and Haapavesi radio and TV masts. The radio mast in Kiiminki has the same height.

Gumböle is a district of Espoo, a city in Finland. It contains the city's golf course and an underground sewage treatment works opened in 2023, Blominmäki.

The Jorvi Hospital is part of The Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS) and Helsinki university central hospital (HUCS). The hospital is located in Karvasmäki, Espoo, Finland; next to Glims Farmstead Museum. Departments: • Maternity ward (one of the 3 in the greater Helsinki area) with on-call neonatologist. • Espoo town wards. • Children's wing with hospital school and 3 children's wards. • 24/7 emergency department for both adults and children's (serves mainly Espoo and adjacent municipalities). • High dependency unit. • ICU. • Nationwide comprehensive burn unit (integrated with the ICU). • 24/7 operating theatre. • Neurology ward. • Internal medicine & surgery wards.