Joensuu

Joensuu is a Finland city situated in the eastern part of the country. The Pielisjoki River running through the heart of the city has played a key role in the city’s commerce and trade. The Czar Nikolai I of Russia founded the city in 1848, which is the center of the region and the capital of North Karelia. The last century has witnessed the Joensuu city as a center of manufacture and commerce. The small agrarian town has developed into a vital center of the province. With the successful regional annexations and the establishment of the province of Karelia and educational investments, has played a decisive role in the city growth.

The year of 1860 saw the city receiving special rights to commerce and the restrictions against industry were removed. Water traffic was improved by the building of the Saimaa Canal. By the end of the last century, Joensuu was one of the largest harbor cities in Finland. Throughout the centuries, Karelian traders have travelled along the Pielisjoki River, which has always been the lively heart of the city. With the completion of canals, in 1870 the river traffic increased. Thousands of steamboats, barges and logging boats sailed along the river during this golden age of river traffic. The Pielisjoki River has also been an important log-raft route, providing wood for the sawmills and for the whole lumber industry.
 
The Joensuu weather is marked by cold winters and warm summers. The highest daytime temperatures in Joensuu during the summer occasionally rises over 25 degrees centigrade. During the winter months, particularly in Jan and Feb, temperatures of minus 20 degree centigrade are common. However, due to low humidity, the Joensuu weather is actually not as cold as temperature readings might show. This pleasant weather draws tourists to the region.
 
One of the most beautiful features of this city is the large amount of natural space and forest that surround the area. In fact, forestry is an important industry in this region. The University of Joensuu contributes to a young and vibrant demographic, making this city a mosaic of nightlife, adventure and culture. The city’s student population provide with a vibrant nightlife in Joensuu. The city’s surrounding areas offer opportunities from skiing to mountain climbing to camping and water sports. In the summer Ilosaarirock, a popular music festival, takes place and is a favorite with citizens and travelers alike. There is so much to see and experience in the urban wilderness of Joensuu that visitor’s fall short of days for exploring the whole region.