Vantaa History Facts and Timeline

(Vantaa, Uusimaa, Southern Finland, Finland)

The city suburb of Vantaa is part of the Greater Helsinki metropolitan area that also includes Espoo and Kauniainen. On its own, this is Finland's fourth-largest city. It is primarily known as being the site of the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, Finland's primary international airport. It is also home to the Heureka, an important centre for scientific research.

The history of Vantaa mirrors that of its neighbours Espoo and Kauniainen, in that it was an insignificant agricultural and market town until as recently as the 1970s, when the Helsinki metropolitan area began to develop outwards.

The Helsinge Area

While this certainly feels like a brand new city on the surface, it has, in fact, been settled since the 14th century. The first mention of Vantaa in history annals comes from 1351, when Magnus II, King of Sweden, awarded exclusive fishing rights for salmon in the Vantaa River to the monks of the Padise Monastery. At the time, the area surrounding the modern-day city was known as Helsinge.

Giving Name to a City

One of the city's most significant contributions to the nation of Finland, and Helsinki in particular, comes from the rapids on the river. The Swedes, who ran the show in what is now Finland for centuries, called the rushing rapids of the Vantaa River 'Helsingfors' in their native Swedish tongue. From this term, and the importance of the rapids channel, Helsinki got its name.

Joining the Club of Helsinki Suburbs

Although the city obviously takes its name from the river that flows through its territory, it was traditionally known as Helsingin Maalaiskunta (meaning 'municipality of Helsinki'). This implies that the market town where Vantaa stands today was always considered to be a part of the Greater Helsinki area.

It wasn't until 1972 that the official title and status of market town was granted (Vantaan Kauppala), and in 1974, the town finally received official city status and was subsequently renamed Vantaa.

Modern Achievements

In the records of Finnish history, Vantaa is about as obscure as it comes. The city reached its first level of notoriety when the Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport was opened to deal with the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. Even today, the airport is the main attraction in this north-eastern suburb of the Finnish capital.

Another important institution located in the city is the Heureka, an innovative and popular science centre dedicated to promoting scientific knowledge to the general public. Located within the district of Tikkurila, this is a particularly popular venue for kids, who get a very hands-on experience with the fundamentals of science, although many adults find the exhibits equally engaging. The Heureka's planetarium is another big attraction at this science centre.

There are also a handful of tourist attractions based here that add some cultural depth to the city. The City Museum showcases specific local history, while the Vantaa Art Museum features a regularly changing collection of travelling art exhibits from around Europe. Aviation fans will also find the lauded Finnish Aviation Museum a great excursion at the international airport.

Negative Press

Not all of the city's achievements have been positive. It gained notoriety in October 2002 when a local terrorist exploded a bomb in the popular Myyrmanni shopping complex. The bomber was a 19-year-old student from the local Espoo-Vantaa Institute of Technology. He killed six innocent civilians, as well as himself in the senseless explosion that marred the city's modern history.