Ylöjärvi (Finnish: [ˈyløˌjærʋi]) is a town in Finland, located in the Pirkanmaa region. It lies to the west of the regional capital, Tampere. The population of Ylöjärvi is approximately 34,000, while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 428,000. It is the 35th most populous municipality in Finland, and the fourth largest in the Pirkanmaa region after Tampere, Nokia, and Kangasala.
Ylöjärvi is located 14 kilometres (9 mi) northwest of Tampere and 189 kilometres (117 mi) north of the capital city of Helsinki in Finland. Ylöjärvi has an area of 1,324.14 square kilometres (511.25 sq mi) of which 208.62 km2 (80.55 sq mi) is water. The population density is 30.17 inhabitants per square kilometre (78.1/sq mi).
Ylöjärvi is mainly a rural town. It does not have a clear centre; the Tampere-Vaasa highway (E12) and the Tampere-Seinäjoki railway divide the centre of the municipality into two large distinct parts: the Church Village and Soppeenmäki. The railway, completed in 1971, has no passenger seats in the Ylöjärvi area, so buses provide all public transport. The population has grown in recent years. In 1990 it was about 18,000, in 2011 it was about 30,000, and now it is about 34,000.
The neighbouring municipalities are Hämeenkyrö, Ikaalinen, Kihniö, Nokia, Parkano, Ruovesi, Tampere and Virrat. The municipality of Viljakkala was merged with Ylöjärvi in 2007. The municipality of Kuru was merged with Ylöjärvi in 2009. The coat of arms of Ylöjärvi was designed by Gustaf von Numers and confirmed in 1954.
The results of the 2025 Finnish municipal elections resulted in the Social Democratic Party being the largest political party on the Ylöjärvi council.
Contents
History
The chapel parish of Ylöjärvi was founded in 1779 by separating it from Pirkkala. The first church in Ylöjärvi, located on the site of the current church, was completed in 1781, but was destroyed in a fire caused by lightning in 1842. Ylöjärvi was founded as a municipality in 1869. Since January 1, 2004, it has been known as a town (kaupunki). The Finnish Museum of Refrigeration is also located in Ylöjärvi.
Demographics
Culture
Food
In the 1980s, overly sweeted limppu and the "sauna smoked" ham were named Ylöjärvi's traditional parish dishes.
Tree Mountain
The town is the location of Tree Mountain, land art by Agnes Denes. This work was conceived in 1983, and construction was announced by the Finnish government at the 1992 Earth Summit. Construction was complete in 1996, and the site is legally protected for the next 400 years.
Tree Mountain was dedicated in June 1996 by the President of Finland.
Notable people
Aron (born 1968), singer, songwriter, and musician
Marko Asell (born 1970), Greco-Roman wrestler and politician
Jenni Banerjee (born 1981), actress
Volmari Iso-Hollo (1907–1969), runner
Esa Keskinen (born 1965), ice hockey player
Tauno Kovanen (1917–1986), Greco-Roman wrestler
Kirsi Kunnas (1924–2021), writer, poet, and translator
Linda Leppänen (born 1990), ice hockey player and coach
Rosa Lindstedt (born 1988), ice hockey player and coach
Jaakko Löytty (born 1955), gospel musician
Eino Mäkinen (1926–2014), weightlifter
Matti Niemi (born 1937), rower
Saara Niemi (born 1986), ice hockey player and coach
Hannu Oksanen (born 1957), ice hockey player
Jaakko Syrjä (1926–2022), writer
Juuse Tamminen (1888–1962), writer
Jukka Tyrkkö (1912–1979), war writer
Antti Tyrväinen (1933–2013), biathlete
Maria Ylipää (born 1981), singer and actress
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Ylöjärvi is twinned with: