Olli Paavonpoika Halonen

I'm afraid the history of Oulu City and Castle has nothing to do with the profile person Olli Halonen. History of Muhos parish and settling from there would be more relevant and enlightening. /AA

Oulu (Uleåborg in Swedish) (65°00'N 25°28'E) is a city and municipality of about 130,000 inhabitants in the province of Oulu and the region of Northern Ostrobothnia, in Finland. It is the largest and most important city in Northern Finland and the sixth largest city in the country. Its population growth rate is almost comparable with that of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.

Oulu was founded on April 8 1605 by King Karl IX of Sweden opposite the castle built on the island of Linnansaari. This took place after favourable peace settlements with the Russians, which removed the threat attack via the main east-west waterway, the river Oulu. The surrounding areas were populated much earlier. Oulu is situated by the Gulf of Bothnia, at the mouth of the Oulu River, which is an ancient trading site. One source for the name Oulu is a word in the Sami language meaning floodwater, but there are other suggestions. Oulu has been the capital of Oulu province since 1776.

In 1822, a major fire destroyed much of the city. The architect Carl Ludvig Engel, chiefly known for the neo-classical (empire style) buildings around Helsinki Senate Square, was enlisted to provide the plan for the rebuilding of the city. With minor changes, this plan remains the basis for the layout of Oulu's town center. Oulu Cathedral was built in 1832 to his designs, with the spire being finished in 1844.

From being a town known for wood tar and salmon, Oulu has evolved into a major centre of competence in the field of high technology, particularly IT and wellness technology. Other prominent industries are wood refining, paper and steel industry. The University of Oulu is located 6 km north of the city center. Oulu Airport, located in neighbouring municipality of Oulunsalo, is the second busiest in Finland.

The best known cultural exports of the city of Oulu are Air Guitar World Championships, Mieskuoro Huutajat (also known as Screaming Men), and the now defunct metal band Sentenced. The Oulu Music Video Festival (originally the host of the Air Guitar Championships) is also a significant event. The annual music festival Qstock has risen to acclaim in the past few years; headlining the 2006 festival were UK's Motörhead.