Vallila
Vallila (Swedish: Vallgård) is a neighbourhood in Helsinki, the capital of Finland.
Vallila
Vallgård | |
|---|---|
 Position of Vallila within Helsinki | |
| Country |  Finland |
| Region | Uusimaa |
| Sub-region | Greater Helsinki |
| Municipality | Helsinki |
| District | Central |
| Area | 1.30 km2 (0.50 sq mi) |
| Population (2015-01-01) | 8 959 |
| • Density | 6,445/km2 (16,690/sq mi) |
| Postal codes | 00510, 00520, 00550 |
| Subdivision number | 22 |
| Neighbouring subdivisions | Sörnäinen, Alppiharju, Pasila, Hermanni, Toukola, Kumpula |
Vallila is a central-northern neighbourhood, bordered by Pasila to the west and Alppiharju to the south. Like Kallio, Vallila is mostly residential and has a reputation of being a working-class neighbourhood. In the past two decades people from artistic professions have found the area. Vallila though still retains its roots from 1910s to 1980s by being one of the rare neighbourhoods which still has an industrial area and abundant amount of workshop businesses.
Because of gentrification Vallila is nowadays considered a trendy area in Helsinki (like Kallio) among young adults and housing is expensive, particularly in Puu-Vallila. Several major companies, such as S Group, Telia Finland, OP Financial Group and Nordea, have their headquarters in Vallila.
Vallila is famous for its many old wooden houses dating back to the 1900s–1920s, which are spread over many blocks. Many buildings by the main streets are fine examples of Nordic Classicism from the 1920s–1930s. It is located closest to the city center of all the wooden-house residential areas in Helsinki. This area is called Puu-Vallila (Wooden Vallila). Puu-Vallila was built 1910, while the rest of Vallila was built in the 1920s and 1930s. Before this Vallila was a villa area for wealthy people living in Helsinki centre.
Perhaps the most famous scene in Vallila is the small flea market square featured in Aki Kaurismäki's film The Man Without a Past.
Ville Valo, lead singer for the Finnish band HIM, was born in Vallila.
Vallila is also the name of a basic city administrative district. It includes both Vallila and Hermanni neighbourhoods and has 12300 inhabitants (1.1.2010). Vallila itself has 7800 inhabitants.
Politics
Results of the 2011 Finnish parliamentary election in Vallila:
- Green League 26.9%
- Left Alliance 23.4%
- Social Democratic Party 15.5%
- National Coalition Party 12.5%
- True Finns 10.1%
- Centre Party 3.2%
- Swedish People's Party 3.0%
- Christian Democrats 1.6%
External links
Media related to Vallila at Wikimedia Commons
- Image gallery
Wooden Vallila
Wooden Vallila
Wooden Vallila
Vallilantie
Buildings on Hauhontie, designed by Martti Välikangas and dating from 1924–25.
Allotment gardens in the northernmost part of Vallila. Kumpula Campus in the background.
Saint Paul Church (Paavalinkirkko) and roofs of Vallila seen from the north.
