History Lahti

lahti town plan 1878 alfred caween.



a map of lahti made nils westermark in 1750–52

the completion of riihimäki – st. petersburg railway line in 1870 , vesijärvi canal in 1871 turned lahti lively station, , industrial installations began spring around it. long time, railway station @ vesijärvi harbour second busiest station in finland. craftsmen, merchants, few civil servants , lot of industrial workers mixed in existing agricultural peasantry.

on 19 june 1877, entire village burned ground. however, accident proved stroke of luck development of place, led authorities resuming deliberations establishing town in lahti. village granted market town rights in 1878 , empire-style, grid town plan approved, included large market square , wide boulevards. grid plan still forms basis of city center. of buildings low wooden houses bordering streets.

lahti founded during period of severe economic recession. russian empire encumbered war against turkey. recession slowed down building of township: land not sell , plots not built on time. in years, town meagre 200 inhabitants small provide kind of foundation trade. @ end of 1890s, lahti s township board increased efforts enable lahti turned city. in spring 1904, efforts bore fruit senate approved of application, although eighteen months before tsar nicholas ii gave blessing , issued ordinance establishing city of lahti.

at end of 1905, area comprises lahti accommodated around 8,200 people of whom under 3,000 lived in city itself. essential municipal institutions built in ten years, including hospital , city hall. @ same time, rapid increase in brick houses taking place in centre of city. battle of lahti fought in 1918 finnish civil war german detachment brandenstein took town reds.

in 1920s city gained possession of grounds of lahti manor, important piece of land blocking city lake. large-scale industrial operations grew rapidly in 1930s did population; lahti, @ time, 1 of finland s fastest-growing cities, , before start of winter war population approaching 30,000.

through addition of new areas in 1924, 1933 , 1956, lahti grew, both in terms of population , surface area. strong growth after wars, when lahti accepted 10,000 immigrants karelia, after region surrendered soviet union, , later in 1960 , 1970s result of mass urbanization. population growth came sharp end in 1975 , city has since grown little, latest notable growth in population happening in 2016 when municipality of nastola became part of lahti.