Lahti (Lahtis in Swedish): Finland

Lahti is a Finnish city of 98,253 inhabitants (2003), bordering the Vesijärvi lake. It became a city in 1905. Originally a part of Hollola, it has since grown considerably larger than its current neighbor. The symbol of the city is a burning train wheel. The terrain is unusually hilly, the city being situated on a series of ridges created in the last glacial period.
Lahti is best known for its annually held winter games called “Salpausselän kisat�. The city endeavours for achievements in sport, which has led to such things as the hosting of a World Games event. The city also has an Association Football (soccer) club, FC Lahti, and a rather poor ice hockey team, the Lahti Pelicans. Lahti also has perhaps the best known symphony orchestra in Finland, Sinfonia Lahti. It concentrates in Sibelius’s music.
It is also a significant railroad crossroad and the site of two enormous radio masts, which once were used for the longwave transmitter of the Finnish broadcasting company. Nowadays the former transmitter building holds a museum. Lahti also harbours cultural ambitions, and recent years saw the building of a large congress & concert center, the Sibelius Hall. This has sparked much controversy amongst the population, many of whom feel that the money used for these purposes would be better spent in health care and education.
Lahti has a lot to offer in the education sector. It has several vocational schools and a polytechnic with numerous schooling branches.
Status and Area
Town status granted 1905
Province South Finland
Region Päijät-Häme (Lahti Region)
Administrative status Regional capital
Population of municipality ca. 156 000
Population of region served ca. 222 000
AREA
Total surface area 154.5 km²
Land surface area 134.9 km²
Water area 19.6 km²
Area included in town plan 64.3 km²
Population density /km² land 728
DISTANCE BY ROAD (km)
Helsinki 104
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport 99
Tampere 126
Turku 213
Jyväskylä 167
Lappeenranta 148
Kouvola 62
Hämeenlinna 73
Oulu 505
Other meanings
Aimo Johannes Lahti (1896-1970) was a famous Finnish weapon designer.
Christine Lahti is an American actress.