Kankaanpää


Kankaanpää is a town and municipality of Finland. Kankaanpää was founded in 1865, became a township in 1967 and finally a town in 1972. It is located in the crossroads of Hämeenkangas and Pohjankangas ridges. It belongs to the region of Satakunta. Kankaanpää has a population of about inhabitants.

History

First signs of humanity in the area are from the stone age and during the 16th century people started to settle in Kankaanpää area. Oldest houses that area found from the documents of Sweden-Finland are from the 1560 decade. There were three houses in Kankaanpää then: Honko, Oukari and Päivike.
The oldest passage in the province was from Hämeenkyrö through the ridges to Kauhajoki. In the 17th century it was the most important road between southern Finland and Ostrobothnia. The king of Sweden visited Kankaanpää twice. Gustavus Adolphus travelled from Ilmajoki to Hämeenlinna through Kankaanpää in 1614 and Adolf Fredrik had a rest in Kuninkaanlähde spring to water his horses and to eat in 1752. The spring was named after this event.
The church of Kankaanpää has been built in 1839. Architect of the church was C. L. Engel.

Climate

Based on the village of Niinisalo about 5.7 km northeast of the site the climate is a continental subtarctic frontier considering that the warmest fourth month is around 9 °C, which puts Kankaanpää in a humid continental climate being closer to Helsinki than Oulu, it also means that summer is more consistent and warm but winters are still cold. The municipality is considered one of the rainiest of Finland with 571 mm only during a growing season in 1995. Being the growing season from early May to October 10.

Politics

Results of the 2011 Finnish parliamentary election in Kankaanpää:
Kankaanpää offers basic education with 6 elementary schools and a secondary school. There is also a trade school and a polytechnic school which will be abolished in near future. The Artillery School in the Artillery Brigade provides university-level education for all future career artillery officers.

Culture

Kankaanpää town museum is presenting the life in Kankaanpää during the last 100 years.

Military

It is located near the Pohjankangas Training Area, which is capable of housing main battle tanks used by the United States Marine Corps.

International relations

Twin towns — sister cities

Kankaanpää is twinned with: