Linnanmäki turns 60
This summer is particularly special for Linnanmäki, as it is the 60th anniversary of the amusement park. Over the years, more than 70 million euros have been donated to child welfare work.
The Children's Day Foundation today runs all the amusement park activities, but in the early decades several attractions - rides, games, stands and coffee houses - were rented out to external organisations.
At first, Linnanmäki was primarily a place for young adults and grown-ups, but today it is a paradise for children and the number one class-trip destination in Finland. With the Leikkilinna Museum and Sea Life, Linnanmäki now offers something to see all year round.
History
The story of Linnanmäki dates all the way back to 1907, even though the amusement park gates did not open until decades later. After the wars, Children's Day events were organised across Finland in order to collect funds for child welfare work. At first, the events were arranged on a non-regular basis but in 1945 Children's Day became a regular annual event.
Plans and dreams concerning a permanent amusement park came true when the Linnanmäki amusement park was established in 1950 by six child welfare organisations. In 1957, these organisations jointly founded the Children's Day Foundation that has been running the amusement park ever since.
On its first opening day, 27 May 1950, the amusement park resembled a shanty-town put together in a rush; it had been built in only some six weeks after signing the lease contract. Nevertheless, Linnanmäki offered just about all the attractions you could expect to find in an amusement park: those in need of speed could take an exciting ride on the Vauhtihirviöt (Speed Monsters) track, whereas the Chair Swing and Radio-controlled Cars offered fun in a bit more gentle way.
The Circus tent featured international circus artists, while smaller stands presented puppet theatre or Musta teatteri (Black Theatre) shows. There were game tents where visitors could try their luck at shooting, the Wheel of Fortune or string-pulling. Various stands and coffee houses offered snacks. This was a good foundation to build on, improve and expand.
In August 1950, Ghost Train was added to the ride offering, and the Wooden Roller Coaster construction was completed by summer 1951.
Today, after four partial renovations, the Wooden Roller Coaster remains the most popular ride in Linnanmäki. A special pride of the amusement park, the Children's Carousel that is over a hundred years old today, arrived in the park in 1954.
The amusement park has undergone renovations and improvements every year. Over the past 60 years, enormous development has taken place in games, restaurants, shops, shows, park areas and, above all, rides. New tracks, towers, carousels and water-splashing rides have been introduced every year. The development has also changed the nature of the amusement park.
In its early years, the main attractions of the park were circus artists and special treats such as candy floss and wafers, which were quite rare in Finland at the time. Today, the focus has increasingly shifted to rides and novelties on the one hand, and the relaxing atmosphere enhanced by lush plantation on the other hand.
The Children´s Day Foundation
The Children´s Day Foundation collects funds for child welfare work. For this purpose, the Foundation maintains and develops the Linnanmäki amusement park, where people of all ages can enjoy good times and have fun together. Over the years, more than 70 million euros have been donated to child welfare work
The Children"s Day Foundation wants to thank every amusement park visitor for supporting the important work for the welfare of Finnish children.
Text and photos: © Linnanmäki
More information
Linnanmäki(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)