Tikkurila is a district and major region of the municipality of Vantaa, Finland. Located in the eastern half of the Helsinki conurbation, some north of the capital's downtown district, it is the administrative and commercial hub of Vantaa, although Myyrmäki is a rival commercial hub within the municipality. Tikkurila's most popular attraction is the science centerHeureka. Tikkurila railway station is the busiest in Vantaa and third-busiest in Finland. As the nearest mainline station to Helsinki Airport, it is served by all the high-speed Pendolino trains on the Helsinki to Tampere and Lahti routes as well as other long-distance services. Some of the other communities surrounding Tikkurila are Jokiniemi, Simonkylä, Hiekkaharju, and Puistola in the Helsinki municipality.
History
Tikkurila has been a marketplace since the 16th century, from which it has also received its name. Tikkuri is an old Finnish term referring to an amount of ten, used in fur trading at the time. The road between Turku and Vyborg, King's Road, ran through the area, though the area remained a sparsely populated piece of the Helsinki Parish until the late 1800s. In 1862, the railway between Helsinki and Hämeenlinna was constructed, and one of its seven stations was built in Tikkurila, on its intersection with King's Road. The Swedish architect Carl Albert Edelfelt designed a Renaissance Revival styled station building, which has since been adapted into the Vantaa City Museum. The railway brought industry into the area, including an expeller pressing plant, which currently operates in the area as the paint manufacturer Tikkurila Oyj. The railway also induced population growth. In 1946, Tikkurila became the administrative hub of Vantaa, after Malmi was transferred to Helsinki. Post-war population growth led to Tikkurila becoming the most populated area in Vantaa, though the Myyrmäki district and major region have both since become more populated than the Tikkurila equivalents. In 1960, a neofuturistic swimming hall was completed in Tikkurila.
Culture
Finland's largest science center, Heureka, is located in Tikkurila. Opened in 1989, it is a nonprofit organization devoted to popularizing scientific information and to developing the methods used to teach science and scientific concepts. Vantaa City Museum is a museum located in the old station building of Tikkurila railway station. It is operated by the city with free admission, and is used to host exhibitions regarding the city's history. Tikkurila also hosts an annual music festival, Tikkurila Festivaali, from July to August.
Services and facilities
Tikkurila is home to several services and facilities:
is the busiest railway station in Vantaa, and the third busiest in all of Finland. Although the Helsinki Airport is not located in the Tikkurila major region, Tikkurila railway station is the nearest mainline station to it, connected by the Ring Rail Line and buses. Tikkurila railway station connections include:
Tikkurila also acts as the central bus station of eastern Vantaa, with connections to Helsinki Airport and almost all residential areas. Buses from Tikkurila also go to Helsinki.
