Linnanmäki

Aerial view of Linnanmäki in 2017
Location	Helsinki, Finland
Coordinates	60°11′18″N 024°56′25″E / 60.18833°N 24.94028°E / 60.18833; 24.94028
Status	Operating
Opened	27 May 1950 (1950-05-27)
Owner	Children's Day Foundation[1]
General manager	Pia Adlivankin (2014–)
Operating season	April to October
Attendance	approx. 1 million
Area	7.5 hectares (19 acres)[2]
Attractions
Total	43 (as of 2022)
Roller coasters	8
Water rides	1
Website	linnanmaki.fi

Linnanmäki (Swedish: Borgbacken, colloquially Lintsi, lit. 'Castle Hill') is an amusement park in Helsinki, Finland. It was opened on 27 May 1950 and is owned by the non-profit Children's Day Foundation (Finnish: Lasten Päivän Säätiö, Swedish: Stiftelsen Barnens Dag), which operates the park in order to raise funds for Finnish child welfare work. In 2019, the foundation donated €4.5 million, and so far has donated a total of over €120 million to this cause.^[1]

Linnanmäki is the oldest and most popular amusement park in Finland.^[3][4] It has many rides of different types and sizes,^[5] and of the all Nordic amusement parks, Linnanmäki has the most rides in relation to the number of visitors.^[3] It also has other attractions, including arcades, games, kiosks, restaurants and an outdoor stage on which different performers appear in the summer. The park is open from spring to autumn and is visited by over a million guests annually. In August 2006, Linnanmäki received its fifty-millionth visitor.^[6]

History

One of the former water towers houses an indoor roller coaster, Linnunrata eXtra.

In 1950, six Finnish child welfare organisations leased an area from the city of Helsinki for an initial period of three years in the middle of a recreational area consisting of two parks, where they set up an amusement park. The city extended the lease in 1953 and leased 5.37 hectares (13.3 acres) for the amusement park. In accordance with the city plan approved in 1956, the amusement park area was expanded to more than 7.2 ha (18 acres).^[7] In 1957, the welfare organisations established the non-profit Children's Day Foundation, which continues to maintain and develop the amusement park.^[1] Today, the site covers 7.5 hectares (19 acres).^[2]

Linnanmäki is built on a hill and derives its name from Vesilinnanmäki (lit. 'Water Castle Hill'), the name locals gave to the hilly area in the early 20th century since it had two water towers, built in 1876 and 1938, respectively. The water towers are no longer in operation and were disconnected from the grid in 2003.^[8] However, the towers are protected by the zoning plan of the city and cannot be demolished. In the future, it is hoped that the towers will be used year-round to support amusement park activities.^[8] The older, angular tower near the perimeter of the amusement park—the oldest water tower in Helsinki—currently houses the park's maintenance and storage facilities, while the newer, cylindrical tower dominating the park and its wider surroundings houses an indoor roller coaster called Linnunrata eXtra.

Since its opening in 1950, two people have died in amusement ride accidents at Linnanmäki, both caused by negligence on the part of the rider.^[9][10] In 1953, an employee, a roller coaster brakeman who was sitting in the front row after his shift on the last ride of the evening did not attach the safety bar, fell off and was hit by the train. In 1985, a guest, a boy, also sitting in the front row, had managed to open the safety bar and stood up to wave to his friends. The boy then fell in front of the train, which ran over him.^[9][10]

The park

Vuoristorata, the main roller coaster, has been the most popular ride at Linnanmäki every year since its opening on 13 July, 1951.

Linnanmäki is located in the Alppila sub-district of Alppiharju, 2.5 km (1.6 mi) north of the city centre of Helsinki, the Finnish capital. The hill where the park is located has a nice view of the city. The park has no discernible theming and feels relatively compact and densely packed; the rides and attractions are in close proximity to one another. In addition to the amusement rides and attractions the park also contains the Peacock, a historical theatre built in 1957 and known for its musical productions. In addition to the park itself, guests can also visit the Sea Life aquarium, the only Sea Life centre in the Nordic countries, opened in 2002.

The park is open from April to October, while the theatre and aquarium are operational throughout the year. The park also featured Linnanmäen museo from 1996 to 2005, a museum facility which located next to the park's main entrance and housed several exhibitions every year.

The park is easily reached from the city centre by tram lines 3, 8, 9, and bus line 23.

Rides and attractions

Linnanmäki currently has 43 rides, along with many other non-ride based attractions.^[3] The most notable ride in the park is Vuoristorata, a wooden roller coaster, opened in 1951. It is the most recognisable symbol of the park, and was one of the first permanent rides to be built at the park. Technically the oldest ride at Linnanmäki is Karuselli (a carousel), which was built in Germany in 1896 and has been at Linnanmäki since 1954.^[11]

Linnanmäki has eight roller coasters. Other major rides include three tower rides, a ferris wheel, a river rapids ride and spinning rides. The park also has a selection of family and kiddie rides.

Admission to the park is free, and most of the rides can only be ridden with the possession of a ride ticket, or the more popular wristband, which allows the wearer unlimited access to all of the park's rides for the entire day. As of 2013, the wristband costs the same for each customer, regardless of height.^[12]

Linnanmäki also hosts various events and festivals every year, such as the popular iik!week Horror Festival^[13] and traditional Carnival of Light (Valokarnevaali),^[14] which are both held in the autumn.

Mermaid hall

During the Helsinki 1952 Summer Olympics. Foreign competitors dropping mermaids at Linnanmäki.

Vedenneitohalli (English: Mermaid hall) was one of Linnanmäki's most popular attractions in 1951–1980.^[15] Young female mermaid performers, dressed in swimsuits, would lie down on a platform above a pool behind a net. For a fee, visitors tried to hit a release button on a pole at the front of the net with a ball. When the ball hit the target, a lock at the top of the platform would open and the mermaid performer would fall into the water. In the 1970s, men were also being dropped after a women's organisation drew attention to the issue in the name of equality.^[16]

Naisasialiitto Unioni, a Finnish women's organisation, considered the hall to be a demeaning place for women and in 1978 sent a letter to Linnanmäki's management. As a result, the hall was closed in 1980.^[17]

Current rides

Kyöpelinvuoren hotelli, a dark ride and ghost train at Linnanmäki.

The older water tower, built in 1876, houses maintenance and storage facilities. Front: Mustekala ride (Polyp, Octopus)

Paul Anka performing at the Peacock theatre in Linnanmäki, 1959.

Roller coasters

Name	Manufacturer / Model	Type	Opened	Notes / Info
Kirnu	Intamin / ZacSpin	Steel roller coaster, 4th dimension	2007	First compact 4D roller coaster, first 4D roller coaster in Europe.
Linnunrata eXtra	Zierer / Force	Steel roller coaster, enclosed	2000	Custom coaster layout with theme design and construction by APW Group in the UK. Built inside a former water tower. Previously known as Space Express (2000–2003) and Linnunrata (2004–2015). For season 2016, virtual reality headsets were added to enhance the experience.
Pikajuna	Mack Rides / Powered Coaster	Powered roller coaster	1990	Custom layout, train engine theme. Previously known as City Express (1990–2003).
Salama	Maurer Söhne / Xtended SC 3000	Steel roller coaster, spinning cars	2008	Custom layout, built above existing rapids ride.
Taiga	Intamin / Blitz Coaster	Steel roller coaster, launched	2019	Launched roller coaster opening for the 2019 season. Custom layout, is the tallest (52 m, 171 ft), fastest (106 km/h, 66 mph) and longest (1,104 m, 3,622 ft) roller coaster in Finland. Taiga has two LSM launches, a top hat element and four inversions.[18] The track is located mostly in the area where Vonkaputous once stood, but has elements above Pikajuna and Tulireki, too. The station and queue building is constructed on the former site of Vekkula and Kotkot.
Tulireki	Mack Rides / e-Motion Coaster	Steel roller coaster	2004	First and only operating E-Motion Coaster model.
Ukko	Maurer Söhne / SkyLoop XT 150	Steel roller coaster	2011	Currently the second tallest and fastest roller coaster in Finland.
Vuoristorata	Linnanmäki, led by Svend Jarlström	Wooden roller coaster, side friction	1951	Designed by Valdemar Lebech, one of seven existing roller coasters to feature brakemaster. Received ACE's "Coaster Classic" award in 2001.

Major rides

Name	Manufacturer / Model	Opened	Notes / Info
Autorata	Gebrüder IHLE Bruschal / Autoskooter ES-GP	1964 (renewed 1981, 2007)	Bumper cars, located beneath the ferris wheel, moved to current location in 2007. Current cars installed in 1981.
Hurjakuru	Intamin / Rapids Ride	1998	Course is 370 metres (1,210 ft) long, features a 50 metres (160 ft) long tunnel and two water falls.
Kahvikuppikaruselli	Mack Rides / Tea Cups	2002	Tea cups carousel.
Kehrä	Emiliana Luna Park / Enterprise	2009	First Enterprise made in Italy.
Kingi	Moser Rides / Mach Tower	2014	75 metres (246 ft) tall freefall tower, tallest amusement attraction in Finland.
Magia	Technical Park / Heavy Rotation	2017	Spinning ride with rising and rotating arm.
Maisemajuna	Gebrüder IHLE Bruschal / Monorail	1979	Monorail train circulating the park. Previously known as Monorail (1979–2003).
Mustekala	Schwarzkopf / Monster III	1985	Octopus ride, moved to current location in 2010. Previously known as Polyp (1985–2003).
Panoraama	Intamin / Gyro Tower	1987	53 metres (174 ft) tall rotating observation tower.
Raketti	S&S Power / Space Shot	1999	60 metres (200 ft) tall compressed air driven launch tower. Previously known as Space Shot (1999–2003).
Rinkeli	Technical Park / Ferris Wheel	2006	Ferris wheel, 32 metres (105 ft) in diameter, replaced old ferris wheel from 1964.
Viikinkilaiva	Zierer / Viking	1981	Swinging ship ride, moved to current location in 2002. Previously known as Viking (1981–2003).

Family rides

Name	Manufacturer / Model	Opened	Notes / Info
Hepparata	Gebrüder IHLE Bruschal / Derby	1982	Galloping horse ride, moved to current location in 1998.
HipHop	Moser Rides / Spring Ride	2000	Family tower ride, moved to current location in 2004.
Hypytin	Zamperla / Sky Tower	2009	Family tower ride.
Karuselli		1954	Carousel built in Germany in 1896.
Ketjukaruselli		1977	Swing carousel, moved to current location in 1998.
Kyöpelinvuoren hotelli	Gosetto / Dark Ride	1950 (renewed 1960, 1973, 1978, 1986, 2000, 2006, 2013)	Ghost train, produced by Farmer Attractions Development. The current version opened in 2013, replacing the Schwarzkopf version from 1973. The ghost train attraction has been present at the park since 1950, previously known as Kummitusjuna (1950–1972, 1978–1985, 2006–2012), Satujuna (1973–1977) and Kauhulinna (1986–2005).
Lohikäärme	Zierer / Dragon	1998	Oriental themed carousel. Previously known as Dragon (1998–2003).
Pellen talo	Gosetto / Fun House	2018	Transportable funhouse mounted on a 16-metre (52 ft) semitrailer. This temporary attraction is installed at the park until new Vekkula funhouse is built. After that the attraction is moved into a Finnish traveling funfair.
Poppis	Gosetto / Party Dance	2016	Carousel with joysticks to rotate the gondolas.
Propelli	Zamperla / Magic Bikes	2016	Carousel with gondolas that can be elevated by pedaling.
Taikasirkus	WGH / Suspended Monorail	2005	Circus-themed dark ride. Produced by Rex Studios in the UK. It replaced Around the World, produced by APW Group in 1997, and uses the same track and cars today.

Kiddie rides

Name	Manufacturer / Model	Opened	Notes / Info
Helikopteri	BN Performance Rides / Elitoys	2006	Helicopter themed tower ride.
Kuuputin	Manorplan Leisure / Stellar Swings	2003	Small carousel with lunar theme.
Merirosvolaiva	Modern Products / Junior Pirate Ship	1988	Small swinging ship ride. Previously known as Pirate (1988–2003).
Muksupuksu	Zamperla / Rio Grande	1967 (renewed 1997, 2007)	Kiddie train ride. Current train installed in 1997. Station renewed in 2007. Original track by Paul Scwingel from 1967. Previously known as Pienoisrautatie (1967–2003).
Pienoiskaruselli	Claudio Sartori	1966	Small carousel with automotive theme.
Pilotti	Technical Park / Baby Aviator	2010	Kiddie airplane ride.
Rekkaralli	Zamperla / Convoy	1995	Convoy truck ride.
Rumpukaruselli	SBF Rides / Clown Cups	1991	Small carousel with music theme.
Vankkuripyörä	Zamperla / Chuck Wagon	1996	Small ferris wheel with Western theme. Previously known as High Chaparral (1996–2003).

Attractions

Name	Manufacturer	Opened	Notes / Info
Cinema	SimEx-Iwerks	1996 (renewed 2005)	4D virtual reality cinema, current system installed in 2005. Original theatre building from 1996, original seat system was relocated to Wasalandia (2006–2016). The film changes in every two years. Previously known as Virtuaaliteatteri (1996–2001), Lintsi-Kino (2002–2006) and Kino (2007–2015). Cinema was closed for 2020–2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions, and during 2022 it was used for live action theatre productions.
Kammokuja	Rex Studios	2003	Walkthrough horror attraction, features 3D elements.

Gallery of images

• 
  Hurjakuru
• 
  Kieputin
• 
  A view from the Panoraama observation tower
• 
  Water fountain
• 
  Maisemajuna
• 
  Vonkaputous
• 
  Rolle the Clown, mascot of Linnanmäki
• 
  Linnunrata and the water tower

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Linnanmäki.

• Official Linnanmäki website (in English)
• 20th Spinning Coaster set for Linnanmäki in 2008
• Photographs and video from Linnanmäki's major rides