International connections

Imatra has been internationally known for centuries. The location in the border area has enabled daily international interaction since the 1700th century.

The city promotes internationality in cooperation with educational institutions, business and other organizations. The aim is to promote the residents' international interactions.

The keywords of internationalization are networks, active mobility, events, culture and visibility. We invest especially in the development of international sports and exercise tourism.

We operate actively in international cooperation networks (city networks, neighborhood cooperation, twin city connections, projects with partners) and we take care of the city's international visibility and support the development of a multicultural city.

Twin cities

Imatra has seven sister cities: Ludvika (Sweden), Salzgitter (Germany), Zvolen (Slovakia), Tihvína (Russia), Szigetvár (Hungary) and Narva-Joesuu (Estonia), Jiaxing (China) and one sister city Beihai (China). We are constantly in touch with the twin cities, e.g. regarding school groups and cultural exchange.

As a result of the Russian war of aggression, Imatra has frozen operations with Tihvinä.

Supporting twinning activities of associations

The city of Imatra supports the cooperation of associations with the twin cities' non-governmental organizations. The association can apply for a travel grant for its trip to the twinning city. The amount of support is considered on a case-by-case basis, the assistance depends on the size of the group and the quality of the trip. In 2018-2022, 7000 euros have been set aside to support twin city activities of associations. Applications should be sent to registryimatra.fi. The application can also be sent to the city of Imatra or brought to the city hall's customer service. For more information, Tea Laitimo, phone 020 617 2212.

Read more about travel allowance

 

Ludvika (1958)

The city of Ludvika is located in Central Sweden, Taalainmaa, northwest of Stockholm. The distance to Stockholm is about 220 km. The distance to the coastal port city of Gävle is about 150 km. There are about 15.000 inhabitants.

In 1919, Ludvika received town rights, at that time only 3937 people lived in the town. Ludvika was an important traffic hub for a long time. In 1858, one of Sweden's first railways was built, which connected Ludvika and the Smedjebacken and Strömholm canals. Ludvika is a lively cultural city that offers its residents many different cultural events, not forgetting sports and other leisure activities. Hobby opportunities include e.g. football, fishing, golf, ice hockey, skating, motor sports, tennis and badminton and horse riding. The nearby nature also allows for movement in nature.

To Ludvika's pages

Zvolen (1968)

Imatra's sister city in Slovakia is Zvolen. In 2003, Zvolen celebrated its 760th birthday. The first fortress was built in Zvolen in the 900th century, a new Gothic castle replaced it in the 1300th century. There are more than 43.000 inhabitants.

Today, Zvolen is home to many successful companies and a technical university. Zvolen is also a city close to nature, with a lot of green areas in the center. In the nearby 48-hectare Arboretum "Borová hora" you can admire different tree varieties, about 800 different roses and about 600 domestic and foreign cacti. There are also many nature reserves and mineral springs in the vicinity. The nearby towns of Sliač and Kováčová have long been known for their spas and beautiful nature. There are also numerous churches and other attractions in the city.

to the pages of Zvolen

Salzgitter (1971)

The city of Salzgitter is located about 250 km west of Berlin, in the state of Lower Saxony. The name of the city with more than 100 inhabitants was changed in 000 to Salzgitter. The city spreads over an area of ​​1951 km224 and consists of 2 different districts. Despite its young age, the city has a long and interesting history. The region has been inhabited for thousands of years. Iron ore and salt have determined the development of the region. Iron ore was mined before the beginning of our era, the Germans also mined and smelted ore. Salt has given the city its name.

The narrow alleys and old houses, castles and museums of the lovingly restored old town tell about history and life in the Middle Ages. Salzgitter's surroundings with its bicycle and hiking trails invite you to move. For nature lovers, the 272-hectare European bird sanctuary "Heerter See" is a special experience. 25 percent of nature's own, warm salt water (thermalsole) rises to the Salzgitter Spa from a depth of 243 meters.

The region, which was an agricultural area until the 19th century, has experienced a real rebirth after the Second World War. Economically profitable ore mining did not start until 1937, when an industrial area was built. By then, mining had not been profitable due to the composition of the ore. In addition to the most famous foundry and smelter in the region, Salzgitter AG, VW, MAN, Bosch and IKEA are located here, as well as numerous other small and medium-sized companies.

To the Salzgitter website

Szigetvár (1998)

Szigetvár, with about 13000 inhabitants, is located in the southwestern part of Hungary, near the border with Croatia, between the cities of Barcs and Pécs. The name of the city consists of two words. Sziget means island and vár means castle, i.e. a castle on an island. History tells us that the fort was built on an island surrounded by a stream. The university town of Pécs is the largest city in southern Hungary and one of Hungary's oldest cities. It is about 30 km from Szigetvar to Pécs and 20 km to the Hungarian-Croatian border. Good bus and train connections take you to Budapest.

In 1566, Szigetvár was the scene of a great battle. In August 1566, Suleiman the Great, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, came with his military forces to conquer the fortress of Szigetvár. A handful of soldiers, led by commander Miklós Zirnyi, bravely defended their country and the fortress against the Turks. There were only a couple of thousand Hungarians against a large enemy force of 100. After the battle, the Turks built the Suleiman the Great Mosque with its minarets in the fortress. The fortress has survived for centuries and is still in habitable condition. You can still see and hear the Turkish influence in the city, which was left behind by the Turkish occupation that lasted for a century and a half. Today, cooperation between Hungary and Turkey is going well. In Szigetvár, on the site of a former battlefield, there is a Hungary-Turkey friendship park, with statues of two enemies, Miklós Zirnyi and Suleiman the Great, side by side.

There are about 1000 health springs in all of Hungary, most of which are hot springs. There are also hot springs in Szigetvar, which are used for their health benefits in spas and for heating the city. With the help of hot springs, an entire district is heated.

To the pages of Szigetvár

Thick (1972)

Tihvína, located in Russia, is a twin city of Imatra. The city is located in the northeastern part of Leningrad Oblast. Roads and railways passing through the city connect St. Petersburg and the northeastern region of the country. It is 218 km from St. Petersburg to Tihvina and 500 km from Imatra. Tihvinä is located in the taiga and thus 84% ​​of the area is covered by forest. Magnificent nature, abundant forests, rivers with waterfalls and a picturesque region make the area a popular tourist destination. About 60.000 people live in the city.

Tihvina received city rights in 1773, but the first mention of the city dates back to 1383, when the city was an important religious center in Russia. The gem of the city, the Uspenski monastery, was built in the 1600th century. The monastery is still in operation and the famous icon of the Mother of God of Tihvin is kept there. The icon is one of the most famous and valuable ecclesiastical objects of the Russian Orthodox Church, the original model of which, according to tradition, was made by the apostle Luke himself.

Tihvinä is famous for the craftsmen and professionals of the region. Old traditions and economic activities have been carefully preserved. Today, Tihvina is also a busy industrial city that does international cooperation with several Western European countries and China. Cooperation between Finland and Tihvinä began in 1971, when a twinning agreement was signed between Imatra and Tihvinä. One of the most famous people from Tihvin is the composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, who was born in the town in 1844. In July 1944, the Rimsky-Korsakov Museum was opened in the house where Rimsky-Korsakov was born.

To the pages of Tihvinä

Narva-Jõesuu (2008)

Narva-Jõesuu is a small spa town with approx. 2800 inhabitants, whose main industry is tourism. Its absolute tourist asset is a wonderful kilometer-long sandy beach. Narva-Jõesuu is a neighboring municipality of Russia and the city of Narva. The cooperation agreement with Narva-Jõesuu was signed in 2008. The most important focus in the cooperation between the cities is the development of tourism. Narva Jõesuu is approximately the same distance from St. Petersburg as Imatra, so both localities are weekend recreation destinations for St. Petersburg residents.

In the 1500th century, Narva Jõesuu was a fishing base serving sea fishing for the inhabitants of the city of Narva, where only fishing huts were allowed. A permanent settlement appeared in the area in the 1600th century and it started to be called Gungerburg, according to the name given by the Germans who drifted to the area through a shipwreck. The first permanent residents in Narva-Jõesuu were the pilots who assisted the ships going to Narva along the river. Narva Jõesuu developed into a holiday paradise in the last quarter of the 1800th century. Narva-Jõesuu became known for the decorative wooden villas built in the area at the time, most of which have since been destroyed. In recent years, efforts have been made to develop tourism in Narva-Jõesuuhu. A new spa has been built in the area and old hotel buildings have been renovated.

To the pages of Narva-Jõesuu

Jiaxing (2015)

Jiaxing is a rapidly developing city in the northern part of China's Zhejiang Province. The city has a 7000-year history and has had city rights since 1780. The city is located on the banks of the Emperor's Canal, in the Yangtze River delta. Within a 100 km radius are the cities of Hangzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai and Suzhou.

4.585 million in Jiaxing. of inhabitants, in the core city about 1.3 million residents.

Jiaxing is a major concentration of the textile industry and is one of the world's largest manufacturers of leather products. There are also companies in the chemical industry and the electronics industry in the city. Logistical connections are excellent: Jiaxing has two railway stations, a multimodal seaport and 1 international airports within a 1,5-4 hour drive. The air force base in Jiaxing is being used as a civilian airport by a few.

There are 10 universities and 21 vocational training institutes in Jiaxing.

The city invests heavily in environmental issues and tourism development.

Beihai (Sister City 2017)

Beihai is a prefecture-level city in the southern part of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. The area of ​​the city is 3 square kilometers and the population is 337 million. The city center is located about 1,54 kilometers southeast of Nanning, the capital of the autonomous region, as the crow flies.

StoraEnso's factories are the factor connecting Imatra and Beihai.

Beihai is a major port city and is one of the fastest growing cities in the world.