Tampereen Kauppahalli

History

	The Tampere market hall, in the center of the city, is Scandinavia’s biggest, and many think most beautiful, roofed food hall. The Tampere market hall is a part of the economic history of the region of Tampere and of whole Finland.

The market hall, which was designed by the architect Hjalmar Åberg and opened for business on June 8th 1901, was one of the biggest local endeavours of its time.

Picture: Väinö Voionmaa: Tampereen historia 3, Tampere 1932 (picture by B. Blom)


			The reason that led to the building of the market hall was the overgrown and unregulated market trade.

Picture: Viljo Rasila: Tampereen historia 2, Tampere in 1984
The marketplace, now the central square, at the time of the outdoor food market in the 1890s.

The timeline shows some of the important events in the history of the market hall.


			From the architectural details of the market hall, it is worth mentioning the large arch window of the façade flanked on both sides by circles containing the staff of Mercury entwined by two snakes. In ancient mythology, Mercury was the god of commerce. Nowadays the Tampere market hall is a protected building.



	On Tampere day everybody came to see Irwin Goodman:



Some spectators had to wait outside the hall.	IRWIN GOODMAN above the entrance on the Hallituskatu side.	The market hall was completely full.

	The Tampere day pictures are by Petri Nygren.


	At the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s, the market hall lost many of its customers to the large supermarkets. This made the merchants unify their strength, get organized and reach out to customers in new ways. The Tampere market hall set an example for other market halls struggling with the same problems. Today Tampere market hall is doing well and is an active part of everyday life in Tampere.

	The oldest merchants of the Tampere market hall are: - Since 1917 Yrjö Wigren Oy (Butcher’s) - Since 1940 Joenniemen Kukkakauppa (Flower shop) - Since 1949 Velj. Wigren (Butcher’s) - Since 1958 Linkosuo Oy (Bakery and Café) (Expanded in the year 1971 and changed the name to “Kauppahallin kahvila”) - Since 1971 Kauppahallin Lehtipiste Oy (Sells newspapers) (Used to be called “Tyynen Kirja- ja Lehtipiste”)