At the beginning of June 2018, another of the planned professional excursions abroad took place, which are organized by the Steel Strip Society for its members and are carefully prepared in cooperation with a selected foreign company whose development activity or production program is related to the issue of steel strips and sheets. This year, by mutual agreement, the members of the Company visited SSAB Hämmenlinna – Finland, where cold-rolled steel strips with increased strength and hardness are produced.
The main goal of the excursion was focused on the professionally thematic part, but an accompanying program was also prepared for the participants of the event, which included the tourist and historical area from the visited place of the excursion and its surroundings.
EXCURSION PROGRAM:
Thursday 7 June 2018: Departure from Prague, arrival in Helsinki in the afternoon. Tour of the capital of Finland – Helsinki, which we started at the Senate Square – Senaatintori with the cathedral – Tuomiokirkko. We took the city transport boat to the Suomenlinna fortress. We also visited the remarkable modern church Rock Temple – Temppeliaukio kirkko. Arrival at the Scandic Meilahti hotel in the evening.
Friday, June 8, 2018: After breakfast, we moved to Hämmenlinna, where we had a professional excursion to the SSAB cold rolling mill. There was also a tour of the city itself with a military museum and fortress. After that we continued north. While moving, we visited Littalla-halli glass factory and its shop. We then traveled to the large lake Päijänne and stopped at the wooden church in Petäjäves. In the evening we stayed in Jyväskylä.
Saturday 9 June 2018: City tour of Jyväskylä – the center of the region is primarily a lively university and school town. The city is a real architectural jewel, because around thirty buildings were designed in the twenties of the last century by one of the world’s most famous architects – Alvaar Aalto. These are, for example, a cultural center, a city theater and a university. However, the most beautiful view of the city is from the lookout tower on the reservoir tower in Harju City Park. In the afternoon we went to the heart of Finland, around the lake plateau in Linansaaren National Park. This park belongs to the oldest Finnish national parks and covers an area of more than 150 islets on Lake Haukivesi. In addition to the rare ringed seal, we can also spot the river eagle here. In the evening, we stayed in the town of Savonlinna.
Sunday 10/06/2018: We visited the most beautiful Finnish castle Olavinlinna in the town of Savonlinna. After crossing to the nearby settlement of Kerimäk, we visited the dominant church building with a capacity of 3000 seats. It is probably the largest wooden church in the world. We continued our tour of this wonderful lake area, which gave Finland the epithet “Land of a Thousand Lakes”, by walking along the massive Punkaharju esker, which is part of the nature reserve of the same name. We spent the night in the town of Lappeenranta.
Monday 11/06/2018: After a morning tour of Lappeenranta, we reached Porvoo, the second oldest city in Finland, along the “King’s Road”. This beautiful city was founded in 1346, but it was an important trading center even before that. It consists of three important parts – Old and New Town, as well as the Empire part, which dates from the 19th century. Together we visited the medieval church on Kirkkotori square and the old town hall. This was followed by a transfer to the main Finnish airport Vantaa and a flight back to the Czech Republic.
