Kemi, a small industrial town located in Finnish Lapland on the plains of the Gulf of Bothnia, is famous for its unique Sampo, the world's only icebreaker specially outfitted for tourist use, Kemi Gemstone Gallery with its glittering treasures, and its impressive SnowCastle built each year.
Earlier Kemi citizens concentrated on exploiting the potential of winter, snow and ice. When in 1987 Kemi Town acquired the icebreaker Sampo it converted it for the use of tourists. She can accommodate 150 guests at a time on

its exciting wintry cruises to the icy plains of the Gulf of Bothnia. The Gemstone Gallery tempts tourists, too. Since 1996 an enormous SnowCastle built in Kemi has become its hallmark.
The "snow- business" has been a fascinating tourist attraction. At the threshold of the new millennium we have had more than 1 200 000 visitors in our four castles, including guests from Iraq and the Ivory Coast.
The idea to build the first SnowCastle, arguably the World's Greatest one, was instigated on the touristic icebreaker Sampo, during one of its Icy Cruises. As the snow castles are built with natural resources, tap water and snow pipes, removable metal frames are used to keep the snow in place before it freezes. Every year the SnowCastle offers an ecumenical chapel for weddings, baptisms and worship services and a snow

restaurant for 200 visitors.
The Millennium SnowCastle will open its gates on February 4th 2000 and they will remain open until the end of April daily from 10 a. m. to 8 p. m. The new castle is a tribute to a new millennium, an exotic combination of Italian style architecture and arctic conditions. It is full of wellknown details from earlier SnowCastles, including impressive medieval towers. The SnowCastle is now approached along a Castle Park decorated with ice sculptures. From the park you step across a drawbridge, as in the castles of bygone days, into a gallery containing glass art works that leads you into the centre of The SnowCastle's courtyard, where you discover dazzling white snow buildings and a magnificent icy fountain.
During the winter 2000 the SnowCastle offers you rooms decorated with warm Lappish handicraft, beds for many adventurous visitors to spend a night, even a wedding night! A real arctic experience! 
The art gallery introduces the Designer Finnish Glass Art of Iittala and for children there will be a playland featuring several huge ice- slides and a stage. In 2000 the ecumenical chapel will be built to resemble the ruins of a medieval church in the Roman Catholic style with the vaults partially open.
Many famous performers have appeared on the SnowCastle's stage during the four previous winter seasons.
The SnowCastles have projected a beautiful and exciting image of Kemi. Together with the arctic cruises on the icebreaker Sampo the enchanting SnowCastle has been a Landmark in utilising Kemi's natural winter Beauty. These developments have rightly earned Kemi the reputation as the Cultural Showpiece of Northern Finland.

Lahti, the seventh largest city in Finland, is a lively city just one- hour drive from Helsinki. Located by the Lake Vesijarvi Lahti is a gateway to the Finnish lake district and the urban profile is dominated by the magnificent scenes of the Salpausselka ridge and beautiful lakes, ski- jumping hills. Lahti is a city of nature: there are nature trails around the city, one even in the centre, passing the biggest musical fountain in Scandinavia and Lanu Sculpture Park in Kariniemi park.
Lahti is a versatile cultural city: highlevel music education, choirs and a superb Lahti Symphony Orchestra give musical experiences. Also a famous theatre, many art galleries, museums and cultural happenings like the Lahti International Writer's Reunion, the Poetry Marathon and the International Lahti Organ Festival offer magnificent culture to the people of all over the world.

The Sibelius Hall

Lahti Sport Centre is located only one kilometre away from the centre and different possibilities to compete all kind of sports, all year around, are available to everyone. In winter there are many crosscountry ski trails, and a downhill ski centre Messila is situated near to Lahti. Several annual competitions like Lahti Ski Games, Finlandia Ski Race, the Salpausselka Games, Elite Games and top football matches attract large crowds of spectators to the Sport Centre. In 2001 Lahti will host the Nordic World Championships for the sixth time.