| Särkänniemi | |
| Location: | Tampereen Särkänniemi Oy, 33230 Tampere |
| Location2: | Finland |
| Opening Date: | May 1, 1975[1] [2] |
| Status: | open |
| Previous Names: | Neulan huvipuisto (different park at the same location 1973-74) |
| Season: | April to October (rides area) / throughout the year |
| Area: | 50,000 m2 (rides area) |
| Rides: | 30 |
| Coasters: | 5 |
| Water Rides: | 2 |
| Owner: | City of Tampere |
| Slogan: | "Särkänniemeen, Särkänniemeen" |
Särkänniemi (in Finnish pronounced as /ˈsærkæˌnːie̯mi/; 'Cape of Sandbank') is an amusement park in Tampere, Finland, located in the district by the same name. The park features an aquarium, a planetarium, Doghill Fairytale Farm, an art museum and an observation tower Näsinneula (Näsi Needle). Särkänniemi is the second most popular amusement park in Finland with Linnanmäki in Helsinki being the most popular one. Särkänniemi has five rollercoasters: the inverted coaster Tornado, the flying coaster Trombi, the family motorcycle launch coaster MotoGee and Hype, a launched steel Sky Rocket II coaster, and family coaster Vauhtimato ("Speedy Worm"). The half-pipe coaster called Half Pipe was recently removed due to multiple reasons. Särkänniemi is owned by the city of Tampere and attracts over 600 000 visitors annually.
Särkänniemi is the biggest rival for Linnanmäki as the lead amusement park in Finland. Both are about the same size.The park gave up the dolphinarium in 2016 and the dolphins were safely transported to Attica Zoological Park in Greece. The park has more than 30 rides and attractions. There are also two water rides in the park, a log flume called Tukkijoki and a river rapids called Koskiseikkailu. The roller coaster Trombi will be removed in autumn 2024.
In the future, a hotel and spa with restaurants and water experiences are planned around the amusement park, as well as new apartments. It is also possible to travel to the area by tram as part of the Tampere light rail network.[3]
This multi-purpose park is owned by the city of Tampere and boasts a variety of rides as well as both Aquarium and Planetarium was opened in 1969,[2] a children's zoo that opened in 1970, a 168m tall Observation Tower that opened in 1971,[2] The Sara Hilden Art Museum opened in 1979, and the Dolphinarium opened in 1985.
The amusement park aspect of Särkänniemi started in 1973 with the opening of Neulan Huvipuisto (Neula Amusement Park); in the beginning the park offered only a handful of children's rides. In 1975 the city of Tampere took over the operations of the fun park and integrated it into other attractions on the peninsula.
The park is located on a peninsula, about a kilometre from the city centre of Tampere, that juts out into the Black Gulf. The area used to house three different breweries in the 18th century onward and in the 20th century a huge warehouse serving the log industry was built on the peninsula of Särkänniemi. These buildings were demolished in the 1960s.
The park is easily accessible by bus line 2 and tramway line 3.
| Ride name | Type | Opened in | Manufacturer | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| steel launched sit down | 2017 | Reaches a speed of 100km/h and a height of 46m (151feet) on a 260m (850feet) steel track with one full inversion (heartline twist, sky loop) and one twisted loop. Height limit 1.4m (04.6feet). Sky Rocket II model, train 1x12. Under construction until spring 2017. | ||
| flywheel launch sit down | 2010 | Reaches a speed of 68km/h in just 2 seconds on a 364m (1,194feet) long track. Height limit 1.2m (03.9feet). Motocoaster model, train 2x5. | ||
| steel inverted | 2001 | Reaches a speed of 74km/h and a height of 25m (82feet) on a 700m (2,300feet) long track with 5 inversions (loop, tunnel, cobra roll, heartline roll, heartline roll). Height limit 1.4m (04.6feet). Suspended looping coaster, train 2x12. | ||
| steel flying | 2005 | Zamperla | Reaches a speed of 40km/h and a height of 15m (49feet) on a 391m (1,283feet) long track with 2 inversions (heartline roll, heartline roll). Height limit 1.4m (04.6feet). Spiral lift Volare model, car 4x1. | |
| Vauhtimato (Whirley Worm) | steel sit down | 1984 | Reaches a speed of 26km/h and a height of 3m (10feet) on a 60m (200feet) long track. Height limit 1m (03feet) / 1.2m (03.9feet) alone. Small Tivoli model, train 2x5. | |
| Ride name | Type | Opened | Closed | Manufacturer | Additional information | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half Pipe | Steel | 2003 | 2019 | Intamin | Reaches a speed of 69km/h and a height of 30m (100feet) on a 70m (230feet) long half pipe track. Height limit 1.4m (04.6feet). Half Pipe model, train 2x8. | |
| Jet Star | Steel | 1980 | 2012 | Anton Schwarzkopf | Reaches a speed of 50km/h and a height of 13m (43feet) on a 538m (1,765feet) track. Height limit 1.4m (04.6feet). Jet Star model, designed by Ing-Buro Stengel, car 1x4. | |
| Korkkiruuvi(Corkscrew) | Steel | 1987 | 2009 | Vekoma | Reaches a speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) and a height of 19,5 m (64 ft) on a 365 m (1,197 ft) long track. Height limit 1,2m (3ft 11in). It was the first roller coaster in Finland to include an inversion. Corkscrew model by Vekoma. 7x2x2. |