Källälivi

Källälivi
Capital city
Källälivi financial district Kansallismuseo Mikkola Bridge Old President's Palace Eduskunta building Esplanadi
Country	Valkea
Province	Löysimaa
Municipality	Källälivi
First mention	1240
Charter	1336
Capital city	1447
Government
• Mayor	Kristiina Ojala
Area
• Capital city	394.26 km2 (152.22 sq mi)
• Urban	916.57 km2 (353.89 sq mi)
• Metro	4,728 km2 (1,825 sq mi)
Population  (2019)
• Capital city	1,243,825
• Density	3,200/km2 (8,200/sq mi)
• Urban	2,787,293
• Urban density	3,000/km2 (7,900/sq mi)
• Metro	4,294,631
• Metro density	910/km2 (2,400/sq mi)
Demonym	Källälivian
Postal code	0001-0150, 0300-0320, 0340-0350
Website	www.kallalivi.vk

Källälivi is the capital and most populous city of Valkea. Located on the shores of the Bay of Valkea at the mouth of the Vikkelä River, it is the seat of the province of Löysimaa and has a population of 1,243,825 within the municipality, 2,787,293 in the urban area, and 4,294,631 in the metropolitan area. Together with the nearby cities of Vuornaa and Sorvisto, Källälivi forms the core of the Greater Källälivi area, the largest metropolis in Valkea and one of the largest in Northern Lorecia.

The area has been continuously inhabited by human populations for the past 7,000 years. It became a trading hub during the medieval era due to its natural harbor and strategic position in the Bay of Valkea. Källälivi was granted charter in 1336 and became the capital in 1447. With the Valkean monarchy based in the city, Källälivi would grow to become the largest and most prosperous city in Valkea over the coming centuries. It continued to be the capital city upon the establishment of the Republic in 1923.

Källälivi serves as the political, economic, and cultural center of Valkea, as well as a major hub for finance, manufacturing, and trade. The city is an education, science, and research hub among Lorecian cities and hosts many of Valkea's top ranking universities such as the University of Källälivi, the National University of Technology, Källälivi School of Economics, and the Sakarias Ilves University of Art and Design. It is also a leading industrial hub, home to some of Lorecia's largest companies as well as numerous small startup businesses. Major corporations who have headquarters in Källälivi or have significant regional offices in the city include Architect, Valkean Electric, Valteo Motor Group, and Impiö.

Källälivi has one of the highest standards of living in Astyria, having ranked as the most livable city in 2015. It is one of Lorecia's most attractive and most visited cities, drawing in millions of tourists every year. Some of Källälivi's major landmarks include Mikkola Bridge, the Esplanadi, Källälivi Cathedral, and the Kansallismuseo. Källälivi is one of Astyria's most multicultural cities, with a large and thriving immigrant population from various countries in the region. The Port of Källälivi is the largest and busiest port in Valkea and in Northern Lorecia. Källälivi Vuotola Airport, located in nearby Vuornaa, is Valkea's busiest airport and serves as the primary aviation hub for Greater Källälivi.

Etymology

The name Källälivi is a Valkenization of the medieval Vikalki name for the city, Källalivet, which means "water of life". According to Valkean legends, the Vikings discovered a natural spring in the area that was said to have healing qualities, which was then revered as a sacred site by locals. The first mention of Källalivet referring to the settlement was in 1240.

History

The first humans settled in the area of the Vikkelä Estuary as far back as 5000 BC, as evidenced by archaeological findings. However, the first permanent settlements did not appear until the 1st century AD. The livelihood of people in this area was subsistence hunting and fishing, with limited evidence of agriculture in certain settlements. Vikings arrived in the area in the 10th century, raiding and pillaging numerous communities and establishing their own settlements.

Sometime in the early 12th century, a church was erected near the spring. Over time, a village began to form around the church, which grew into a town by the beginning of the 13th century. The town rose to prominence as a center of trade in the 13th century, due to its location between Valkea Proper, the Lakelands, and the Kingdom of Valkea's recent conquests in Funland (now part of Löysimaa). Källälivi was granted city charter status by King Knut the Tall in 1336. A fort was constructed in 1363 in what is now the Vanhalinna district. In 1447, the royal court moved from Tuuvalo to Källälivi, elevating the city as the de facto capital of Valkea.

Transportation

Aviation

The Källälivi metropolitan area is served by two airports: Källälivi Vuotola Airport and Källälivi Nalkki Airport.

Vuotola Airport, located 22 kilometers to the north in the nearby city of Vuornaa, is the larger of the two and serves as the city's main commercial aviation hub. It handles over 50 million passengers per year and is the home of national flag carrier Valkea Airlines. Nalkki Airport is located 12 kilometers to the southeast and serves as a hub for low-cost carriers Aurora Skyways and Astyrian Global Airways.