KaapeliWalks

Our guide will lead you through the corridors and behind the scenes of Cable Factory. You will hear stories about the varied history of the building:

What did President Urho Kekkonen serve his official guests in the Cable Factory elevator? What has Mick Jagger got to do with Cable Factory? And how was the factory transformed from a cable manufacturing plant into Finland's largest cultural center?

The first Managing Director of Cable Factory (Verner) Weckman did not use to brag about his reputation in sports. But when he was travelling abroad, it was a whole different story. Abroad, he knew how to use his achievements to his advantage when making business. In discussions with the Soviets, Weckman could all of a sudden ask: “Do you know who is the first Russian to receive a gold medal in the Olympics?” And when there was no reply or it was wrong, he growled: “It's me!” Like all the other Finns, Weckman was also part of the Russian Empire in 1906 and 1908, although Finland had its own team is the Olympics (Verner Weckman won gold in Greco-Roman wrestling, both at the Intermediate Olympics of 1906 in Athens and at the London Olympics in 1908. Source: Nokian Nalle - Jyrki Vesikangas / Photo: Sports Museum of Finland)

During the war, an order was issued that an air-raid warning should not stop industrial production. People should seek shelter only if the bombers were directly overhead. For that purpose, an observer was on the lookout on the rooftop. But the order was difficult to follow, because Russian planes came over the Gulf of Finland from their bases in Estonia, and their approach was noticed very late. Once the bombers managed to bombard the Cable Factory when [the technical director] Westerlund was just handing out salary slips to his workers. He managed to yell “get down!” before the bombs started to fall. One of the bombs hit the storage with bad rubber cables and bounced from there like a rubber ball exploding in the air. The windows were broken and the workers were scared, but serious injuries were avoided. Even the production continued after a while. (Source: Nokian Nalle - Jyrki Vesikansa / Photo: SA-Kuva)

Today, the Cable Factory houses more than 700 events a year: fairs, festivals, concerts and exhibitions for culture-loving urbanites. Annual events include Dance Theater Hurjaruuth’s Winter Circus, Finnish Painters’ Union’s art sales, Art Fair Finland, Artic Start Up, Dare to Learn Fair, Helsinki Beer Festival, Design Market, Ornamo Christmas Market and Kustom Kulture Fair. Every year, Cable Factory offers great experiences for a half million visitors. The entire cultural center will be renewed in the 2020s when the Dance House Helsinki is completed. (Photo: Cable Factory Dance Day, 29 April 2016 / Patrik Rastenberger

Come along on an adventure!

Bookings and inquiries: raisa.karttunen(at)kaapelitehdas.fi.

Are you a group of more than 15 people? Contact our sales team for group tickets: myynti(at)kaapelitehdas.fi.