Overview
Rovaniemi is known worldwide as the official hometown of Santa Claus. Here's how it earned the title.
The Arctic Circle connection
Rovaniemi sits right on the Arctic Circle, the gateway to the far north — a fitting home for a figure tied to snow, reindeer and the Pole.
A famous visit & a village
After a notable visit to the Arctic Circle in 1950, a cabin was built there, and over the decades Santa Claus Village grew into a year-round destination where Santa meets visitors daily.
The legend of Korvatunturi
Finnish folklore places Santa's secret home at the remote fell of Korvatunturi — so he "works" from Rovaniemi, where everyone can reach him.