The colors red and black in the coat of arms are typical for Karelia. The wavy line symbolizes the location of the city on the banks of the Pielisjoki River, and the crown of the wall symbolizes the proximity of the eastern border of Finland.


Joensuu, the capital of the province of North Karelia, is located at the mouth of the Pielisjoki River, on the northern shore of Lake Pyhäselkä, and is the second largest city in eastern Finland in terms of population.
The city of Joensuu, located at the mouth of the Pielisjoki River, was founded by the Russian Tsar Nicholas I in 1848 and is now the largest city and capital of North Karelia. Thanks to its convenient location, the city developed into an important center for water transport, and especially after the construction of the Saimaa Canal in 1870, trade between other Finnish cities as well as St. Petersburg and regions on the Volga, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea played a significant role. Especially for the regional timber industry, the importance of the Pielisjoki River cannot be exaggerated.
The proximity of the Russian border has also had a strong influence on life in North Karelia, and especially the ties between the region and Russian Karelia are traditionally firm. The Niirala border crossing is located just one hour from Joensuu and is used by about one million people every year.
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