Hämeenlinna, or Tavastehus in Swedish, is a municipality and city of about 48,000 inhabitants in the heart of the historical province of Häme in the south of Finland. Today, it belongs to the region of Tavastia Proper, and is the residence city for the Governor of the province of Southern Finland. Nearby cities include the capital Helsinki (100 km), Tampere (73 km) and Lahti (72 km). The medieval Häme Castle (Hämeen linna) is located in the city.