UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Finland

UNESCO's Description

Situated on the Gulf of Botnia, Rauma is one of the oldest harbours in Finland. Built around a Franciscan monastery, where the mid-15th-century Holy Cross Church still stands, it is an outstanding example of an old Nordic city constructed in wood. Although ravaged by fire in the late 17th century, it has preserved its ancient vernacular architectural heritage.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q828417 (CC0).

Visiting Old Rauma

Rauma (Finnish) or Raumo (Swedish) is a town in Satakunta. The wooden houses in the centre of the old town are a UNESCO World Heritage site, as is the Bronze Age burial site Sammallahdenmäki about 20 km east of the centre. Rauma is the third oldest town in Finland, and has almost 40,000 inhabitants (2023). It is a historic seafaring town but in the 20th century paper milling became its main industry. The Olkiluoto nuclear power plant in nearby Eurajoki municipality is a major regional employer.

Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Rauma (CC BY-SA 4.0).

UNESCO's Description

Built in the second half of the 18th century by Sweden on a group of islands located at the entrance of Helsinki's harbour, this fortress is an especially interesting example of European military architecture of the time.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

Geography

The Suomenlinna district of Helsinki lies southeast of downtown Helsinki and consists of eight islands. Five of the islands are connected by either bridges or a sandbar landbridge. Länsi-Mustasaari (Västersvartö) is bridged to Pikku Mustasaari (Lilla Östersvartö), which is bridged to Iso Mustasaari (Stora Östersvartö), which, in turn, is bridged to Susisaari (Vargö). Susisaari was connected to Susiluoto (Vargskär) by filling in the separating waterway during the Russian period. This island, which has the greatest concentration of fortifications was renamed Gustavssvärd (Kustaanmiekka, meaning "Gustav's sword") during the construction by Sweden. The three unconnected islands are Särkkä (Långören), Lonna (Lonnan), and Pormestarinluodot (Borgmästargrundet).

History

Early on in the Great Northern War, Russia took advantage of Swedish weakness in Ingria (sv: Ingermanland) and captured the area near the Neva River as well as the Swedish forts, Nyen and Nöteborg, built to protect it. In 1703, Peter the Great founded his new capital, Saint Petersburg, in that easternmost corner of the Gulf of Finland. In the approach to it he built the fortified naval base of Kronstadt. Russia soon became a maritime power and a force to be reckoned with in the Baltic Sea. The situation posed a threat to Sweden, which until that time had been the dominant power in the Baltic. This was visibly demonstrated by the use of naval forces in the Russian capture of Viborg in 1710.

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q1292442 (CC0).

Visiting Suomenlinna

South Helsinki is in this guide defined as the part of Helsinki south of the Esplanadi and Bulevardi streets. It also includes the archipelago south of Helsinki, such as the Suomenlinna islands.

The southernmost part of the Helsinki peninsula, this is a calm part of Helsinki with the city's most affluent residential areas (especially in the Eira district), probably more than half of the embassies and consulates in Helsinki and lots of greenery including the Observatory Hill and Kaivopuisto. If you're interested in upscale fashion, design shopping and trendy cafés, this is where you should head in Helsinki. On the other hand, the western corner of this district has a more industrial character, with the shipyard, warehouses and the famous Kahvila Suomi serving traditional Finnish food for workers in the marine industries for decades.

Beyond the coastline, lined by yachts in the summer, there are several small islands that have something to offer to visitors, from outdoor activities to exclusive eateries.

Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Helsinki/South (CC BY-SA 4.0).

UNESCO's Description

Petäjävesi Old Church, in central Finland, was built of logs between 1763 and 1765. This Lutheran country church is a typical example of an architectural tradition that is unique to eastern Scandinavia. It combines the Renaissance conception of a centrally planned church with older forms deriving from Gothic groin vaults.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

History and Construction

The church was built as the chapel for the area of Petäjävesi, which has belonged to the congregation of Jämsä. The local people had been given the permission to build a graveyard and a small village church at their own expense by the crown as early as in 1728 because the trip to the nearest church in Jämsä was long, however it took about 35 years until the construction began. The church was planned and built by Jaakko Klemetinpoika Leppänen, a church builder from Vesanka. In 1821 the windows were enlarged and the sacristy was moved from the northern part of the church to the east. The bell tower was also added by Erkki Leppänen, the grandson of the original builder. The church went out of use in 1879 when the new church was built.

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q435829 (CC0).

UNESCO's Description

The Verla groundwood and board mill and its associated residential area is an outstanding, remarkably well-preserved example of the small-scale rural industrial settlements associated with pulp, paper and board production that flourished in northern Europe and North America in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Only a handful of such settlements survive to the present day.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

History

The first groundwood mill at Verla was founded in 1872 by Hugo Neuman but was destroyed in a fire in 1876. A larger groundwood and board mill, founded in 1882 by Gottlieb Kreidl and Louis Haenel, continued to operate until 18 July 1964, when the last of the old workers retired. In 1908, the mill was acquired by the Kymmene Corporation. Most of the buildings in the mill village date to the turn of the 20th century (1885–1902).

Description

Verla is a typical example of a late-19th-century wood-processing mill village. The mill owner's residence, made out of wood, and the surrounding park are located on the western side of the river along with the factory buildings, and the workers' houses are arranged in a regular pattern on the eastern side. Most of the factory buildings are made out of red brick, and despite their somewhat outdated Neo Gothic style, they were technologically advanced for the time. These include the mill, the drying-plant, a flour mill and a few storehouses. Along the river, there are three power plants, constructed in the 1920s, 1954 and 1995. Prehistoric rock art (roughly 6,000 years old) was found on the eastern side of the river, depicting elk, humans and geometric patterns in red ink.

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q217447 (CC0).

UNESCO's Description

This Bronze Age burial site features more than 30 granite burial cairns, providing a unique insight into the funerary practices and social and religious structures of northern Europe more than three millennia ago.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

Description

The burial site is located on a long ridge in a remote area off the road to Tampere from Rauma. The 33 burial cairns making up the site are arranged into distinct clusters along the crest of the ridge. Each cairn was constructed from granite boulders quarried from the cliff face below the ridge or collected on site, in typical Bronze Age fashion. Of the 33 cairns, 28 are dated to the early Bronze Age, and the rest to the early Iron Age. Several different shapes and sizes of these cairns exist at the site. Two unusual cairns are the Huilun pitkä raunio ("long ruin of Huilu"), which is surrounded by an ancient stone wall, and the Kirkonlaattia ("Church Floor"), an unusual rectangular cairn covering 16 x 19 metres with a flat top.

Visiting Sammallahdenmäki

Rauma (Finnish) or Raumo (Swedish) is a town in Satakunta. The wooden houses in the centre of the old town are a UNESCO World Heritage site, as is the Bronze Age burial site Sammallahdenmäki about 20 km east of the centre. Rauma is the third oldest town in Finland, and has almost 40,000 inhabitants (2023). It is a historic seafaring town but in the 20th century paper milling became its main industry. The Olkiluoto nuclear power plant in nearby Eurajoki municipality is a major regional employer.

Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Rauma (CC BY-SA 4.0).