Global Treasures PORVOO Finland

Global Treasures PORVOO Finland

On the banks of the Porvoonjoki River around fifty kilometres east of the Finnish metropolis of Helsinki is the picturesque town of Porvoo. The origin of today's bishop's town dates back to 1346 and after Turku it is the second oldest town in Finland.

Porvoo was located on one of Scandinavia's most important trading routes, the historic King's Road, which became a pawn in the hands of the great powers.

In 1760 a devastating fire reduced the town to ashes. Unfortunately only a few buildings survived the catastrophe. However, the historic centre of Porvoo, with its charming old buildings, has managed to maintain much of its original atmosphere.

Porvoo's oldest building dates back to the sixteenth century yet the town's other buildings more than compensate for their lack of age by way of their pretty floral decorations.

The idyllic, narrow lanes and shopping streets as well as the colourful buildings, form a unique ensemble that is truly unforgettable. Porvoo is rightfully described as a Finnish treasure trove of mediaeval architecture!

7 Days FINLAND

7 Days FINLAND

Finland is a land of a thousand lakes and eternal forests, a land of log cabins and Orthodox churches - a midsummer's dream in the extreme north of Europe. Helsinki, 'The Daughter of the Baltic', 'The Gibraltar of the North', a dividing line between east and west and a modern and liberal minded metropolis. Founded in 1550 by Swedish king, Gustav Vasa, as a trading centre, in 1812 Tsar Alexander The First made it the capital of the Principality Of Finland. Turku is the oldest city in Finland and is the country's first capital city from where Finnish culture was born. It is still evocative of the Middle Ages. The sea, a magnificent island landscape and picturesque timber houses are typical of one of the oldest cities in the Gulf Of Bothnia, Uusikaupunki. It was there in 1712 that a peace treaty was signed between Russia and Sweden and this small, quiet town has a long maritime history. Further north is a town of seafarers and traders, Kokkola, of which the old town boasts the largest number of timber built houses in Finland. The cleric, Anders Chydenius, once lived here and laid the foundation of Liberalism, the freedom of both religion and trade. Oulu is the flourishing centre of Northern Finland. Along with its many green areas this city by the sea comes alive during the spring and summer months. Despite the harsh climate, tropical plants are popular in the city. The hilly landscape of the spacious Pallas Ounastunturi National Park is located in the north west, close to the Swedish border. Yellow-green reindeer moss and dense layers of many other varieties grow on the seemingly endless hills of primeval stone and gneiss. The plant life of this region always surprises those who encounter it for the first time. Finland is a country that boasts more lakes than any other. It is full of picturesque, natural beauty, unique cultural treasures and historic locations: a tranquil paradise set in the extreme north.

Global Treasures RAUMA Finland

Global Treasures RAUMA Finland

Located in Finland, Rauma's most striking feature is its well preserved and picturesque old town that features a total of no less than six hundred historic buildings.

Some of the wooden buildings are still inhabited while others have been fully restored and have been transformed into various retail shops.

Covering an area of thirty hectares Rauma's remarkable old buildings invoke the captivating and historic atmosphere of a lost age. The city's historic ambience is augmented by its many other facets: cafés, art galleries and boutiques fill the streets with life!

No other city in Scandinavia contains an old town that compares with the historic and romantic splendour of Rauma.

Vista Point ROVANIEMI Finland

Vista Point ROVANIEMI Finland

Rovaniemi is a lively, modern city in the north of Finland and the gateway to Lapland.

Lappiatalo is a modern building complex that contains a theatre and also a government building plus a museum and Radio Lapland.

Tourists visit this city throughout the year, a fact that seems at odds with most people's perception of Lapland as a land of icy desolation. The city's shopping malls contain a huge range of goods and all the latest gadgets are also available. Rovaniemi has always been the centre of trade in this region and has become increasingly important as a tourist destination.

Pajakyla is the home of Santa Claus and is open to the public throughout the year. At the Arctic Circle eight kilometres north of the city is a special attraction that pulls in six hundred thousand visitors each year. Several tiny log cabins contain Santa's work rooms and a number of his helpers in traditional Lap costume offer a variety of colourful arts and crafts.

The Christmas village also features an entertainment park and a reindeer enclosure. Santa's main post office is busy each month of the year and thousands of letters arrive from all over the world and millions of messages are sent via the Internet.

Once, early pioneers embarked from Rovaniemi and today it is a busy centre of tourism. From this unusual city the full spectacle of the midnight sun can be experienced, the Arctic Circle can be crossed and Santa Claus prepares for his annual deliveries!

KAJAANI FINLAND

KAJAANI FINLAND

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Global Treasures TURKU Finland

Global Treasures TURKU Finland

Turku is the birthplace of Finnish culture. Its success story began in 1229 when it became a bishop's seat and the Swedish king had a fortress built to protect the city and also to control the power of the Church.

Finland was a Swedish province until 1809. Due to its strategic location the city of Turku played an important role. A total of thirteen Swedish kings resided in the city at various times during their visits to the south of Finland and they were well protected by the high towers and mighty walls of its fortress.

In 1509 the Danes attacked and plundered various regions of Turku and laid siege to its cathedral for five days and in the eighteenth century the army of the Russian Tsar also ravaged the city.

Turku is often referred to as the birthplace of Finnish culture and its historic buildings most certainly provide a fascinating insight into its colourful past.

Global Treasures VANHA VAASA Finland

Global Treasures VANHA VAASA Finland

The founding and name of the city of Vaasa dates back to Swedish King, Karl The Ninth, even though today the city is part of Finland.

The city has always been an important centre of education. Indeed, Vaasa was the first city in Finland to possess a library.

The main goal of the Bragegården Open Air Museum was to create and preserve a typical East Bothnian farming community. It contains a total of twenty three buildings some of which are not associated with agriculture as fishing also played an important role in the lives of the local coastal population of this region.

Fortunately, due to the museum Vanha Vaasa has been able to preserve much of the Finnish Swedish farm culture of past centuries.

Global Treasures - History's Most Protected Monuments - Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and what we pass on to future generations. our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. Join us as we explore one of these protected monuments.

Rauma Finland

Rauma Finland

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Nature Parks LEMMENJOKI Lapland / Finland

Nature Parks LEMMENJOKI Lapland / Finland

Nature has always been one of the most popular attractions in Finland and the Lemmenjoki National Park is no exception.

The most impressive and also the most comfortable way to travel through the park is by boat as the scenery is, in the main, totally natural and thus has few marked paths.

Vast pine forests form part of the natural scenery in Lemmenjoki and in the southern sections of the park, birch trees and spruces are part of its indigenous flora.

For many years today's park was the sole domain of the Sámi, Scandinavia's original inhabitants, and was used by them as a traditional hunting ground and also as a grazing land for their reindeer. Archaeological discoveries revealed that the Sámi survived by hunting as well as trading in reindeer, much as they do today.

The park is covered with snow for seven months of the year. It is then that the temperature falls below freezing point and on average is between minus 8 and minus 18 degrees!

As the largest national park in Europe, the Lemmenjoki Nature Reserve is unique. With its enormous and unspoiled areas of wilderness this remarkable park highlights the captivating beauty of Scandinavia's natural landscape.

Global Treasures NAANTALI Nadendal Finland

Global Treasures NAANTALI Nadendal Finland

Just fourteen kilometres from Turku is the small, picturesque city of Naantali that is often referred to as Finland's 'Summer City'. Its origins, as well as the name, Naantali, are closely connected with a Birgitten monastery that was founded in 1443. Shortly after the creation of the monastery community of monks and nuns a settlement originated close by.

For some years the inhabitants of this small city led a relatively frugal life as when the monastery closed so did the income that was derived from it. Naantali's second financial high season came in the eighteenth century when a professor discovered the healing power of the local spring water. The water of the Viluluoto Spring was thought to have miraculous powers and soon Naantali grew into a famous health resort.

The picturesque buildings in the city's historic centre have been lovingly restored. Most of them date back to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In those days many of the buildings were farm houses as their owners earned their living from the land.

There is a fascinating abundance of arts and crafts on sale in the many shops that are to be found in the atmospheric lanes of the old town.

It is understandable why Naantali is known as Finland's 'Summer City' as well as being a treasure trove of medieval history.

Nature Wonders INARI LAKE Finland

Nature Wonders INARI LAKE Finland

Situated in the extreme north of Finland, Lake Inari, otherwise known as, Inarinjärvi, is a captivating place. Between June and October the lake is navigable by local water busses and during the rest of the year it is covered by ice.

Measuring around fourteen hundred square kilometres the extensive Lake Inari is the third largest lake in Finland.

Despite the remoteness of this region it is believed that the surroundings of Lake Inari were inhabited more than two thousand years ago by the Sàmi people.

In the past the Sàmi populated vast areas of northern Europe but in recent centuries they were more and more repressed. Since then, and still inhabiting their original settlement areas, the Sámi have become a minority. However, Lake Inari has retained its cultural importance right up to the present day.

VANHA VAASA FINLAND

VANHA VAASA FINLAND

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Medieval Finland, Naantali

Medieval Finland, Naantali

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Vista Point LAPLAND Finland

Vista Point LAPLAND Finland

Finnish Lapland is a region of around ninety four thousand square kilometres covered by forests and marshland, similar to Swedish Lapland. The local inhabitants live in harmony with nature and the six thousand five hundred Sami people have managed to preserve their unique landscape right up until the present day.

Rovaniemi is a modern and lively main town in northern Finland and the gateway to Lapland. The famous Arktikum Museum provides a comprehensive insight into life in the Artic Circle.

Two large rivers, the Ounasjoki and the Kemijoki, meet in Rovaniemi from were lumberjacks and gold prospectors once embarked upon their pioneering adventures. Today the city is a centre of tourism.

Pajakyla is the home of Santa Claus and is open throughout the year. In the Arctic Circle eight kilometres north of the city is a special attraction that attracts six hundred thousand visitors each year: several tiny log cabins contain Santa's work rooms and a number of his helpers in traditional Lap costume offer a variety of colourful arts and crafts.

In Lapland each season of the year has a special charm. The summer months are warm, in autumn the leaves shine out in golden yellow and in winter the landscape is covered with snow and ice.

The hilly landscape of the large Pallas Ounastunturi National Park is located in the north west, close to the Swedish border and its treeless slopes make it one of the most popular winter ski resorts in Finland.

Lapland is a land of countless myths and legends where remoteness, adventure and romance have managed to survive and where the power of nature is still very much alive.

INARI LAKE Finland

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LEMMENJOKI National Park FINLAND

LEMMENJOKI National Park FINLAND

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Global Treasures OLAVINLINNA St Olaf's Castle Finland

Global Treasures OLAVINLINNA St Olaf's Castle Finland

The mighty Olavinlinna Castle rises majestically above the picturesque lakeland scenery of Savonlinna in southern Finland, a former border region that was once the scene of many a bloody battle. The location of the fortress was well chosen as for many centuries the strategically-placed castle on the small granite island had to withstand attack from the Russian army.

Large sections of the castle have been extensively restored and transformed into two museums. The History Museum contains various finds that relate to the history of Olavinlinna. Unfortunately, none of the castle's original wooden furniture and fittings have survived and several devastating fires destroyed much of the castle's internal décor in the 19th century. The Orthodox Museum contains a large number of icons and cult objects of the Russian Orthodox Church and highlight the cultural influence that the Russians had on the castle.

Each June the Olavinlinna Courtyard is transformed into the main venue of the renowned Savonlinna Opera Festival. The festival is also famous beyond Finland and is one of the crowning highlights of Europe's summer festivals.

Thanks to its annual cultural events, Olavinlinna Castle is now a tranquil and historic setting for one and all.

Olavinlinna (St. Olaf's) Castle Savonlinna, Finland

Olavinlinna (St. Olaf's) Castle Savonlinna, Finland

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USPENSKY CATHEDRAL Uspenskin Katedraali Helsinki Finland

USPENSKY CATHEDRAL Uspenskin Katedraali Helsinki Finland

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PORVOO FINLAND

PORVOO FINLAND

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