Mariehamn
Mariehamn | |
|---|---|
| Mariehamns stad Town of Mariehamn | |
 | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Nickname: | |
  Mariehamn Location within the Åland Islands | |
| Coordinates: 60°06′N 19°56′E / 60.100°N 19.933°E | |
| Country |  Finland |
| Region | Åland |
| Sub-region | Mariehamn |
| Charter | 21 February 1861[2] |
| Named after | Maria Alexandrovna |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Arne Selander |
| Area | |
• Total | 20.75 km2 (8.01 sq mi) |
| • Land | 11.81 km2 (4.56 sq mi) |
| Population (2025-06-30) | |
• Total | 11,898 |
| • Density | 1,007.45/km2 (2,609.3/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 22100, 22101, 22110, 22111, 22120, 22140, 22150, 22160 |
| Website | www.mariehamn.ax |
Mariehamn (/məˈriːəhɑːmən/ mə-REE-ə-hah-mən,[3] Finland Swedish: [mɑriːeˈhɑmn] ⓘ; Finnish: Maarianhamina [ˈmɑːriɑnˌhɑminɑ]; Latin: Portus Mariae) is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. The city is the seat of the Government of Åland and the Parliament of Åland, and about 40% of Åland’s population live there. Mariehamn borders Jomala to the north and west and Lemland to the east.
Like the rest of Åland, the city is unilingually Swedish-speaking. Most inhabitants have Swedish as their native language.[4]
The coat of arms of Mariehamn reflects the city’s main livelihood, maritime transport, and its linden tree–lined parks.[5][6] The coat of arms was designed by Nils Byman and confirmed in 1951.[7]
Mariehamn’s central location in the Baltic Sea makes it a popular summer destination. Approximately 1.5 million tourists visit each year.[8][9]
History
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2022) |
Mariehamn was named after the Russian empress Maria Alexandrovna (1824–1880), meaning lit. 'Marie's Port'. The town was founded on 21 February 1861 around the village of Övernäs,[2][10] then part of Jomala municipality. The city later expanded into Jomala. It was built to a regular plan that remains well preserved. One of the oldest streets is Södragatan, with 19th-century wooden houses.
In the mid-19th century, cargo shipping developed, and several shipowners and shipyards settled in the growing town.[11]
After the First World War, Mariehamn hosted the Mariehamn Grain Fleet.[12]
On 8 November 1963, a plane crash in Mariehamn killed 22 of 25 people, Finland’s second-deadliest air accident.[13]
Demographics
[edit]Population growth
[edit]Mariehamn’s population grew steadily from under 10,000 in the late 1980s to over 11,800 by 2024. Based on data from Ålands statistik- och utredningsbyrå (ÅSUB),[14] the city’s population by year was:
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1987 | 9 966 |
| 1990 | 10 263 |
| 1997 | 10 408 |
| 2000 | 10 488 |
| 2002 | 10 632 |
| 2004 | 10 712 |
| 2006 | 10 824 |
| 2008 | 11 005 |
| 2009 | 11 123 |
| 2010 | 11 190 |
| 2011 | 11 262 |
| 2012 | 11 346 |
| 2013 | 11 393 |
| 2014 | 11 480 |
| 2015 | 11 461 |
| 2016 | 11 565 |
| 2017 | 11 677 |
| 2018 | 11 743 |
| 2019 | 11 679 |
| 2020 | 11 705 |
| 2021 | 11 742 |
| 2022 | 11 757 |
| 2023 | 11 812 |
| 2024 | 11 866 |
Foreign-born residents
[edit]As of 2018, the largest groups of foreign-born residents in Mariehamn were:[15]
| Country | Population | % |
|---|---|---|
 Sweden |
1 093 | 9.55 |
 Romania |
173 | 1.51 |
 Latvia |
163 | 1.42 |
 Iran |
101 | 0.85 |
 Estonia |
92 | 0.80 |
 Russia |
86 | 0.75 |
 Yugoslavia |
86 | 0.75 |
 Thailand |
73 | 0.64 |
 Philippines |
55 | 0.48 |
 United Kingdom |
45 | 0.39 |
Transport
[edit]Airport
[edit]Mariehamn Airport serves the city with regular flights operated by Finnair and regional airlines.[16]
Harbours
[edit]Mariehamn lies on a peninsula with two main harbours, west and east. Both remain ice-free for most of the year and experience minimal tidal variation.[17]
The Western Harbour is an international port with daily ferry connections to Sweden, Estonia, and mainland Finland. Because Åland is outside the EU customs zone, ferries call at Mariehamn to enable duty-free sales.
The city has a long maritime tradition. The four-masted barque Pommern, now part of the Åland Maritime Museum, is moored in the Western Harbour. The Eastern Harbour hosts one of the largest marinas in Scandinavia and the historic Dutch steamer F.P. von Knorring, named after Åland teacher and vicar Frans Peter von Knorring.
Roads
[edit]Three of Åland’s four main roads begin in Mariehamn: Åland Highway 1 (Main Road 1) to Eckerö, Åland Highway 2 (Main Road 2) to Sund, and Åland Highway 3 (Main Road 3) to Lumparland.[18]
Culture
[edit]Media
[edit]Mariehamn is the centre of Åland’s media. Both local newspapers, Ålandstidningen and Nya Åland, several radio stations, and the television channels TV Åland and Åland24 operate from the city.[17]
Libraries and publishing
[edit]The first public libraries on Åland opened before 1920, and a printing house was founded in 1891. The municipal library, completed in 1989, is known for its modern architecture.
Museums
[edit]- Åland Maritime Museum – maritime history and the ship Pommern
- Åland Museum – cultural and natural history of Åland
- Övernässtugan – 18th-century farmhouse
- Sjökvarteret – boatbuilding and maritime crafts centre
Architecture and landmarks
[edit]Several buildings in Mariehamn were designed by Finnish architect Lars Sonck, including the church of Mariehamn (1927), the main building of the Åland Maritime College (1927), and the town hall (1939). Hilda Hongell also designed wooden houses, though few remain.
The main parish church of Mariehamn is the Church of St George, opened in 1927, expanded in 1959, and renovated in 1972. The interior features painted wooden ceiling panels by Finnish artist Bruno Tuukkanen and golden mosaics behind the altar illustrating the life of Christ. Decorative items include a ship model, Tjerimaj, and a 37-stop organ built in stages between 1969 and 1982.[19]
Climate
[edit]Mariehamn has a transitional climate between an oceanic (Cfb) and a humid continental (Dfb) type, according to the Köppen climate classification. The Baltic Sea moderates temperature extremes, resulting in mild winters and cool summers.
Summers are cooler than in most of Sweden and Finland, while winters are milder, similar to those on the Swedish coast.[20]
- Lowest recorded temperature: −32.9 °C (−27.2 °F) in February 1979
- Highest recorded temperature: 31.3 °C (88.3 °F) in July 1941 and 2022[20]
Data from the Finnish Meteorological Institute provide climate averages for 1991–2020 and historical records since 1914.[21]
| Climate data for Mariehamn Airport: 1991-2020 averages and extremes since 1914 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C | 10.9 | 10.5 | 17.0 | 21.1 | 27.1 | 29.4 | 31.3 | 30.7 | 25.7 | 19.0 | 16.6 | 11.1 | 31.3 |
| Mean daily maximum °C | 1.0 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 8.0 | 13.4 | 17.5 | 20.8 | 20.0 | 15.5 | 9.6 | 5.2 | 2.5 | 9.8 |
| Daily mean °C | −1.3 | −2.3 | −0.2 | 3.8 | 8.9 | 13.3 | 16.8 | 16.1 | 11.8 | 6.8 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 6.4 |
| Mean daily minimum °C | −4.3 | −5.5 | −3.7 | −0.1 | 4.0 | 8.6 | 12.2 | 11.6 | 7.8 | 3.5 | 0.6 | −2.5 | 2.7 |
| Record low °C | −32.3 | −32.9 | −25.0 | −18.9 | −6.5 | −3.2 | 0.1 | −0.5 | −6.7 | −11.8 | −20.0 | −28.9 | −32.9 |
| Average precipitation mm | 53 | 35 | 38 | 31 | 35 | 53 | 52 | 76 | 61 | 70 | 71 | 59 | 634 |
| Record high °F | 51.6 | 50.9 | 62.6 | 70.0 | 80.8 | 84.9 | 88.3 | 87.3 | 78.3 | 66.2 | 61.9 | 52.0 | 88.3 |
| Mean daily maximum °F | 33.8 | 32.7 | 37.6 | 46.4 | 56.1 | 63.5 | 69.4 | 68.0 | 59.9 | 49.3 | 41.4 | 36.5 | 49.5 |
| Daily mean °F | 29.7 | 27.9 | 31.6 | 38.8 | 48.0 | 55.9 | 62.2 | 61.0 | 53.2 | 44.2 | 37.8 | 32.7 | 43.6 |
| Mean daily minimum °F | 24.3 | 22.1 | 25.3 | 31.8 | 39.2 | 47.5 | 54.0 | 52.9 | 46.0 | 38.3 | 33.1 | 27.5 | 36.8 |
| Record low °F | −26.1 | −27.2 | −13.0 | −2.0 | 20.3 | 26.2 | 32.2 | 31.1 | 19.9 | 10.8 | −4.0 | −20.0 | −27.2 |
| Average precipitation inches | 2.1 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.3 | 25 |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 17 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 155 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 39 | 74 | 130 | 207 | 297 | 296 | 312 | 235 | 163 | 91 | 41 | 26 | 1,911 |
| Source: Finnish Meteorological Institute[21] | |||||||||||||
Twin towns
[edit]Mariehamn has the following twin towns:[22]
- Iceland – Kópavogur
- Norway – Kragerø
- Estonia – Kuressaare
- Russia – Lomonosov, Russia – partnership suspended in 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine[23]
- Denmark – Slagelse
- Faroe Islands – Tórshavn
- Finland – Valkeakoski
- Sweden – Visby
Notable people
[edit]- Jeremy Duns (born 1973), British author and former journalist who lives in Mariehamn
- Gustaf Erikson (1872–1947), shipowner who operated sailing ships
- Maggie Gripenberg (1881–1976), dancer and choreographer
- Georg Kåhre (1899–1969), teacher and author
- Henrik Klingenberg (born 1978), musician and member of the Finnish band Sonata Arctica
- Stefan Lindfors (born 1962), designer, filmmaker and sculptor
- Ville Salminen (1908–1992), film actor and director
- Adelina Engman (born 1984), footballer
- Olivia Ulenius (born 2007), footballer
Images
[edit]-
Central Mariehamn -
Wooden residential buildings in Mariehamn -
Södragatan -
Ålandsvägen -
St. George's Church -
Esplanade along Storagatan -
Museum ship Pommern -
Åland Museum -
City library
,_2019_(01).jpg)
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Turism – Mariehamns stad" (in Swedish). Mariehamns stad. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- ^ a b "Sjöfartspromenaden: Upptäck Mariehamn till fots" (PDF) (in Swedish). City of Mariehamn. Retrieved 21 February 2024. Cite error: The named reference "sjöfartspromenaden" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ "Mariehamn". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ "Population according to language and the number of foreigners and land area km2 by area as of 31 December 2008". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
- ^ Suomen kunnallisvaakunat (in Finnish). Suomen Kunnallisliitto. 1982. p. 171. ISBN 951-773-085-3.
- ^ "Ahvenanmaan kuntien vaakunat 1947–1987 (I:15) – Maarianhamina" (in Swedish). Kansallisarkiston digitaaliarkisto. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ^ Mitä-Missä-Milloin, Kansalaisen vuosikirja 1980 (in Finnish). Otava. 1979. p. 165.
- ^ "Mariehamn – Visit Åland". Visit Åland. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
- ^ "Tourism in Mariehamn". Discovering Finland. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
- ^ Mann, Robert (2011). "Mariehamn Celebrates". The UBC Bulletin (1). Union of the Baltic Cities: 34. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
- ^ "A town built around shipping". Visit Åland. Visit Åland. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
- ^ Derby, W. L. A. (21 July 1937). "Mariehamn's Grain Fleet". Shipping Wonders of the World. Amalgamated Press: 746–749. Archived from the original on 2024-01-05. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
- ^ Ranter, Harro. "Douglas C-47A OH-LCA accident, Mariehamn Airport (1963)". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 2024-01-05. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
- ^ "Population by year". ÅSUB. Ålands statistik- och utredningsbyrå. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ "Foreign-born residents by country of birth". Statistics Finland (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- ^ "Mariehamn Airport". Finavia. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ a b Prothero, G.W. (1920). The Åland Islands. Great Britain. Foreign Office. Historical Section. p. 5.
- ^ "Road network in Åland". Ålands landskapsregering. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ "The Church of St Goran (St George)". Mariehamns Tryckeri Ab. 2011.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ a b "Suomen maakuntien ilmasto" [The climate of Finland’s regions] (PDF) (in Finnish). Finnish Meteorological Institute. 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ a b "Tilastoja Suomen ilmastosta 1991–2020" [Climatological statistics of Finland 1991–2020] (PDF) (in Finnish). Finnish Meteorological Institute. 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ "Mariehamns stads vänorter". Mariehamns stad (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 July 2015.
- ^ "Dags att avbryta ryskt vänortssamarbete helt?" [Time to completely end Russian twin city cooperation?]. Nya Åland (in Swedish). Nya Åland. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
