Mariehamn (/məˈriːəhɑːmən/ mə-REE-ə-hah-mən,[3] Finland Swedish: [mɑriːeˈhɑmn] ⓘ; Finnish: Maarianhamina [ˈmɑːriɑnˌhɑminɑ]; Latin: Portus Mariae) is the capital of Åland, an autonomous region of Finland, and the seat of its government and parliament.
Mariehamn | |
|---|---|
| Mariehamns stad Town of Mariehamn | |
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 Coat of arms | |
| Nickname: | |
 Interactive map of Mariehamn | |
  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 (2025-12-31) | |
• Total | 11,957 |
| • Density | 1,012.45/km2 (2,622.2/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 lies on the main island of Åland. It has about 40% of the region’s population. The city is Swedish-speaking, and most residents have Swedish as their native language.[4]
Mariehamn borders Jomala to the north and west and Lemland to the east.
The coat of arms of Mariehamn reflects the city’s maritime economy and its linden-lined parks. It was designed by Nils Byman and confirmed in 1951.[5][6][7]
Mariehamn is a popular summer destination, with about 1.5 million visitors each year.[8][9]
History
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (June 2022) |
Mariehamn was founded on 21 February 1861 on land that belonged to the village of Övernäs in Jomala. It was named after the Russian empress Maria Alexandrovna (1824–1880), meaning lit. 'Marie's Port'.[10][11]
The town grew from a planned layout that remains largely intact. It later expanded into Jomala. One of the oldest streets is Södragatan, which has preserved 19th-century wooden houses.
In the late 19th century, shipping became central to the local economy, and shipowners and shipyards settled in the town.[12]
After the First World War, Mariehamn became known for its Grain Fleet.[13]
On 8 November 1963, a plane crash in Mariehamn killed 22 of 25 people, Finland’s second-deadliest air accident.[14]
Demographics
editPopulation growth
editMariehamn'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),[15] 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
editAs of 2018, the largest groups of foreign-born residents in Mariehamn were:[16]
| 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
editAirport
editMariehamn Airport serves the city with regular flights operated by Finnair and regional airlines.[17]
Harbours
editMariehamn 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.[18]
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
editThree 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.[19]
Culture
editMedia
editMariehamn 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.[18]
Libraries and publishing
editThe 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
editSeveral 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.[20]
Climate
editMariehamn 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.[21]
- 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[21]
Data from the Finnish Meteorological Institute provide climate averages for 1991–2020 and historical records since 1914.[22]
| 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[22] | |||||||||||||
Twin towns
editMariehamn has the following twin towns:[23]
- Iceland – Kópavogur
- Norway – Kragerø
- Estonia – Kuressaare
- Russia – Lomonosov, Russia – partnership suspended in 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine[24]
- 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
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Turism – Mariehamns stad" (in Swedish). Mariehamns stad. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- ↑ "Sjöfartspromenaden: Upptäck Mariehamn till fots" (PDF) (in Swedish). City of Mariehamn. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ↑ "Mariehamn". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ↑ "Population by language and area". Statistics Finland (in Finnish). 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". Kansallisarkisto (in Swedish). Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ↑ Mitä-Missä-Milloin, Kansalaisen vuosikirja 1980 (in Finnish). Otava. 1979. p. 165.
- ↑ "Mariehamn". Visit Åland. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ↑ "Tourism in Mariehamn". Discovering Finland. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ↑ "Sjöfartspromenaden". Mariehamns stad (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 27 December 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ↑ Mann, Robert (2011). "Mariehamn Celebrates". The UBC Bulletin (1). Union of the Baltic Cities: 34. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ↑ "A town built around shipping". Visit Åland. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ↑ 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 5 January 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ↑ Ranter, Harro. "Douglas C-47A OH-LCA accident, Mariehamn Airport (1963)". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ↑ "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.
- 1 2 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) - 1 2 "Suomen maakuntien ilmasto" [The climate of Finland’s regions] (PDF) (in Finnish). Finnish Meteorological Institute. 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- 1 2 "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.