Mariehamn

Introduction

Capital and largest city of the Åland Islands Capital city in Åland, FinlandMariehamnCapital cityMariehamns stadTown of MariehamnVästerhamn ferry terminal Coat of armsNickname: De tusen lindarnas stad (lit. 'The town of a thousand linden trees')Interactive map of MariehamnMariehamnLocation within the Åland IslandsCoordinates: 60°06′N 19°56′E / 60.100°N 19.933°E / 60.100; 19.933Country FinlandRegionÅlandSub-regionMariehamnCharter21 February 1861; 165 years ago (1861-02-21)Named afterMaria AlexandrovnaGovernment • MayorArne SelanderArea • Total20.75 km2 (8.01 sq mi) • Land11.81 km2 (4.56 sq mi)Population (2025-12-31) • Total11,957 • Density1,012.45/km2 (2,622.2/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET) • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)Postal code22100, 22101, 22110, 22111, 22120, 22140, 22150, 22160Websitewww.mariehamn.ax Mariehamn (/məˈriːəhɑːmən/ mə-REE-ə-hah-mən, 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 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. 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. Aerial photo of Mariehamn taken in 2026. You can see the Mariehamn Airport in the top. Mariehamn and all of Åland is a popular summer destination, with about 1.5 million visitors each year.

History

[edit] This 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'. 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. Map showing Mariehamn and the pre-1961 town area (hatched) In the late 19th century, shipping became central to the local economy, and shipowners and shipyards settled in the town. After the First World War, Mariehamn became known for its Grain Fleet. Finnish stamp marking Mariehamn's centenary (1961) On 8 November 1963, a plane crash in Mariehamn killed 22 of 25 people, Finland’s second-deadliest air accident.

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), the city's population by year was: Population by year 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: Foreign-born residents of Mariehamn by country of birth (2018) 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. 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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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 Data from the Finnish Meteorological Institute provide climate averages for 1991–2020 and historical records since 1914. 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

Twin towns

[edit] See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Finland Mariehamn has the following twin towns: Iceland – Kópavogur Norway – Kragerø Estonia – Kuressaare Russia – Lomonosov, Russia – partnership suspended in 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine 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