Mariehamn

Mariehamn was founded in 1861 and named after the Russian empress Maria Alexandrovna, laid out on a narrow neck of land with a harbour on each side, the west for commerce and ferries and the east for small craft. Its main street, Norra Esplanadgatan, runs under a double avenue of linden trees. The town holds around eleven thousand people, which is roughly a third of Åland's population.

Background

The town was established on 21 February 1861 on former land of Övernäs village in Jomala, and its name, Portus Mariae in Latin, means Marie's Port. By the late 19th century shipping had become the core of the economy, bringing shipowners and shipyards to the town. Södragatan, one of the oldest streets, keeps its 19th-century wooden houses, and the four-masted barque Pommern, part of the Åland Maritime Museum, lies in the Western Harbour. Nils Byman designed the coat of arms, confirmed in 1951, which refers to seafaring and the linden-lined parks. Mariehamn is Swedish-speaking, and three of Åland's four main roads start here. Its population grew from 9,966 in 1987 to 11,866 in 2024.

Source: Wikipedia, "Mariehamn"

Highlights

• The linden avenue - the double row of trees along the main esplanade.
• The two harbours - west for ferries and commerce, east for small boats.
• The 1861 plan - a town laid out at once rather than grown piecemeal.
• The wooden houses - the nineteenth-century fabric through the older streets.

When to go

May to September is the season, when everything is open. Winter closes most restaurants and museums. Midsummer week is the busiest of the year.

What to expect

Much of the town closes down entirely outside the summer season. It is very small and a day covers it. Prices are Nordic and the ferry connections govern arrival times.

Nearby

Sjökvarteret is in the eastern harbour, and Jomala is north.

Key facts