Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WORTH A TRIP
SWEDISH ROOTS
The first sizeable party of Swedish crusaders arrived in 1155 at the village of Kalanti ,
about 9km east of Uusikaupunki. Led by King Erik, the party also contained Henry, bishop
of Uppsala, who spread Christianity in Finland.
Kalanti's St Olaf's Church ( www.ukisrk.fi ; Pyhän Olavintie, Kalanti; 11am-5pm Mon-Sat,
noon-4pm Sun Jun-mid-Aug) dates from the late 14th century and has exquisite frescoes,
one of which records the historic occasion of Bishop Henry meeting a devilish pagan on
the Finnish coast.
Buses to Kalanti are limited; it's best reached using your own wheels.
Rauma
02 / Pop 39,870
Centred on its lively kauppatori, Rauma's Unesco World Heritage-listed Old Town dis-
trict, Vanha Rauma, is the largest preserved wooden town in the Nordic countries, and the
main pleasure here is simply meandering its quaint streets.
In the Middle Ages Rauma's lace-makers ignored King Gustav Wasa's order to move to
Helsinki to boost the capital's industry. By the 18th century Rauma (Swedish: Raumo) was
a thriving trade centre, thanks to the European fashion for lace-trimmed bonnets. Locals
still turn out the delicate material, and celebrate their lace-making heritage with an annual
festival.
You might hear snatches of Rauman giäl, the local dialect that mixes English, Estonian,
German and other languages that worked their way into the lingo from Rauma's intrepid
sailors. Rauma remains an important shipping centre, transporting Finnish paper around
the world.
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