An old and new town

Our motorhome tour brought us to Vaasa in August, and we were completely take away by its compelling history. The story of the city begins in 1606 when Vaasa was officially founded by Swedish King Charles IX, who gave it the royal name of Vasa. For over two centuries, it grew into a thriving coastal town, a hub of commerce and administration. Its history, however, is best understood through the lens of a single, catastrophic day: August 3, 1852. On that fateful afternoon, a fire broke out in a nearby barn and, fanned by a powerful southwest gale, quickly spiraled out of control. The city, with its tightly packed wooden houses and narrow streets, was a tinderbox. The fire consumed everything in its path, leaving only a handful of stone buildings including a few homes and the Court of Appeal, standing amidst the smoking ruins. Miraculously, no lives were lost, but the city was erased from the map. In the aftermath, the decision was made not just to rebuild, but to move. The people of Vaasa understood a critical geographical reality: the land was constantly rising. This phenomenon, known as post-glacial rebound, is a result of the Earth’s crust slowly rising after the immense weight of continental glaciers melted away thousands of years ago. Today, the land around Vaasa is still rising at a rate of approximately 8.5 millimeters per year. For a bustling port city, this was a serious problem, as the harbor in Old Vaasa was becoming progressively shallower and less accessible for large ships. So, in an act of forward-thinking ambition, a new location was chosen seven kilometers to the northwest, closer to the open sea. A new city was meticulously planned with broad, straight streets and wide avenues designed as firebreaks a direct and permanent lesson learned from the 1852 disaster. The old town’s ruins remain today as a poignant and silent memorial to the Vaasa that was. The rebuilding also brought a curious political twist. To honor the Russian Tsar, who was the Grand Duke of Finland at the time, the new city was renamed Nikolaistad in 1855. However, this name was never truly embraced by the local population, who held on to the name Vaasa in everyday conversation and correspondence. After the Russian Empire’s fall, the name was officially changed back to Vaasa in 1917, solidifying the city’s identity once more. Vaasa’s historical significance reached its zenith in 1918 during the Finnish Civil War. With Helsinki and other major southern cities occupied by the Red Guards, the legal, non-socialist government of Finland was forced to flee. They found refuge and a temporary home in Vaasa, which was securely under the control of the White Guards. For a few crucial months, Vaasa served as the provisional capital of Finland, the center of authority and military command for the “White” side. This pivotal role is why a distinctive statue of a woman holding a torch, a the Statue of Liberty stands in the city’s market square, a unique tribute to its brief but vital period as the nation’s heart. We also uncovered some quirky facts that paint a more personal picture of the city. For example, its Finnish name is Vaasa, but its Swedish name is Vasa. It is officially a bilingual city, and signs and public services are in both languages. This dual identity adds a fascinating layer to its culture. We learned that the city is sometimes playfully called “The Sunniest City in Finland,” not just because of its location, but as a point of local pride.

To truly understand the Vaasa archipelago, you must first accept a mind-bending truth: the ground beneath your feet is in constant, dynamic motion. This incredible area is not a static landscape, but a living, breathing testament to the power of the last Ice Age. Today, this unique region, known as the Kvarken Archipelango, is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, a joint designation with Sweden’s High Coast, as it is the finest place in the world to experience the phenomenon of post-glacial rebound. In the Vaasa archipelago the land is still rising after being compressed by a thick, heavy ice sheet during the last ice age. This process, also known as isostatic rebound, is one of the highest in the world in this region, with the land rising at a rate of about 8.5 millimeters per year. This continuous uplift has a dramatic effect on the landscape, with new land constantly emerging from the sea. Islands appear and merge, bays become lakes, and harbors that were once vital for trade, like the old harbor of Vaasa, are now kilometers inland, necessitating new port locations. The unique and constantly changing landscape, including its distinctive “De Geer moraines” (washboard-like ridges formed by the retreating glacier), has earned the Kvarken Archipelago (which includes the Vaasa archipelago) a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list. UNESCO designated it a world heritage site, specifically for its outstanding example of post-glacial rebound. The archipelago’s complex network of islands and skerries has also played a strategic role in the region’s history, especially during times of war. Its difficult, reef-laden waters made it a natural defensive barrier and a perfect hideout. During the Finnish Civil War, the archipelago was crucial for the smuggling of weapons and men. For instance, in October 1917, the German steamship S/S Equity secretly landed a large cargo of weapons and ammunition for the Finnish Civil Guard on the island of Västerö, a vital act in the lead-up to the conflict. The locals, who knew the treacherous waters intimately, were instrumental in helping to unload the cargo and hide it from Russian authorities. The archipelago also served as a crucial transit route for young Finnish men seeking military training in Germany before the war, as they illegally made their way across the frozen Kvarken Strait to Sweden and beyond. The same treacherous qualities that made the archipelago a strategic asset also made it a dangerous maritime route, a fact underscored by the numerous shipwrecks scattered across its seabed. The combination of shallow reefs, constantly changing water depths due to land uplift, and a tendency for fog and storms made navigation a perilous endeavor. These wrecks tell a fascinating story of the goods and people who passed through this remote corner of the Baltic. One notable wreck is the galleass Atlanta, which met its end on a reef at Långrevet in 1928. It was on a smuggling run, a common activity in the area during the period of alcohol prohibition. The vessel was carrying a massive cargo of illicit spirits, between 30,000 and 40,000 liters, likely destined for the local black market. When the ship hit the reef, thousands of canisters of booze floated to the surface, providing the local islanders with an unexpected and very welcome bounty. The year 1932 also proved to be particularly difficult for mariners in the area. One of the more tragic incidents was the sinking of the steamer Lillan on a reef near Bergö on December 28. The small steamer was carrying a cargo of timber and a few passengers. It was on its way from the town of Kristiinankaupunki to the Swedish port of Umeå when a sudden storm and poor visibility caused it to run aground. The freezing conditions made the rescue effort extremely difficult, and some lives were lost in the accident, highlighting the dangers of winter navigation in these waters. Another wreck from the same year was that of the steamer Primus, which ran aground on a shoal off the coast of Replot. The ship was on a routine cargo run, transporting supplies and mail between ports on the Finnish mainland. Its wreck was caused by a navigational error combined with fog. While the crew and cargo were eventually rescued, the incident was a stark reminder of the ever-present risks faced by even the most experienced local sailors. Another intriguing example is a ship that wrecked at Boskär during the great Finnish famine of the 1860s. The vessel, whose name has been lost to time, was traveling from an unknown port with a much-needed cargo of rye grain. When it hit the reef, the stranded cargo provided a lifeline for the people of Mikkelinsaaret, a local island community that was struggling to survive the famine. This particular wreck, though anonymous, stands out as an example of a maritime tragedy that, by a twist of fate, saved lives rather than costing them. The Kvarken’s history is punctuated by many such wrecks, often small fishing boats or larger vessels carrying everyday goods like tar, timber, or salted fish, but the dangers of the area meant that a ship’s loss was never far away. Anyway, despite the harsh conditions, the Kvarken Archipelago is teeming with life, making it a haven for nature lovers. The area is a crucial habitat for a wide variety of animals, from marine mammals to birds of prey. Such as:

•  the Grey Seal: This is the most common seal species in the archipelago. Grey seals are large, powerful animals with a distinctive “horse-like” head. They are a familiar sight, often seen hauled out on the outer skerries and rocks, soaking up the sun. They are excellent hunters, preying on fish like herring and salmon. Their population here is a testament to the clean, productive waters of the area.

• White-tailed Eagle: This magnificent bird is one of the largest birds of prey in Northern Europe, with an impressive wingspan that can exceed 2.4 meters. Its name comes from the white tail of the adult birds. The white-tailed eagle is a symbol of the wild, and its presence in the archipelago signifies a healthy ecosystem. They can often be seen soaring high above the islands or perched majestically on a tree, surveying their territory.

• Elk: Surprisingly, the largest mammal in the archipelago is the elk. These massive animals are excellent swimmers and are known to migrate between the islands and the mainland, seeking food. They spend the summer months enjoying the lush vegetation of the islands before returning to the mainland for winter. Seeing an elk swimming between islands or grazing on the shore is a truly unforgettable sight. Also, the archipelago’s heart is a testament to both nature and human ingenuity, connected to the mainland by the impressive Raippaluoto Bridge. This structure, which opened to traffic on August 27, 1997, is the longest bridge in Finland, spanning 1,045 meters. Its construction marked the end of a long history of ferry traffic, finally linking the island of Raippaluoto to the mainland permanently. The bridge is a stunning cable-stayed design, with its two main pylons reaching 82.5 meters into the sky. It not only solved a logistical challenge but also became a symbol of the area, making this UNESCO World Heritage Site more accessible than ever. The bridge is a testament to modern engineering, a fitting complement to the powerful, ancient natural processes that define the archipelago it serves.