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]
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.[8][9]
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.
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.[12]
On 8 November 1963, a plane crash in Mariehamn killed 22 of 25 people, Finland’s second-deadliest air accident.[14]
Demographics
Population growth
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),[15] 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
As of 2018, the largest groups of foreign-born residents in Mariehamn were:[16]
Foreign-born residents of Mariehamn by country of birth (2018)
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.[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.
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.[18]
Libraries and publishing
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.
Sjökvarteret – boatbuilding and maritime crafts centre
Architecture and landmarks
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.[20]
↑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.
↑"Tilastoja Suomen ilmastosta 1991–2020"[Climatological statistics of Finland 1991–2020](PDF) (in Finnish). Finnish Meteorological Institute. 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
↑"Suomen maakuntien ilmasto"(PDF). helda.helsinki.fi.Cite error: Unknown parameter "<ref" in <ref> tag; supported parameters are details, dir, follow, group, name (see the help page).
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