Old Rauma is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Finland. Let us show you what the largest wooden city from the Middle Ages in Scandinavia looks like.
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While we were in our yearly visit to Finland we did a trip to the city of Rauma on the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. Rauma is the only city in Finland to have two UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
We very much enjoyed visiting Rauma, as we got to spend a day in Old Rauma which is the largest and most consistently wooden town in the Nordic countries dating back to the Middle Ages. There are more than 600 wooden buildings in Old Rauma; homes, shops, museums and restaurants.
Rauma is a small town in the region of Satakunta. It is mostly known for their funny dialect and traditional lace making skills. One of their summer festivals is actually called Pitsiviikot or “Lace Week”.
The closest large town to Rauma is Pori, and the distance to the capital city Helsinki is about 250 kilometres. Old Rauma on the other hand is located downtown in the city of Rauma.
Easiest way to get around in Finland is by a car. I did my driving school and got my licence in Finland, so trust me when I say that driving in Finland is very straightforward. There is also very little traffic combared to back home in California.
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE OF OLD RAUMA
There are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the city of Rauma; Old Rauma and Sammallahdenmäki.
Sammallahdenmäki is a prehistoric archaeological site with some Bronze Age Burial Cairns and is in the woods. It is very opposite from Old Rauma which is located in downtown.
Old Rauma was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991, and has since had a surge on tourism from abroad.
When Old Rauma was chosen for the UNESCO Heritage List, another wooden town in Finland, Old Porvoo was competing against it. The Museum board in Finland went for Old Rauma, since it was more consistent and better preserved than Old Porvoo.
However, we have been to Old Porvoo and we actually liked its compact shopping area more. Unlike at Rauma, all the little stores and cafes seemed to be gathered close to each other and it was easy to find them.
At Old Rauma, they were all over and we quickly got tired of walking so much. Apparently parts of Old Porvoo have been replaced over time, and that also weighed on the decision.
These old wooden town centers can be found in many different places in Finland. For example, my hometown Kokkola has a big wooden neighborhood called Neristan. Also Naantali and Pietarsaari has a pretty wooden house areas.
Out all of them, I think we still liked Old Porvoo the best.
WHAT TO SEE IN OLD RAUMA IN FINLAND
The center of Old Rauma is the Market Square where you will find different kinds of vendors, restaurants and cafes.
The most notable building there is the Old Town Hall which was built in 1776 in a baroque style. It now serves as a museum.
We stopped at the Market Square for ice cream and to figure out which way to go. This is also a place to go if you need public restrooms.
Hauenguano is a small square at Kuninkaankatu (King’s Street). From this place you can see many beautiful and rustic buildings, and an old-style well built in 1996. It was built in the spot where the well used to be in the Middle Ages.
Anyone can try it out and see if you are able to pump out the water. Behind the well is the Pinnala House which now serves as an art museum. It was built in 1795.
In this area you will find many little boutiques and artisan shops.
In between Kuninkaankatu and Kauppakatu, you will find the narrowest street in the whole of Finland. It is only about three meters wide, and called Kitukränn.
Marela Museum showcases life in Old Rauma during the 19th century. This home used to belong to a ship-owner Gabriel Granlund and his family.
The house was built in 1825 and the facade was re-built in Neo-Renaissance style later. From inside, the house is a typical middle class family house from the 19th or 20th centuries.
On the eastern side of Old Rauma, close to Kalatori Square, you can find the ruins of an old church. Supposedly, this is the area where all the oldest buildings used to be at.
The Church of the Holy Trinity was destroyed by a fire in 1640. There is no certainty of its actual age, but the sign in front of the ruins states that the church would have been from the 14th century.
However, later research shows that it was most likely from the 15th century. After the church burned, the people in Rauma started to gather in the Church of the Holy Cross close by, and the church of the Holy Trinity was never rebuilt.
A visit to the ruins will make you wonder what life at that time used to be like. After walking on the cobble stone streets you are suddenly in this calm and quiet grass area where time has stopped. Even the people talk more quietly and some are whispering.
People were also buried here until 1853 when they established a new cemetery close by. You can even find several tombstones and two little tombs by the ruins. The old stonewall by the ruins used to be part of the bigger wall which went around Old Rauma.
Don’t forget also to visit the Church of the Holy Cross which became the head church of Rauma when the other church burned. It is open for visitors every day during the summer time.
We also met a guide who told us about the church, and showed us the “Children’s Church”. It was a little room they had decorated based on the stories of the Bible. Our kids liked looking at the toys and when leaving, they got to choose a seashell as symbolising a pilgrimage.
The Church of the Holy Cross is a stone church from the Middle Ages. It was built to serve as a Franciscan monastery, but due to the Swedish Reformation in 1538 the friars had to leave.
The church was left empty for a hundred years until the devastating fire of the Church of the Holy Trinity. The people of Rauma needed a new church building, and decided to restore the abandoned monastery as a Lutheran church.
It is now the only building in Rauma that is from the Middle Ages, and the only church built by the Franciscans that is left anymore in Finland.
WHERE TO EAT AT OLD RAUMA
On our first day in Rauma, we ended up in Restaurant Sydvest on Kuninkaankatu (street). It is located in a traditional and fun looking Ruikkseppi House. And I am more than happy to recommend this place!
The food was really tasty and made out of quality raw ingredients, and the service was great. We sat in a little patio behind the building which was perfect in a sunny day. And we really enjoyed the local drinks they served and all the Finnish food.
They didn’t have a kids menu, but all the options from the menu could be ordered in smaller portions for half price.
Our daughters loved the Shrimp scampi pasta, and I thought that it was very considerate to bring the octopus on a separate bowl for them. Our little one was excited to practise rolling the pasta on her fork.
A perfect summer night with good food!
Another nice place in Old Rauma is the Wanhan Rauman KaffeBaari (Old Rauma’s Coffee Bar). They had a spacious backyard and some tables inside, and the cafe had a large variety of sweet and savory pastries and cakes. Especially their home-made donuts were fresh and delicious!
This cafe is also on Kuninkaankatu.
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While walking in these old wooden towns, you should pay attention to the little details. Many houses have decorative facades or windows.
They also tell us many stories from the past. We saw for example, so-called “gossip mirrors” in some windows. With the help of the mirror the people inside the house were able to see what was happening on their street.
Some windows had little porcelain dogs. Those were the houses of the sailors, and when the dogs were turned looking inside, people knew that the master was home. If they were looking outside, that meant he had gone sailing.
Today all these things are there to remind us of the old times and they make great mementos.
We stayed the night at Hotel Raumanlinna which was really nice and in a walking distance from Old Rauma. Old Rauma doesn’t have many hotels but if you want to stay there, I would recommend Hotel Vanha Rauma which has amazing reviews.
Old Rauma is also a perfect day trip destination from Helsinki if you don’t want to stay the night. You can easily walk it through and see the most in a day.
We had driven to Rauma from Tampere, where we tried glamping for the very first time. It was such a unique and fun experience, and our kids loved it! But it also left us a bit tired.
Therefore after walking around in Old Rauma for one evening and almost the whole next day, we were ready to move on. We drove to the other UNESCO Heritage Site at Rauma; Sammallahdenmäki, and then back home to plan more trips like this.
Finland’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites are:
Old Rauma
Sammallahdenmäki
Fortress of Suomenlinna
Petäjävesi Old Church
Verla Groundwood and Board Mill
Struve Geodetic Arc
Kvarken Archipelago
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Do you like visiting UNESCO Heritage Sites?
When I went to Finland, I only visited Helsinki. I feel like there’s so much more of the country to explore like Rauma!
Absolutely! There is so many nice places further up.
Wow! Old Rauma looks such a beautiful place. The architecture of the place is so varied. The churches look so elegant. The concept of gossip mirrors is pretty interesting. And so are the porcelain dogs. And yes, I absolutely love to visit UNESCO Heritage sites.
We like to visit Unesco sites too. Thanks Amrita!
The wooden city of Old Rauma is really interesting. I like learning about the "gossip mirrors" and the porcelain dog. I would like to learn more about the history of those buildings. I wonder if the owner gets some kind of fund to take care of the building.
Hi Umiko,
I am not sure if they get funds but I know any renovations must be approved by the authorities, and must follow the way building was made at old days.
Wow what a pretty place Old Rauma is. 600 wooden houses sounds amazing and what spectacular place to walk around and seeing those amazing houses and buildings. I have never been to Finland but I surely have it on my list. The country has so much to see and everything is amazing.
Old Rauma is definitely fun to visit!
Hi Paula,
Old Rauma is such an amazing place to visit. Loved the quaint and laid back vibes and the wooden architecture pics.Especially the things about the "gossip mirrors" and the porcelain dogs. It’s exciting how travel reveals so many trivias to us.
Thank you so much for sharing 💕.
Thanks Puloma!
Sometimes, it’s in the ancient places where we find the storyteller in us.
I’m in awe of places that have a social and cultural value. I love the look of the Marela Museum and the old wooden towns!
Thank you Trisha!
Old Rauma sounds like someplace I would fall in love with. I can imagine wandering among the 600 wooden homes imagining what life was once like. I have heard of Old Porvoo and it’s good to know how similar the two are. Like you, I would appreciate the compactness of Old Porvoo vs having to search out establishments in Rauma.
Hopefully you get to visit either of place someday!
We had only a quick taste test of Finland when we visited Helsinki. But knew we wanted to go back and see more one day. I thought of a snow village visit but it was interesting to read about the UNESCO town of Rauma. With so many wood buildings, I am sure fire is a major concern. It would be sad to lose this heritage. We would certainly head to the Wanhan Rauman KaffeBaari. Always looking for great coffee stops.
I think some of these old wooden towns suffered from fires in the past. Today they are closely watched and the safety has been improved, so hopefully they will be there for people to enjoy for a long time.
Ah! All of those historic buildings and cobblestone streets are so lovely. How fun! I haven’t explored northern Europe, but I would love to. Finland looks gorgeous!
I hope you get to visit someday! Finland is beautiful.