Porvoo (Swedish: Borgå) is a Finnish city located on the southern
coast of Uusimaa in the province of Uusimaa. The city has a
population of 50,590. The city is bilingual; 64.1 per cent of the
population are Finnish-speaking, 29.6 per cent Swedish-speaking and
6.3 per cent non-Finnish-speaking. The neighboring municipalities of
Porvoo are Askola, Loviisa, Myrskylä, Pornainen and Sipoo. Porvoo
was the provincial center of the province of Eastern Uusimaa.
Porvoo has had the episcopal seat since 1723: until 1923, the
former Vyborg Cathedral Chapter operated in the city, and the new
diocese of Porvoo, founded after that, has been the Swedish-speaking
diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.
The distance from the eastern border of Helsinki to the center of
Porvoo is about 35 kilometers.
The city center is located
between the gravel hills in the Porvoonjoki Valley on the shores of
Porvoonlahti (Városinselkä). The city is crossed by three rivers:
Mustijoki, Porvoonjoki and Ilolanjoki, whose watersheds include
Viksberginjärvi and Veckjärvi. There are rocky or moraine-covered
hilly lands around the clay-based, cultivated river valley. In the
eastern part of the city is the long Tirmo Peninsula, with several
ridges on the south and west sides: Stensbölenselkä, Orrbynselkä,
Äggskärsinselkä, Svartbäckinselkä and Esthamninselkä. There is also
a broken water area comprising large islands and archipelagos. The
largest islands are Kråkö, separated from the mainland by narrow
straits, Vessölandet and Emäsalo, which are almost 15 kilometers
long, and the Pelling archipelago, which consists of hundreds of
islands. In the southwestern part of the city, on the other hand, is
the fragmented archipelago of Onas.
The largest islands in
the Porvoo region are Vessö, Emäsalo, Suur-Pellinki, Kråkö,
Hakasalo, Onas and Pirttisaari.
It is about 35 kilometers from the eastern border of Helsinki to the
center of Porvoo.
The city center is located between gravelly
hills in Porvoonjokilaakso on the shore of Porvoonlahti
(Kaupunginselkä). The city is crossed by three rivers: Mustijoki,
Porvoonjoki and Ilolanjoki, whose watershed includes Viksberginjärvi and
Veckjärvi. The clay-bottomed, cultivated river valley is surrounded by
rocky or moraine-covered hills. In the eastern part of the city is the
long Timmo peninsula, with several ridges on the south and west sides:
Stensbölenselkä, Orrbynselkä, Äggskärsinselkä, Svartbäckinselkä and
Esthamninselkä. There is also a broken water area with large islands and
archipelagos. The largest islands are Kråkö, separated from the mainland
by narrow straits, Vessölandet and Emäsalo, which are almost 15
kilometers long, and the Pelling archipelago consisting of hundreds of
islands. In the southwestern part of the city is the fragmented Onas
archipelago.
The largest islands in the Porvoo area are Vessö,
Emäsalo, Suur-Pellinki, Kråkö, Hakasalo, Onas and Pirttisaari.
In Porvoo, there are six of the 105 Natura 2000 areas located in the
business area of the Uusimaa Center for Business, Transport and
Environment: Boxi swamps, Emäsalo swamps, Pernajanlahti and Pernaja
Archipelago Marine Protected Area, Porvoonjoki Estuary - Stensböle,
Söderskär and Långören Archipelago and Tungträsket Old Forest.
Nature reserves have been established in Porvoo since 1930. The first
established area was Söderskär (1930) and the second Tunnholmen (1932).
In the period after World War II, Ruskis (1945), Mjåviken (1948),
Telegrafberget (1961), Långgören (1970), Gåsholmen-Sandö (1972),
Klobbudden (1973), Stora Fårholmen (1982), Kurmalmen (1984),
Hasselholmen ( 1986, 1994), Sikosaari (1990), Sannaisten Ekbacka (1991),
Stensböle I (1992), Stormossen I (1993) and Stensböle II (1994).
After Finland joined the European Union, the pace of establishing
regions has accelerated. Stensböle III (1996), Stensböle IV (1996),
Stensböle V (1998), Stormossen II (1998), Stensböle VI (1999),
Stormossen III (1999), Stensböle VII (1999), Stormossen IV ( 1999),
Bjurmossaträsket (2004), Piparviksmossen I (2004), Piparviksmossen II
(2004), Sommarträsket (2005), Stor-Pellinge yttre hällar (2005),
Stensböle rocks (2007), Venjärve forest (2008), Lövsta (2008) , Pieni
Pernajanlahti (2008), Dalgård (2008), Fågelmossen (2008), Tungträsket
forest (2008), Kalax Stormossen (2009), Fågelmossen (2009),
Kaupunginselkä-Stensbölefjärden (2009) and Nietoonmetsä (2010).
The Porvoo National City Park includes 25 separate sites. They are
significant in terms of cultural history but also in terms of natural
diversity. The area includes 1,122 hectares of land and 1,030 hectares
of water areas.
The labyrinthine alleys, wooden houses and beach fences in Old Porvoo
are reminiscent of Porvoo's medieval town plan. The current wooden
buildings are from the 18th and 19th centuries. On the riverside, the
steep-roofed Gothic cathedral dominates the landscape, which got its
current shape in the 15th century. In the 13th century there was already
a wooden church with a stone chest on the same spot, and in the 14th
century a small gray stone church. The church in Porvoo's old town, now
known as the Porvoo Cathedral, was along the medieval Kuninkaanti. It is
surrounded by the large town of wooden houses, Vanhan Porvoo. The new
center of Porvoo was built on the south side of the old town in the 19th
century in the Empire style, according to the grid plan drawn up by Carl
Ludvig Engel in 1832. It was partially demolished to make way for modern
commercial buildings in the 1960s. Newer neighborhoods have high-rise
buildings, but the townscape is dominated by small-house areas. Green
areas in the center are Kaupunginpuisto and Runeberginpuisto, while at
the mouth of Porvoonjoki lies the Ruskis nature reserve.
Porvoo's
attractions include Old Porvoo, Porvoo Cathedral and Runeberg Home
Museum. Tourists are also attracted to the city by restaurants, cafes,
the archipelago and boating. There are plenty of historic mansions in
the city. In 2012, there were more than 3,700 summer cottages in Porvoo.
Porvoo is also a convention tourism city. In 2012, the cultural and
congress center Taidetehdas was opened.
Museums in Porvoo include
Albert Edelfelt's studio museum, Hörbergsgården home museum, Runeberg's
home, Outboard museum, Porvoo doll and toy museum, Porvoo veteran's
house, Postimäki open-air museum, Walter Runeberg's sculpture
collection, Yrjö A. Jänt's art collection at Taidetehta, and Porvoo
museum's Holmi house and Old Town Hall.
The following galleries
operate in Porvoo: Colmio Slow House, Galleria Sofia, Galleria
ArtMarina, Galleria Vanha Kappalaisentalo, Kulttuuritalo Grand (theatre
and concert hall, party and meeting rooms), Noark miniature model world,
Sirkka Turkki - Taidepuisto, Staffas manor garden gallery, Porvoon Art
Hall, Yrjö A Jänti's art collection and Art Loan Shop Konsta and Art
Gallery Art.
Writer Erkki Vala's grandfather was a famous cantor
from Porvoo, after whom Pappilanmäki's Vadenströminkuja is named.
Porvoonjokivarsi is an ancient settlement, where prehistoric
discoveries have been made until the end of the Stone Age. The mouth of
the river served as a trading post. Porvoonjoki was originally a trade
route for Hämälä people and its original name was possibly Kukinjoki. It
has been assumed that the name would have its roots in the
Frisian-derived kugg nomenclature (cf. Koggi), which would thus
correspond to other similar trading places on the coast. The early
center of Porvoo was Saksala, i.e. a German village whose name came from
the German merchants who visited the place.
Based on the
nomenclature, there was a relatively solid Finnish settlement in the
area during the Iron Age. Porvoonjoki served as a route for the Hämälä
people to the sea, and there have been Hämälä settlements, e.g. In the
villages of Kallola, Teisala, Vessilä, Finby, Kiiala and Hattula. The
village of Hattula (later Strömsberg) got its name from the inland
keeper of the same name in Häme. The Finnish village (later Karlsby) was
located in the northern part of the Porvoo keep, where it is known that
the farms of Vilppula, Klemola, Airola, Pietilä, Peltola and Sihvola
were located. Also in Pernaja pitäjä - now called Forsby - there was a
Finnish settlement at one time. In addition to the Hämälä people, the
place names tell us that real Finns sailed to the area early on. Porvoo
has been inhabited especially from the western part of Northern Finland,
e.g. The population from Nousiai and Lemu.
The Swedish settlement
of the Porvoo region began in the late 13th and 14th centuries. The
immigration that arrived from Sweden was directed from above. People
were transported to the Porvoo region in sturdy ships from many regions
of the Svea kingdom such as Upland, Smooland, Gästrikland and
Hälsingland. The settlers received help from the King of Sweden, seed
grain and small livestock, as well as a four-year tax exemption. The
Swedish colonization of Eastern Uusimaa probably started with one large
population transfer to the Porvoo region, from where they spread to
different parts.
The holder of Porvoo is mentioned in historical
sources for the first time in 1351. In the earliest times, the holder
also included present-day Askola, Pornainen and Pukkila. In the Middle
Ages, six cities were founded in Finland, of which Porvoo was one. I got
city rights around 1380. Porvoo got its name from the Swedish name Borgå
(borg = castle, å = river) of the Iso Linnamäki fortress located near
Porvoonjoki. The city is said to be the second oldest in Finland.
However, the same name is also used for Ulvila, which received city
rights in 1365, but lost them to Pori in 1558. The first information
about the bridge crossing Porvoonjoki dates from 1421.
Danish
pirates destroyed the city in the early 16th century. In 1550, Kustaa
Vaasa ordered that the burghers living in the city must move to the
newly founded Helsinki. At the end of the 16th century, the Russians
burned Porvoo twice during the Nordic Five-Third Years' War. During the
century, the city was abolished twice.
In 1602, Porvoo was
finally given city rights, which boosted trade with, for example,
Rääveli, or Tallinn, when, for example, the entire fur trade of Häme was
conducted through Porvoo. Until 1620, Porvoo was the center of the
castle county of Porvoo. The county stretched from Pyhtäta to Espoo.
At the beginning of the 18th century, during the great hatred, the
Russians burned Porvoo to the ground. In the 1750s, Porvoo was one of
the largest cities in Finland, with about 1,500 inhabitants. The city
had grown when the episcopal seat and high school were transferred to
the city from Vyborg, which had been lost to Russia in the war. The
library established in connection with Borgå Gymnasium is the oldest
public library in Finland and has significant value also as a scientific
library. In June 1760, a fire started in a house on Vuorikatu, which
destroyed 2/3 of the city's buildings. The fire was caused by cooking
fish. The current houses in Old Porvoo were built after the fire to
follow the town's old medieval layout. In terms of building history, the
building stock of the old town, which includes stone buildings erected
in the 1760s, is very significant.
After the Finnish War in 1809,
Finland became an autonomous Grand Duchy of Russia. The Russian Emperor
Alexander I convened the Diet in Porvoo, which opened in March. He gave
his monarch's declaration at the opening ceremony in Porvoo Cathedral,
and confirmed the country's old religion, constitutions and statutes. In
his closing speech of the Parliament on July 19, he promoted Finland to
the ranks of nations "protected by its own laws". All the meeting
buildings of the Diet and the house where the emperor and his entourage
stayed still exist. During the Russian rule in the 1840s, a new
district, the empire city, was established in Porvoo. It was the first
time since the Middle Ages that the area of the city significantly
increased.
Even in the 1960s, the majority of the city's
residents were Swedish-speaking; according to the 1960 census, 54.7
percent of Porvoo residents spoke Swedish as their mother tongue.
In 1992, the Porvoo church community was established between twelve
European Anglican and Lutheran churches.
On January 1, 1997, the
then Porvoo rural municipality and the city of Porvoo were abolished and
the current city of Porvoo was established in its place.
Jukka-Pekka Ujula has been the mayor of Porvoo since 2009.
The
council, the city government, boards and the organization of office
holders are responsible for the economy and the organization of city
services. The council holds its meetings at Porvoo town hall and they
are public and open to the public.
Urban districts and suburbs
The official parts of the city of Porvoo are named with numbers, but
generally the names Hornhattula, Joonaanmäki (Jonasbacken), Jernböle,
Kaupunginhaka (Stadshagen), Keskusta (Centrum), Etelä-Kevätkumpu (Södra
Vårberga), Pohjois Kevätkumpu (Norra Vårberga), Myllymäki (
Kvarnbacken), Näsi (Näse), Pappilanmäki (Prästgårdsbacken), Skaftkärr,
Suistola and Old Porvoo (Gamla Borgå).
There are other areas in
Porvoo that are generally thought of as their own districts or suburbs.
These are Hamari (Hammars), Aunela (Ånäs), Eestinmäki (Estbacka),
Gammelbacka, Huhtinen (Huktis), Katajamäki (Ensbacka), Kevätkumpu
(Vårberga), Kokonniemi (Uddas), Kuninkaanportti (Kungsporten),
Pappilanpelto, Peippola (Pepot) , Tarkkinen (Tarkis) and Tarmola
(Östermalm).
Villages
The official land register villages
located in the city of Porvoo are Ali-Vekkoski (Söderveckoski), Anttila
(Andersböle), Baggböle, Bengtsby (Pentinkylä), Bjurböle, Boe (Häihä),
Bosgård, Brattnäs, Eerola (Eriksdal), Eestinmäki (Estbacka), Emäsalo
(Emsalö ), Epoo (Ebbo), Fagersta, Gammelbacka, Grännäs, Gäddrag, Haikkoo
(Haiko), Henttala, Hinthaara (Hindhår), Hommanäs, Huhtinen, Hummelsund,
Ilola (Illby), Jakari (Jackarby), Järnböle, Kaarenkylä (Karsby), Kalax
(Kaalahti), Kallola, Kardrag, Karleby (Kaarlenkylä), Kerkkoo (Kerko),
Kiiala (Kiala), Kilpilahti (Sköldvik), Klemetti (Klemetsby),
Kortisbacka, Kreppelby, Kroksnäs, Kråkö, Kulloo (Kullo), Kurböle, Kuris
, Londböle, Mickelsböle, Munkkala (Munkby), Mustijoki (Svartså),
Myllykylä (Molnby), Norike, Nygård, Onas, Orrby (Orrenkylä),
Pappilanmäki (Prästgårdsbacken), Peippola (Pepot), Pellinki (Pellinge),
Piirlahti (Pirlax) , Ramsholmen, Renum, Saksala (Saxby), Sannainen
(Sannäs), Seitlahti (Seitlax), Sikilä (Siggböle), Skavarböle, Sondby,
Stensböle, Sundö (Suni), Suomenkylä (Finnby), Svartbäck, Tamminiemi
(Eknäs), Tarkkinen (Tarkis), Teissala (Teisala), Tolkkinen (Tolkis),
Tirmo (Tirmoo), Treksilä (Drägsby), Tuorila (Torasbacka), Tyysteri
(Tjusterby), Vaarlahti (Varlax), Vanhamoisio (Gammelgård), Veckjärvi
(Vekjärvi), Virtaala (Strömsberg), Virvik, Voolahti (Vålax),
Västermunkby, Ylike, Yli-Vekkoski (Norrveckoski), Åby and Åminsby.
The names in italics are the unofficial Finnish names of the
villages, but whose Swedish names are the most common.
Some of
the village names also appear in the district list.
There are
other areas in Porvoo that are also generally thought of as their own
scattered villages or agglomerations: Hakasalo (Haxalö), Hamari
(Hammars), Haksi (Hax), Kalastajakylä (Fiskarbyn), Kankaanmäki,
Lehtimäki (Lövkulla), Lehtihamari (Lövhammars), Linnanpekki (
Linnanbäck), Metsäkylä, Mörtnäs, Nyby, Pirttisaari (Pörtö), Pitkäniitty,
Rita, Söderby, Tolkkinen (Tolkis).
In 2011, there were 20,312 jobs in Porvoo, which were distributed as
follows: primary production 1.6 percent, processing 32.5 percent and
services 64.7 percent. In December 2012, the unemployment rate in Porvoo
was 8.4 percent, while it was 10.7 percent on average in the rest of the
country. At that time, there were 3,389 business locations in the city.
According to the Statistics Finland, more companies were founded in
Porvoo than were closed between 2009 and 2013, the number of companies
has increased by about 140 each year. According to the vitality survey
of Itä-Uusimaa, in 2013, there were a few large and a few medium-sized
companies operating in the Porvoo region, but the majority (86 percent)
were companies with less than five employees.
In 2014, the
largest employers in Porvoo were Neste (2,000 jobs in Porvoo), Borealis
Polymers (962), Ensto (430), Norpe (414), Varuboden-Osla (300) and
Bilfinger Industrial Services Finland (299).
Satakuntaliito's
Satamittera measures the competitiveness of Finland's regions every
year. In 2012, the Porvoo region ranked first. In 2013, there were 70
counties that were evaluated using six factors: labor productivity,
employment rate, innovativeness, education level, business dynamism and
industrial dominance. Porvoo region ranked fourth in the comparison
after Vaasa, Helsinki and Tampere. The area's labor productivity and
industrial dominance were the highest in Finland, but the employment
rate and education level were also top-level.
Road traffic
Porvoo is served by highway 7 (to Helsinki and via
Kotka to Vaalimaa) and highway 55 (to Mäntsälä and Hyvinkää). In
addition, regional road 170 (to Helsinki and Loviisa, former highway 7)
and six connecting roads pass through Porvoo: connecting road 1531 (to
Sipoo), connecting road 1543 (to Tolkki), connecting road 1552 (to
Epoo), connecting road 1571 (to Pernajan's Isnäs), connecting road 1601
(to Kerkkoose) and junction 1605 (Myrskylä).
In addition to the
former highway, Mannerheiminkatu, Porvoo is also crossed by another main
thoroughfare, Aleksanterinkatu.
Ports
Porvoo is home to
Kilpilahti, or Sköldvik, the largest port in Finland in terms of cargo
volume, and Tolkkisten port.
Guest marina in Porvoonjoki, on the
eastern bank of the river right in the center of the city. Also in
Hamar, visiting boats have the opportunity to anchor at the breakwater.
Other traffic
Commercial passenger traffic on the Porvoo line has
been stopped. The first part of the track to the Olli switch is used by
freight traffic, and the rest of the track has been made into a Porvoo
museum railway. Porvoo is the largest city in Finland without railway
passenger traffic. However, a new railway connection to Porvoo is
planned as part of the eastern line.
Backas in Porvoo has been
planned for the second airport in the Helsinki region, which would serve
the traffic of cargo and small airlines.
There are 12 Finnish-language and 11 Swedish-language primary schools
in Porvoo. There are two middle schools for each language. In addition,
there is one Finnish-language and one Swedish-language unified
elementary school. There are also two high schools in Porvoo: the
Finnish-speaking Linnankoski high school and the Swedish-speaking Borgå
gymnasium. The city also has vocational educational institutions and
special educational institutions offering basic vocational education and
continuing education. Higher education is provided by Haaga-Helia and
Laurea universities of applied sciences, and open university studies can
be completed at Porvoo's civic college.
There are two health
centers in Porvoo, western and eastern, as well as Porvoo Hospital.
Walter Runeberg (1838–1920) was one of Finland's earliest sculptors,
whose best-known public monuments are J.L. Runeberg's statues in
Helsinki and Porvoo, the Alexander II monument in Helsinki, and Peter
Brahe's statue in Turku.
Visual artist Albert Edelfelt
(1854–1905) was born in Kiiala manor. In his numerous paintings, he
depicts the landscapes of the city of Porvoo and the village of Haikkoo.
Sculptor Ville Vallgren (1855–1940) was born in Porvoo, but lived
most of his life in France.
The pioneer of the Finnish art
industry and design, Louis Sparre (1863–1964) founded the Iris factory
in Porvoo in 1897, where furniture designed by him and ceramics designed
by Alfred William Finch (1854–1930) were manufactured.
There are
several public works of art and monuments in Porvoo.
After Midsummer, at the turn of June and July, the annual Avanti!'s
Suvisoitto music party is organized at Taidetehta in Porvoo. The RuneBar
music festival and the performing arts festival EPMEF (First Porvoo
Musical Performing Arts Festival) are also organized in Porvoo.
The Tirmo Blues festival is organized in Tirmo during the summer.
Osuuskauppa Varuboden-Osla has organized the Popfest music event for
young people in Porvoo since 2015. The festival is a continuation of the
Oslo Live event organized in 2008–2012.
The Porvoo Jazz Festival
was organized for the first time in 2013. The main concerts of the event
are held in Kulttuuritalo Grand and the jazz jams after them are held in
several local restaurants.
Several communities and educational institutions in Porvoo produce
dance and theater performances. There is no city theater in Porvoo, so
theater activities rely on the activities of various professional and
amateur theaters. Porvoon Teatteri ry conducts theater activities in
Akilleen-talo. Professional nomadic theaters include e.g. Teatteri
Soittorasia, whose TeatteriTalo is located in Suomenkylä, bilingual
professional theater Itä-Uudenmaa theater - Östra Nylands teater and
Jokiteaterti. The amateur theater activities are organized by e.g.
Teaterskolan för barn och unga i Borgå, Teatterikuume ry and Teatteri
Soittorasia, perform at Taidetehta and Kulttuuritalo Grand, among
others.
Dance schools and studios operating in Porvoo are
Taidetehtaan dance school, Porvoo Tanssiopisto and Tanssiva Porvoo.
Finland's national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804–1877) lived in
Porvoo from 1837 until his death. His home has served as a museum since
1882. Since 1921, a Finnish-Swedish writer or poet has lived in
Runolijakoti.
The events of Mauri Kunnas's children's book
Koiramäki Martta ja Ruuneperi take place in Porvoo in the 19th century.
Porvoo publishes the Finnish-language newspaper Uusimaa (founded in 1894) and the Swedish-language newspaper Östnyland, which was founded in 2015 by the merger of Porvoo's Borgåbladet and Loviisa's Östra Nyland. In addition to Uusimaa and Östnyland, the Finnish-language free magazine Itäväylä is published in Porvoo. Previously, the editorial office of the provincial radio station Radio Itä-Uusimaa was located in Porvoo. Yle Östnyland's delivery is still in Porvoo.
The famous Porvoo delicacy, runeberg cake, was developed by a local
pastry chef, and it is said that J.L. Runeberg ate them for breakfast.
Fredrika Runeberg, the wife of the national poet, also made pastries for
her husband from the ingredients she happened to find in the cupboards:
wheat and breadcrumbs, biscuit crumbs, almonds, apple jam and sugar.
In the 1980s, along with Runebergintortu, grilled herrings with
onion rings and dill were named the second favorite dish in Porvoo.
Pelling's fish soup and nettle soup were chosen as the traditional
dishes of Porvoo rural municipality.
There are around 140 clubs and associations that organize sports
activities in Porvoo, and some clubs also have sections for different
sports. Porvoo's sports clubs offer about 70 different sports, and the
clubs have a total of over 17,000 members.
Clubs include: Porvoon
Akilles, Akilles Bandy, Akilles Fotboll, FC Futura, Old Town Shamrocks,
Porvoo Hunters, Porvoon Butchers, Porvoon Tarmo, Porvoon Urheilijat,
Borgå Simmare – Porvoon Swimmers, Porvoon Weikot, PSS and Shirokawa.
The sports halls in Porvoo are Urheiluhalli in the center,
Kokonhalli, Floorball Hall Aurora and the swimming hall. There are two
ice rinks: Kokonniemi Ice Hall and the Youth Ice Hall next to it. The
Kokonniemi skiing center also operates in Kokonniemi.
Outdoor
fields include Porvoo's central field and Porvoo's ball field.