Saint George Church

About

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 '.

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.

In the late 19th century, shipping became central to the local economy, and shipowners and shipyards settled in the town.

After the First World War, Mariehamn became known for its Grain Fleet.

On 8 November 1963, a plane crash in Mariehamn killed 22 of 25 people, Finland’s second-deadliest air accident.

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), the city's population by year was:

As of 2018, the largest groups of foreign-born residents in Mariehamn were:

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), the city's population by year was:

As of 2018, the largest groups of foreign-born residents in Mariehamn were:

Mariehamn Airport serves the city with regular flights operated by Finnair and regional airlines.

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.

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.

The city has a long maritime tradition. The four-masted barque Pommern, now part of the Åland Maritime Museum, is moored in the Western Harbour. The Eastern Harbour hosts one of the largest marinas in Scandinavia and the historic Dutch steamer F.P. von Knorring, named after Åland teacher and vicar Frans Peter von Knorring.

Three of Åland's four main roads begin in Mariehamn: Åland Highway 1 (Main Road 1) to Eckerö, Åland Highway 2 (Main Road 2) to Sund, and Åland Highway 3 (Main Road 3) to Lumparland.

Mariehamn Airport serves the city with regular flights operated by Finnair and regional airlines.

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.

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.

The city has a long maritime tradition. The four-masted barque Pommern, now part of the Åland Maritime Museum, is moored in the Western Harbour. The Eastern Harbour hosts one of the largest marinas in Scandinavia and the historic Dutch steamer F.P. von Knorring, named after Åland teacher and vicar Frans Peter von Knorring.

Three of Åland's four main roads begin in Mariehamn: Åland Highway 1 (Main Road 1) to Eckerö, Åland Highway 2 (Main Road 2) to Sund, and Åland Highway 3 (Main Road 3) to Lumparland.

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.