Rauma, Finland

Rauma
Raumo
Town
Rauman kaupunki

Rauma in May 2012

Coat of arms
Motto: Gyl Raum o ain Raum

Location of Rauma in Finland
Coordinates: 61°08′N 021°30′E / 61.133°N 21.500°ECoordinates: 61°08′N 021°30′E / 61.133°N 21.500°E
Country Finland
Region Satakunta
Sub-region Rauma sub-region
Charter 1442-05-17
Government
 • Town manager Kari Koski
Area (2011-01-01)[1]
 • Total 1,110.12 km2 (428.62 sq mi)
 • Land 495.64 km2 (191.37 sq mi)
 • Water 614.48 km2 (237.25 sq mi)
Area rank 102nd largest in Finland
Population (2014-11-30)[2]
 • Total 40,019
 • Rank 26th largest in Finland
 • Density 80.74/km2 (209.1/sq mi)
 • Demonym Raumalainen (Finnish), Raumlaine (Dialect)
Population by native language[3]
 • Finnish 98.2% (official)
 • Swedish 0.4%
 • Others 1.4%
Population by age[4]
 • 0 to 14 15.2%
 • 15 to 64 65.8%
 • 65 or older 18.9%
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 • Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Municipal tax rate[5] 18%
Climate Dfb
Website www.rauma.fi

Rauma (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈrɑumɑ], Swedish: Raumo) is a town and municipality of ca. 40,000 (30 November 2014 )[2] inhabitants on the west coast of Finland, 92 kilometres (57 mi) north of Turku, and 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of Pori. Granted town privileges on May 17, 1442 (then under the rule of Sweden), Rauma is known for its paper and maritime industry, high quality lace (since the 18th century) and the old wooden architecture of its centre (Old Rauma, Vanha Rauma), which is a Unesco world heritage site.

History

In the 14th century, before being declared as a town, Rauma had a Franciscan monastery and a Catholic church. In 1550, the townsmen of Rauma were ordered to relocate to Helsinki, but this was successfully countered and Rauma could continue its growth.

Practically the whole wooden town of Rauma was devastated in the fires of 1640 and 1682. The wooden city centre, which is how large the town was until 1809, has approximately 600 wooden buildings. The neo-renaissance style of many of the houses is a result of prosperity brought on by seafaring. In 1897 Rauma had the largest fleet of sailing boats in Finland, totalling 57 vessels. Goods were mainly exported to Germany, Stockholm and the Baltic states. In the 1890s, Rauma got a teacher's college (a 'seminar'), which was later annexed to the University of Turku. A part of the department of education still exists in Rauma.

The name Rauma comes from the Germanic word strauma, meaning "stream".[6]

Geography

Neighborhoods and suburbs

Neighborhoods and suburbs of Rauma include: Tarvonsaari, Merirauma, Uusi-Lahti, Kappelinluhta, Paloahde, Haapasaari, Syvärauma, Kinno, Kaaro, Luostarinkylä, Impivaara, Äyhö, Uotila, Lajo, Nikulanmäki, Lensunkallio, Nummi, Pyynpää, Otanlahti, Pidesluoto, Komppi, Lonsi, Polari, Sampaanala, Paroalho, Kourujärvi, Kortela, Monna, Kourujärvi, Kodisjoki, Lappi.

Industry

After World War II, Rauma developed into an industrial city, the main industries being shipbuilding, paper and pulp mills, and metal industry. Rauma is also the fifth largest port in Finland with almost six million tonnes of shipping per year. Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant is located next to Rauma, in Eurajoki. Near Rauma, there is the static-inverter plant of Fenno-Skan.

Transport

Sunset at the port of Rauma

Rauma is located between Turku and Pori by the national road 8 (E8). Finnish national road 12 starts from Rauma and it was extended to the port of Rauma in 2008.

A railroad connection from Kokemäki is in active freight use, as there is a straight connection to the heavy industry areas and to the port of Rauma. The rail passenger traffic ended in 1988.

Satakunnan Liikenne Oy runs the local bus traffic and it has 3 lines in Rauma.[7] The hub for the local buses is located in Savila while the Long distance buses operate from Rauma bus station. The long distance buses take passengers directly to Pori and Turku and to Tampere and Helsinki with one transfer at Huittinen.[8]

The nearest airport is located in Pori. The port of Rauma serves only freight ships on frequent basis.

Culture

Rauma has its own dialect of Finnish, "Rauman giäl". The dialect inherits words from languages such as Swedish, English and German due to the seafaring past. The dialect has been diluted into mainstream Finnish in day-to-day use, but it is fairly well studied (mainly by Hj. Nortamo) and practiced as a hobby.

Rauma Maritime Museum in the Rauma Nautical School building was founded in 1999.[9]

Lace Week

Annual Lace Week has been arranged in Rauma since year 1971. During the Lace week local craftspeople arrange small exhibitions in the Old Rauma area. The Lace week culminates to the Black Lace Night, when the small boutiques are open late night, various shows and concerts are held and people dress in black lace.

Other events

Sports

Rauman Lukko is an ice hockey team that hails from Rauma, playing in Liiga. Their home arena is Äijänsuo Arena. Local football teams are Pallo-Iirot and FC Rauma. These two teams share the same home field at Äijänsuo sports centre. Sea City Storm is an American football team playing in the Finnish American Football Association's 2nd division. Fera is a women's Finnish baseball team, whose home field is the Länsi-Suomi Arena at Otanlahti sports centre. Rauma also has an own orienteering club, Rasti-Lukko, two Basketball teams known as Kaaron Roima and Rauma Basket, a rinkball team called UKP and a floorball team named SalBa.

Recreation

Marina in Rauma, Finland

One popular saying goes that every family in Rauma owns a boat – this is not true, though the city has room for ca. 2,800[10] boats at its docks. People can use their own boats or water buses to get to the Kylmäpihlaja lighthouse that doubles as a hotel and recreation site. Water buses take people to Reksaari island and former garrison island of Kuuskajaskari. Both islands are in recreational use.

Consolidation of municipalities

Rauma and the surrounding municipality of Rauman maalaiskunta ("rural municipality of Rauma") were consolidated in 1993, continued in 2007 with the consolidation of municipality of Kodisjoki. The municipality of Lappi was consolidated to Rauma in 2009.

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Rauma is twinned with the following cities and towns:

Panoramic view of Rauma

References

  1. ↑ "Area by municipality as of 1 January 2011" (PDF) (in Finnish and Swedish). Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "VÄESTÖTIETOJÄRJESTELMÄ REKISTERITILANNE 30.11.2014" (in Finnish and Swedish). Population Register Center of Finland. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "Population according to language and the number of foreigners and land area km2 by area as of 31 December 2008". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
  4. ↑ "Population according to age and gender by area as of 31 December 2008". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
  5. ↑ "List of municipal and parish tax rates in 2011". Tax Administration of Finland. 29 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  6. ↑ http://www.katajala.net/keskiaika/suomi/kaupungit.html
  7. ↑ "Local bus timetables" (in Finnish). Satakunnan Liikenne. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
  8. ↑ "Long distance bus timetables" (in Finnish). Satakunnan Liikenne. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
  9. ↑ Museum
  10. ↑ Finnish Maritime Administration August 19, 2008 – Boating in Finland and its economic impacts

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rauma.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Rauma.