Naantali (; ) is a
town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
in
Southwest Finland
Southwest Finland (, ; ) is a Regions of Finland, region ('','' ) of Finland. It borders the regions of Satakunta, Pirkanmaa, Tavastia Proper, Tavastia Proper (Kanta-Häme), Uusimaa, and Åland. The regional capital and most populous city is Tu ...
, and, as a
resort town
A resort town, resort city or resort destination is an urban area where tourism or vacationing is the primary component of the local culture and economy. A typical resort town has one or more actual resorts in the surrounding area. Sometimes ...
during the summer, an important centre of
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
in the country.
[Naantali: the sunniest Finnish city to visit in summer – Itinari](_blank)
/ref>[Naantali – Discovering Finland](_blank)
/ref> The municipality has a population of
(), and is located west of Turku
Turku ( ; ; , ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Southwest Finland. It is located on the southwestern coast of the country at the mouth of the Aura River (Finland), River Aura. The population of Turku is approximately , while t ...
.
The town has a land area of . Most of this area is located on the islands, but the majority of the population lives on the mainland. Most of the islands are covered with forest and farmland, while the mainland consists chiefly of residential areas.
History
One of the oldest towns in Finland, Naantali was founded around the medieval Brigittine convent '' Vallis gratiae'' (or Nådendal Abbey), the church of which still dominates its skyline. The charter was signed by King Christopher of Bavaria
Christopher of Bavaria (Danish language, Danish and Norwegian language, Norwegian: ''Christoffer''; Swedish language, Swedish: ''Kristofer''; 26 February 1416 – 5/6 January 1448) was King of Denmark (1440–48, as Christopher III), King of Sw ...
, the then ruler of Finland, in 1443. The convent got trading rights and other privileges, and the town around it began to grow. It also became an important destination for pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a travel, journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) w ...
.
In the 16th century, as Catholicism
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
gave way to Protestantism
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
as the official religion of Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
(which Finland
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
was part of at the time), the convent was closed, and the town plunged into a depression. This lasted until the mid-18th century, when the town got a tollgate
A tollbooth (or toll booth) is an enclosure placed along a toll road that is used for the purpose of collecting a Toll (fee), toll from passing traffic. A structure consisting of several tollbooths placed next to each other is called a toll p ...
and a customs chamber. In the two centuries of economic stagnation before that the town had become famous for its knitted stockings
Stockings (also known as hose, especially in a historical context) are close-fitting, variously elastic garments covering the leg from the foot up to the knee or possibly part or all of the thigh. Stockings vary in color, design, and transparen ...
, a craft carried on from the times of the convent.
The year 1863 saw the founding of the spa at Cape Kalevanniemi, which raised the town's status as a holiday venue. In 1922, the Kultaranta estate on Luonnonmaa
Luonnonmaa is an island in Southwest Finland. The island is in the Finnish Archipelago Sea ( Finnish: ''Saaristomeri'') region of the Baltic Sea, and located in the southernmost part of Finnish territorial waters. With an area of 44.0 square kilo ...
was made the official summer residence for the President of the Republic, after Finland had gained its independence five years earlier.
The municipalities of Merimasku
Merimasku () is a List of former municipalities of Finland, former municipality of Finland. It was, together with Rymättylä and Velkua, consolidated with the town of Naantali on January 1, 2009.
It is located in the provinces of Finland, provin ...
, Rymättylä
Rymättylä (; ) is a former municipality of Finland. It was, together with Merimasku and Velkua, consolidated with the town of Naantali on January 1, 2009.
It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southwest Finland r ...
and Velkua
Velkua () is a former municipality of Finland. It was, together with Merimasku and Rymättylä, consolidated with the town of Naantali on January 1, 2009.
It is part of the Southwest Finland region. The municipality had a population of 245 (2005 ...
were consolidated with Naantali on January 1, 2009.
The per capita tax income of the town is the second highest of all towns in Finland, and the highest in the province of Southwest Finland
Southwest Finland (, ; ) is a Regions of Finland, region ('','' ) of Finland. It borders the regions of Satakunta, Pirkanmaa, Tavastia Proper, Tavastia Proper (Kanta-Häme), Uusimaa, and Åland. The regional capital and most populous city is Tu ...
.
Name
The name ''Naantali'' is the fennicised version of the Swedish name of the town, . The Swedish name was given as a direct translation from the Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
''Vallis Gratiae'' which literally means "The Valley of Grace".
Tourism and points of interest
The proximity of both Turku, the region's administrative centre and largest city, and of the archipelago
An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands. An archipelago may be in an ocean, a sea, or a smaller body of water. Example archipelagos include the Aegean Islands (the o ...
both contribute to the area's popularity with tourists.
Other points of interest in the city include Moomin World, a theme park on the island of Kailo, and Naantali’s medieval convent stone church. The area also includes the official summer residence of the President of Finland
The president of the Republic of Finland (; ) is the head of state of Finland. The incumbent president is Alexander Stubb, since 1 March 2024. He was elected president for the first time in 2024 Finnish presidential election, 2024.
The presi ...
, the Kultaranta estate which is located on the island of Luonnonmaa
Luonnonmaa is an island in Southwest Finland. The island is in the Finnish Archipelago Sea ( Finnish: ''Saaristomeri'') region of the Baltic Sea, and located in the southernmost part of Finnish territorial waters. With an area of 44.0 square kilo ...
.
The Archipelago Sea
The Archipelago Sea (, ) is a part of the Baltic Sea between the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the Sea of Åland, within Finnish territorial waters. By some definitions it contains the List of archipelagos by number of islands, larges ...
boat traffic is handled by S/S Ukkopekka. Old steamship
A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...
cruise Naantali-Turku
Turku ( ; ; , ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Southwest Finland. It is located on the southwestern coast of the country at the mouth of the Aura River (Finland), River Aura. The population of Turku is approximately , while t ...
-Naantali.
Naantali hosts an international music festival
A music festival is a festival, community event with music, performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme such as musical genre (e.g., rock music, rock, blues, folk music, folk, jazz, classical music), nation ...
every June, and the traditional Sleepyhead Day carnival
Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras.
Carnival typi ...
in July.
Culture
Every July 27, Naantali celebrates the National Sleepy Head Day (; ). The old tradition is to throw a chosen "sleepy head", an usually Finnish celebrity, in the sea from the city's port at 8 a.m. The identity of the sleeper is kept secret until the event. People who are chosen have usually done something to the benefit of the city.National Sleepy Head Day: Church organist doused in Naantali - YLE
/ref>
Other industries
In addition to tourism, the city's main industries are electricity
Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter possessing an electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwel ...
production, oil refining
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial processes, industrial process Factory, plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refining, refined into products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, Bitumen, asphalt base, ...
, manufacturing
Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of the
secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer ...
, and services
Service may refer to:
Activities
* Administrative service, a required part of the workload of university faculty
* Civil service, the body of employees of a government
* Community service, volunteer service for the benefit of a community or a ...
. The Port of Naantali is the third largest in Finland in terms of goods traffic, and the city is home to a power plant
A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the electricity generation, generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electr ...
and an oil refinery owned by the government-controlled company Fortum
Fortum Oyj is a Finland, Finnish Government of Finland, state-owned energy company located in Espoo, Finland. It mainly focuses on the Nordic countries, Nordic region. Fortum operates power plants, including co-generation plants, and generate ...
and Neste
Neste Oyj (international name: Neste Corporation; former names Neste Oil Corporation and Fortum Oil and Gas Oy; ) is an oil refining and marketing company located in Espoo, Finland. It produces, refines and markets oil products, provides eng ...
.
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Naantali is twinned with:
* Vadstena
Vadstena () is a locality and the seat of Vadstena Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It bo ...
, Sweden
* Nordfyn, Denmark
* Svelvik
is a List of towns and cities in Norway, town in Drammen Municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The town is located along the west shore of the Drammensfjorden, about to the southeast of the Drammen (town), town of Drammen and about north ...
, Norway
* Vesturbyggð
Vesturbyggð () is a municipality located in the Westfjords in Iceland. The municipality includes the towns of Patreksfjörður, with 721 inhabitants; Tálknafjörður, with 261 inhabitants; Bíldudalur, with 238 inhabitants; and Krossholt, wi ...
, Iceland
* Puck, Poland
Previously:
* Kirovsk, Russia
Notable people
* Kaarlo Heinonen (1878–1944)
* Teppo Rastio
Teppo Edvard Rastio (15 February 1934 – 29 May 2023) was a Finnish professional ice hockey player who played in the SM-liiga for Lukko and Ilves. Rastio was inducted to the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985.
Rastio was also known as a footba ...
(born 1934)
* Pekka Siitoin
Timo Pekka Olavi Siitoin (20 May 1944 – 8 December 2003) was a Finnish Neo-Nazism, neo-Nazi, Occult, occultist and a Satanism, Satanist.
Early life
He was born in Varkaus, Finland. According to Siitoin, he was born to a Wehrmacht, German mil ...
(1944–2003)
* Keijo Virtanen (born 1945)
* Ilkka Kantola
Ilkka Tapani Kantola (born 17 March 1957) is a Finnish politician and Lutheran minister. He has been a Social Democratic member of the Parliament of Finland since 2007. Previously he served as Bishop of Turku.
Life
Kantola was born in Rymätty ...
(born 1957)
* Lauri Heikkilä
Lauri Juho Antti Heikkilä (24 June 1957 – 25 March 2024) was a Finnish politician, representing the Finns Party. He was elected to the Parliament of Finland in April 2011. He was a senior researcher and a lecturer of microelectronics at the Un ...
(born 1957)
* Jukka Vilander (born 1962)
* Cristal Snow (born 1975)
Gallery
File:Naantalin kirkko.jpg, Naantali Church
Naantali (; ) is a municipalities of Finland, town in Southwest Finland, and, as a resort town during the summer, an important centre of tourism in the country. The municipality has a population of
(), and is located west of Turku.
The town h ...
, one of the oldest monuments in Finland
File:Kultaranta 1920.jpg, Kultaranta Castle residence of the President of Finland, in 1920
File:SS Ukkopekka 1.jpg, Steamship S/S Ukkopekka
File:Muumimaailma naantali 11.jpeg, Moomin World is one of the most popular theme parks of Northern Europe
The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other ge ...
.
File:Street in Naantali.jpg, Street view in the summertime.
File:SS Ukkopekka port of Naantali.JPG, Naantali old town and harbour
File:Nådendal, Finland framstäldt i teckningar 7.jpg, Litograph of ''Nådendal'' from mid-19th century, published in Finland framstäldt i teckningar by Zacharias Topelius
Zacharias Topelius (; 14 January 181812 March 1898) was a Finnish author, poet, journalist, historian, and rector of the University of Helsinki who wrote novels related to Finnish history. He wrote his works exclusively in Swedish, although th ...
.
File:Utsigt af Nådendal från syd-vest - Berndt Lindholm - En resa i Finland - 022.jpg, Steel engraving of ''Nådendal'' from mid-19th century, published in En resa i Finland by Zacharias Topelius
Zacharias Topelius (; 14 January 181812 March 1898) was a Finnish author, poet, journalist, historian, and rector of the University of Helsinki who wrote novels related to Finnish history. He wrote his works exclusively in Swedish, although th ...
See also
* Ekenäs, Finland
Ekenäs (; ) is a town and former List of cities and towns in Finland, municipality in Finland that comprised the former municipalities of Snappertuna and Tenala together with the town of Ekenäs. It was merged with Pohja and Karis to form the ...
References
External links
*
Town of Naantali
– Official website
Naantali Spa Hotel
Moomin World
VG-62
{{authority control
Turku metropolitan area
Cities and towns in Finland
Populated coastal places in Finland
Seaside resorts in Finland
Medieval Finnish towns
Grand Duchy of Finland
Populated places established in the 1440s
Port cities and towns of the Baltic Sea
Municipalities of Southwest Finland