Mariehamn ( , ; ; ) is the capital of ÃÂ land, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. The city is the seat of the Government of ÃÂ land and the Parliament of ÃÂ land, and about 40% of ÃÂ land's population live there. Mariehamn borders Jomala to the north and west and Lemland to the east.
Like the rest of ÃÂ land, the city is unilingually Swedish-speaking. Most inhabitants have Swedish as their native language.
The coat of arms of Mariehamn reflects the city's main livelihood, maritime transport, and its linden treeâÂÂlined parks. The coat of arms was designed by Nils Byman and confirmed in 1951.
Mariehamn's central location in the Baltic Sea makes it a popular summer destination. Approximately 1.5 million tourists visit each year.
Mariehamn was named after the Russian empress Maria Alexandrovna (1824âÂÂ1880), meaning . The town was founded on 21 February 1861 around the village of ÃÂvernäs, then part of Jomala municipality. The city later expanded into Jomala. It was built to a regular plan that remains well preserved. One of the oldest streets is Södragatan, with 19th-century wooden houses.
In the mid-19th century, cargo shipping developed, and several shipowners and shipyards settled in the growing town.
After the First World War, Mariehamn hosted the Mariehamn 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 ÃÂ lands statistik- och utredningsbyrÃÂ¥ (ÃÂ SUB), 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 ÃÂ land 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 ÃÂ land 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 ÃÂ land teacher and vicar Frans Peter von Knorring.
Three of àland's four main roads begin in Mariehamn: àland Highway 1 (Main Road 1) to Eckerö, àland Highway 2 (Main Road 2) to Sund, and àland Highway 3 (Main Road 3) to Lumparland.
Mariehamn is the centre of ÃÂ land's media. Both local newspapers, ÃÂ landstidningen and Nya ÃÂ land, several radio stations, and the television channels TV ÃÂ land and ÃÂ land24 operate from the city.
The first public libraries on ÃÂ land opened before 1920, and a printing house was founded in 1891. The municipal library, completed in 1989, is known for its modern architecture.
Several buildings in Mariehamn were designed by Finnish architect Lars Sonck, including the church of Mariehamn (1927), the main building of the ÃÂ land Maritime College (1927), and the town hall (1939). Hilda Hongell also designed wooden houses, though few remain.
The main parish church of Mariehamn is the Church of St George, opened in 1927, expanded in 1959, and renovated in 1972. The interior features painted wooden ceiling panels by Finnish artist Bruno Tuukkanen and golden mosaics behind the altar illustrating the life of Christ. Decorative items include a ship model, Tjerimaj, and a 37-stop organ built in stages between 1969 and 1982.
Mariehamn has a transitional climate between an oceanic (Cfb) and a humid continental (Dfb) type, according to the Köppen climate classification. The Baltic Sea moderates temperature extremes, resulting in mild winters and cool summers.
Summers are cooler than in most of Sweden and Finland, while winters are milder, similar to those on the Swedish coast.
Data from the Finnish Meteorological Institute provide climate averages for 1991âÂÂ2020 and historical records since 1914.
Mariehamn has the following twin towns: