Rauma, an old seaside town
Rauma is an idyllic seaside town on the Gulf of Botnia, founded in 1442. It once was a notable seaport. Ships sailed to Stockholm, Germany and the Baltic States, exporting timber, wooden dishes, butter, hides, dried pike and seal oil. Salt, cloth, wine, spices and corn were imported to Rauma. Because it's connection with seamen, the town has developed its own distinctive dialect that contains many words from Swedish, English, Estonian, Russian and French. The heart of the town is the historic Old Rauma, the largest preserved coherent medieval wooden town area in the Nordic region. It was built around the Franciscan monastery although the monastery no longer exists. Although the area was ravaged by fire in the late 17th century, it has preserved its ancient vernacular architectural heritage. In 1991, it was selected for UNESCO's World Heritage Sites for the reason that it provides an...
