Sammallahdenmäki

Rauma, Finland

Sammallahdenmäki is a Bronze age burial site including 36 granite burial cairns dating back more than 3000 years, from 1500 to 500 BC. Sammallahdenmäki is an exceptionally valuable example of Finland’s Bronze Age culture because it presents the ancient monuments in a well-preserved natural milieu. It’s designated as the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

Two of the most spectacular cairns are the quadrangular "Chuch Floor" and the dike-like "Long Ruin of Huilu". A typical feature of the Sammallahdenmäki cairns are the stone cists, boxlike structures formed by stone flags standing on edge and forming end and side walls or only one or the other. The cist may have originally contained a body in a wooden coffin, or the dead person may have been wrapped in animal skins. On the other hand, the cist may also have served as a receptacle for the ashes of a cremation burial. Remains of cists are still visible in some of the unexcavated cairns as well as in one cairn reconstructed after investigations.

Direction signs guide the visitor to Sammallahdenmäki from Highway 12 (Rauma–Huittinen). At the township of Lappi, the route turns north along Road 2070. After ca. 3.5 km the route turns left along a side road marked by a direction sign. The route ends at an information sign.

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Details

Founded: 1500 - 500 B.C.
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Finland
Historical period: Bronze Age (Finland)

Rating

4.2/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Csizmàs Macska (2 years ago)
If you are seeking pure nature, lonelyness and silence, you are at the right place... I was more or less by myself. Only 2 people crossed my way in an hour time - very recommandable to take a stop when you're around Rauma ?
Jukka Rintamäki (2 years ago)
So the place itself is beautiful and fascinating, and worth visiting if you're interested at all in ancient history. Why the 2-star review then? The amount of information and signposting at the onset and around the path(s) is insufficient to the point it's embarrassing - this is a UNESCO World Heritage site after all. I have two primary, major sources of complaint. First of all, the paths as well as the locations of the mounds barely correspond with the map at the "information center" at the start. Second, they've decided to use wooden, wood colored signs attached to trees as a means to signpost the paths. Needless to say, the signs are very easy to miss, and are sparsely used in the first place. Where's the harm in ensuring visitors find their way around the official paths? We encountered one group of foreign tourists who had lost their way. When visiting Sammallahdenmäki, we were left with an impression that either the folks at Rauma municipality are either completely incompetent or uninterested in maintaining the site as a place where folks might visit. It's a UNESCO World Heritage state. Is it really so difficult to get your act together and give it the attention it deserves?
Guilherme Barros (3 years ago)
Great ruins, but there are no signs around to help navigate the area. Remember to take pictures of the map and text by the entrance for a better experience.
alex (3 years ago)
Graves of kings, priests? Places of worship? Other purposes what the massive rock formations served as? The area itself is very fascinating and historically interesting. But if you're not interested in ancient history at all, the rock formations aren't really anything else but mere piles of rocks to you. What disappointed me most is that there are no single information desks in sight (except the on the parking lot). There should be more specific info desks spread around the area. After all, the site is UNESCO world heritage site!
Kairi Rintanen (Rauma Guide) (5 years ago)
It was a peaceful forest walk in a sunny spring day. 1.5h. Looking at the dozens of bronze age burial places. Guided by a super good guide Ulla. After the walk take a lunch at Kivikylä meat store restaurant. A stylish place. Be aware you cant bring any trash to the forest. Stay on a road. Keep the Unesco sight clean.
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