Porvoo Old Town, Porvoo, Finland - SpottingHistory.com

Porvoo was first mentioned in documents in the early 14th century, and Porvoo was given city rights around 1380, even though according to some sources the city was founded in 1346. Porvoo is famed for its old town (Gamla Stan in Swedish), a dense medieval street pattern with predominantly wooden houses. The town was mainly destroyed by fire in 1760 and current buildings were built after that.

Today Porvoo old town is a pictoresque tourist attraction. Many of the boutiques and services are located on Jokikatu and Välikatu Streets and around the church, but it's also worth looking a bit further. In the sidestreets and lanes it's easy to take a step back in time and forget the modern world. The small idyllic parks and sleepy cobbled streets among the houses entice the visitors to linger and reflect on the past.

The Old Town came close to being demolished in the 19th century by a new urban plan for the city. The plan was cancelled due to a popular resistance headed by Count Louis Sparre.

The red-coloured wooden storage buildings on the riverside are a proposed UNESCO world heritage site. Already by the early 19th century the authorities understood the value of the old town, and so with the need for growth a plan was made for a 'new town' built adjacent to the old town, following a grid plan but with houses also built in wood.

References:

Porvoo.fi

User Reviews

Γ. Π. (53 days ago)
Excellent small town with face in the river.Prices in shops can be a little bit higher than normal.Its a good idea for a short time escape from the capital of Helsinki, just 50 min away!

Greshma Pallikunnel (2 months ago)
Beautiful little town near Helsinki!

Külli Koik (3 months ago)
Good vibes. Peaceful and chill Place. I love it.?

Дмитрий Добровольский (3 months ago)
Quite beautiful old town, but too many tourists. We also we're fined for parking, despite there were no signs about it

Ralf B (4 months ago)
It’s a small beautiful city. We liked it very much. It’s nice and quiet with a beautiful landscape and the river walk is great. It’s a wonderful town with a nice quiet atmosphere.

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The Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art was a major cultural venue from the moment it opened on October 7, 1879. It features late Baroque, Rococo, and Classicist 18th-century portraits and battle scenes by Polish and foreign pre-Romantics.

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