Rauma, Finland
Rauma [ rɑu̯mɑ ] ( swedish Raumo ) is a city in south- western Finland with 39 870 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012). It is located in the south of the Satakunta landscape on the Baltic coast. The third oldest city in Finland was founded in 1442 and today is known for its wooden old town, which is part of the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 1991, and announced their special dialect.
Geography
Rauma is located in the southern part of the landscape Satakunta on the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia about 90 km north of Turku, and 50 km south of Pori. The neighboring communities of Rauma are Eurajoki in the north, Lappi in the east, in the southeast and Laitila Pyhäranta in the south.
The urban area Rauma covers an area of 293.1 km ². The rural part of the metropolitan area is divided into ten communities Anttila Voiluoto, Kaaro, collagen Nihattula - Tarvola, Kortela and Monna, Sorkka, Tiilivuori, Unaja, Uotila and Vermuntila - Kulamaa.
History
Rauma is likely to have originated as early as the late Middle Ages. The name derives from the Old Norse word Rauma strauma for "River " from. In the 14th century there was in the place already a Franciscan monastery and a church. At this time Rauma as the whole of Finland belonged to Sweden. On April 17, 1442 Rauma were awarded city rights. This is Rauma to Turku and Porvoo the third oldest city in Finland.
When King Gustav I Vasa founded Helsinki in 1550, he issued an edict obliging the citizens of Rauma, as well as of Porvoo, Ekenäs and Ulvila to settle in the newly founded city. This Rauma has since been depopulated until the resettled citizens were allowed to return to their hometowns after a few years.
In the years 1640 and 1682 devastated two devastating fires in the town of Rauma. Since then the city has remained untouched by fires, which is a rarity for a wooden house city. From the 17th century prospered by Rauma seafaring. The sailing fleet brought wealth to the city, which is reflected in the magnificent wooden houses of the old town. From the 18th century Rauma became a center of lace, to date, there is a traditional craft in the city.
Only in Russian time (from 1809) Rauma grew beyond the boundaries of the Old Town of time. After the Second World War, the city developed into an industrial site.
The urban area of Rauma enlarged in 1993 by the amalgamation of the rural community of Rauma and in 2007 by the amalgamation of the municipality Kodisjoki. Furthermore, at the beginning of 2009, the municipality of Lappi was incorporated.
Population
On 30 December 2006 Rauma had 37,025 inhabitants. Only 0.4 % of the population are Rauma Finland Sweden, so the city is officially monolingual Finnish speakers also.
Development of the population (as of December 31):
- 2000-37190
- 2002-37034
- 2004-36673
* Together with the rural community Rauman Maalaiskunta which was incorporated in 1993
Dialect
The dialect of Rauma ( proper name Rauman giäl ) belongs to the south-western Finnish dialects and is considered the heaviest understandable Finnish dialect. Some linguists believe that it is a separate language. Characteristic of the Rauma dialect are not occurring in standard Finnish voiced plosives b, d and g, the omission of letters in Finnish words, and a divergent vocabulary that includes not only many words of Swedish origin, but - due to the seafaring - also from several other languages.
For residents Rauma dialect is a strong identity feature: Sun, stands at the city limits of Rauma at a roadside sign that the new arrivals in Rauma dialect with Ol niingon gotonas ( " Ole niinkun kotonasi " = " Feel like home" ) greets and reissu in Luanikast exit ( " Bon Voyage " ) wishes. However, the dialect is spoken by fewer and fewer people and is threatened with extinction.
The local advertising paper Uusi Rauma ( "New Rauma " ) brings in each issue a column in Rauma dialect and in June each year a complete edition, in which even the advertisements and comics in Rauma dialect are written.
Policy
The strongest political force in Rauma, the Social Democrats. In the local elections 2008 they received about a third of the votes on the City Council provide 18 of 51 deputies. The second strongest force is the Coalition Party, with around a quarter of the vote and 13 seats in the city council. The third major party in the country, the Centre Party, plays, however, as generally described in the Finnish cities, with twelve percent of the vote and six deputies in Rauma no greater role.
Furthermore, the leftist coalition with four, the electoral alliance " Independent Ring" ( Sitoutumaton vaalirengas ) and the right-wing populist " True Finns " with three and the Christian Democrats and the Green Confederation are represented by two seats in the city council.
Attractions
The old town of Rauma ( Vanha Rauma ) with its 600 houses on an area of 28 acres of the largest contiguous timber complex in the Nordic countries. The houses, all of which bear historical names, show partly a richly decorated façade. The labyrinthine layout dates back to the Middle Ages. While other wooden quarters in Finland usually fires fell victim to the old town of Rauma has been untouched since 1682 by fires and therefore exceptionally well preserved. In 1991 it was therefore included in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage. Today, the Old Town is a busy residential and commercial area with over 600 residents.
On the market square in the old town is the Old Town Hall from 1776 with the City Museum of Rauma. The Holy Cross Church on the edge of the old town originally belonged to the Franciscan monastery of Rauma and was built in 1520. The church tower was built in 1816 and served mariners as a landmark. The older, the end of the 15th century built Holy Trinity Church was destroyed in the great fire of 1640. Its ruins are but until today. South of the old town is a water tower with a panoramic restaurant.
Since the merging of the neighboring municipality of Lappi is also the Bronze Age cemetery of Sammallahdenmäki, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the field of Rauma. Thus Rauma has achieved the only Finnish city of two World Heritage Sites.
The Archipelago Sea in Rauma is a designated nature reserve. It is known through numerous wrecks and attracts many scuba divers.
Courtyard entrance in Old Town
The merchant's house in the old town Marela
The Holy Cross Church in Rauma
Interior of Holy Cross Church in Rauma
Economy
The city is the site of a sawmill and a pulp mill. The timber company UPM- Kymmene to the city and the second largest employer of Rauma, followed by the shipyard Aker Yards Finland. The shipping port is the fifth largest in Finland and has great significance for the export of timber.
The company Forchem operates refineries for processing the obtained in the pulping tall oil.
Near Rauma is the converter station of HVDC Fenno -Skan.
Personalities
- Timo Soini (born 1962 ), politician, chairman of base fins
- Mika Kojonkoski ( born 1963 ), former ski jumper / active ski jumping coach
- Toni Porkka (born 1970 ), former ice hockey player
- Kimmo Rintanen (born 1973 ), ice hockey player
- Petri Vehanen ( born 1977 ), ice hockey player
- Tuomas Tarkki ( born 1980 ), ice hockey player
- Iiro Tarkki ( born 1985 ), ice hockey player
- Atte Engren (* 1988), ice hockey player
- Eero Elo (* 1990), ice hockey player