Travel: Finding medieval churches in Finland’s Swedish-speaking islands

MARIEHAMN, Åland — The ferries crossing the Baltic Sea stop here in the capital of Åland largely because the islands’ political status as an autonomous Swedish-speaking region within Finland allows passengers to buy duty-free goods.

From the deck, the archipelago appears as little more than a scattering of rocky islands, forests and red-painted houses between Sweden and Finland. Most travelers never spend enough time ashore to discover the place.

Spread across roughly 6,700 islands and skerries in the Baltic, Åland (pronounced OH-land) occupies a unique place in northern Europe. Politically, it belongs to Finland. Linguistically, it is Swedish. Historically, it has been shaped by Vikings, Swedish kings and Russian emperors.

What surprised this columnist most during a recent visit was not the unusual political status. The islands enjoy extensive autonomy, including their own parliament, flag, postal service and special land-ownership laws. Rather, it was the extraordinary concentration of medieval churches scattered across an archipelago of just 30,000 souls.

The churches, built of granite and fieldstone, stand in forests, farmlands and on rocky shorelines. Many possess massive, hulking towers that almost certainly served a defensive function. Many contain sacred art and objects that have survived war, religious upheaval and changing tastes.

Driving across the islands, it is possible to visit church after church. In several cases, the churches stand by the burial grounds of even-older Iron Age civilizations, suggesting these locations were regarded as significant long before Christianity arrived in this part of the Baltic.

Inside, visitors encounter wall paintings depicting biblical scenes, wooden sculptures of saints and ancient rood crosses.

At St. Michael’s Church in Finström, which is considered the best-preserved medieval building in Finland, you feel like you have stepped back into the 15th century. Meanwhile, other churches have Romanesque baptismal fonts from the 13th century.

These fonts were already a century or two old when Christopher Columbus crossed the Atlantic. They were even older when Martin Luther challenged Rome. They survived the Reformation, Swedish rule, Russian rule and Finnish independence. Standing before one, it is impossible not to wonder how many generations of Ålanders were baptized there. How many families gathered around the same stone basin to welcome a new child into the community?

In much of Europe, wars, revolutions and changing fashions altered or destroyed medieval interiors. In Åland, many of these furnishings remain remarkably close to where they were originally placed. They are not museum pieces. They remain part of parish churches that continue to serve the communities around them.

Near Lumparland is Lemböte Chapel, which dates to at least the middle of the 13th century. The small and easily overlooked chapel served sailors and pilgrims crossing the Baltic. Among those who passed through would have been travelers making their way from mainland Finland to the shrine of St. Olaf at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway. This was northern Europe’s most important medieval pilgrimage.

Christianity is only one chapter in Åland’s story.

Human settlement here dates back to the Bronze Age. Much later, Åland occupied a strategic position between Sweden and Finland. After Russia won Finland from Sweden in 1809, the archipelago became an important military outpost. The ruins of Bomarsund Fortress, spectacularly destroyed by British and French forces during the Crimean War in 1854, are among Åland’s most significant historic sites.

Today, however, Åland is known for something entirely different. The archipelago was demilitarized under a series of international treaties dating to the aftermath of the Crimean War. Finland maintains no military presence, and Ålanders are exempt from conscription in the Finnish military. 

Communities across the archipelago are connected by ferries that function more as essential lifelines and less as novelties for tourists.

One such community is Kökar. This outer-island municipality is the size of Manhattan but has a year-round population of 230. There is no police officer, no doctor and certainly no airport. The local school has seven students, with another seven children in kindergarten.

Before the Reformation, it was home to a Franciscan monastery that was dissolved by the Swedish crown after the kingdom embraced Lutheranism. Much as King Henry VIII did in England, Swedish King Gustav I seized not only the monasteries themselves but also their lands and wealth. St. Anna’s Church, which was built in the late 18th century as Kökar’s parish church, sits next to the ruins. Part of the ruins has been turned into a summer chapel with exhibits and artifacts.

Yet despite its small population, Åland is a remarkable destination that punches far above its weight.

There are few crowds, no long lines and little of the commercialization found elsewhere. That is another part of what makes visiting Åland worth the journey.

If you go

Most visitors base themselves in Mariehamn, the capital and only city.

Hotel Arkipelag, a comfortable, boutique-inspired hotel with views of Mariehamn’s Eastern Harbor is a convenient base.

While it is possible to fly to Mariehamn, air service is limited. For the authentic experience, arrive by sea aboard one of the many cruise ship-like ferries serving the archipelago. After all, the voyage is part of the experience and helps explain why maritime culture remains so central to life on the islands. Viking Line operates daily service from Stockholm. Other routes connect with the Finnish capital of Helsinki and Tallinn, Estonia.

A rental car is essential. Rundbergs Bil & Service delivers rentals to the ferry terminal. While getting lost on an island is difficult, GPS navigation is still recommended.

Travelers interested in Åland’s churches should allow at least two full days on the main island alone. Church opening hours vary considerably, and online information is not always accurate or up to date. Professor Åsa Ringbom’s website is an invaluable resource for information on the churches.

Among the most notable churches are St. Michael’s Church in Finström, St. Olaf’s Church in Jomala, St. Mary’s Church in Saltvik and St. John’s Church in Sund. Lemböte Chapel lies on the St. Olav Waterway, which begins on the Finnish mainland, passes through Aland and connects with the 360-mile overland route across Sweden and Norway to Nidaros Cathedral. All the churches belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

For the full Åland experience, venture beyond the main island aboard one of the inter-island ferries. The journey is free for passengers without a car. A trip to Kökar offers insight into life in the outer archipelago and provides a perspective on Åland that visitors based solely in Mariehamn may miss. In Kökar book the Brudhäll Hotel & Restaurant or this cottage through Airbnb.

Other stops include Kastelholm Castle, the Åland Museum of Cultural History, the Åland Art Museum, the Åland Maritime Museum and the Bomarsund Fortress and Visitor Center. Be sure to also visit Öfvergårds, a family-operated apple orchard that is part of Åland’s cider scene. Growers Jan and Anna Alm offer a tasting experience. Also, don’t overlook Amalia’s Lemonade Factory, which produces hard and soft drinks using regionally sourced fruit. It is also home to a chocolatier and small cafe.

Full trip planning resources are available through Visit Åland.

Dennis Lennox writes a travel column for The Christian Post