What is World Heritage?

The World Heritage List includes cultural heritage sites, natural heritage sites and mixed properties. There are approximately one thousand sites in the world, of which cultural sites account for almost 80 percent and natural sites for about 20 percent. There are a few dozen mixed properties.

Attempts are made to balance the list so that more sites are obtained from under-represented geographical areas.

If a World Heritage Site is threatened due to an armed conflict, natural disaster, uncontrollable tourism or construction taking place in its immediate vicinity, it may be included on the List of World Heritage in Danger. If a site loses some of its key characteristics, on the basis of which it was chosen for the Word Heritage List, it may be removed from the list.

Masterpieces and evidences of an extinct culture

It is required from the cultural sites in the World Heritage List that a site is a masterpiece of human creativity or otherwise bears exceptionally significant evidence of an existing or extinct culture. The site can be a building representing a significant historical period or represent typical dwellings of a certain culture. The site may also have to do with events, living traditions, ideas, religions and beliefs or artistic and literary works.

Beautiful scenery or haven of endangered species

Natural heritage sites may speak of an important development stage in the history of the Earth, or may be an example of an on-going ecological or biological change. It can also be a haven of endangered species or represent exceptionally beautiful scenery.

The Great Wall of China, Grand Canyon and Suomenlinna

Cultural heritage sites include, for example, the Great Wall of China, the Acropolis in Athens and Tallinn’s Old Town. Natural heritage sites include, for example, the Grand Canyon and the Galápagos Islands.

Finland has six cultural heritage sites, one of which is Suomenlinna, and one natural heritage site.

There are seven World Heritage Sites in Finland: Suomenlinna, Old Rauma, Petäjävesi Old Church, Verla Groundwood and Board Mill, Sammallahdenmäki Bronze Age Burial Site, Struve Geodetic Arc and Kvarken Archipelago.

Kvarken Archipelago is the only natural heritage site, all the others are cultural heritage sites.

Other World Heritage sites in Finland

Old Rauma

Old Rauma is the most extensive coherent wooden town area in Nordic region. It remains the heart of the town, with people living, trading, working and engaging in leisure activities in its historic surroundings all year round. Old Rauma was inscribed into the World Heritage List in 1991.

Petäjävesi Old Church

The Petäjävesi Old Church is a representative of the wooden church architectural tradition of the Northern European region. The church, built in 1763–1765, is an example of how local master builders on the fringes of Western culture and the Lutheran Church applied influences from Central European architecture to traditional log construction. The church was inscribed into the World Heritage List in 1994.

Verla Groundwood and Board Mill

Verla Groundwood and Board Mill is a well-preserved example of small-scale rural industrial settlements that flourished in northern Europe and North America in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Only a handful of such settlements survive to the present day. Verla was inscribed into the World Heritage List in 1996.

Sammallahdenmäki Bronze Age Burial Site

Sammallahdenmäki Bronze Age burial site is a unique site representing the religious and funerary habits of a community living in Western Finland during the Scandinavian Bronze Age and early Iron Age (1500–50 BC). Sammallahdenmäki was the first Finnish prehistoric archaeological site to be inscribed into the World Heritage List in 1999.

Struve Geodetic Arc

Struve Geodetic Arc was the first extensive and accurate meridian measurement that could be used for determining the shape of the earth. It was inscribed as a World Heritage site of Finland and nine other countries in 2005. It represents the history of science and technology and is the first site that stretches across the territory of so many countries. Six of the station points are located in Finland.

Kvarken Archipelago

The Kvarken Archipelago and the High Coast in Sweden together make up a joint World Heritage site of Finland and Sweden. Together they serve as a unique example of land uplift caused by the last glacial period and ongoing geological development and biological processes. The Kvarken Archipelago was inscribed into the World Heritage List in 2006 as Finland’s first Natural Heritage Site.

Visit an online version of the Our Shared World Heritage exhibition that is touring World Heritage Sites. The exhibition is a great way to, for instance, get to know a specific site before visiting it, and it has been designed for all types of visitors from individual visitors to school groups and families. The website also includes learning materials and answers.