Ostrobothnia: Land uplift, cultural landscape and Kvarken

Ostrobothnia can be explored through two themes: significant land uplift and historical traces in settlement patterns, old road routes and extensive fields. In Pohjanmaa, land uplift shapes the landscape; the cultural landscape also preserves traces of past settlement. If you are interested in both natural history and landscapes shaped by people, these themes provide clear guidance for planning your trip.

Land uplift and cultural landscape

At the Kvarken Archipelago, you can experience and understand the land uplift caused by the last Ice Age. Within the wider travel destination of Finland, the Kvarken Archipelago is Finland’s only natural heritage site on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Together with Sweden’s Höga Kusten, it forms a geological complex shaped by land uplift. This makes it possible to consider the subject both through the landscape and in the context of its World Heritage status.

The cultural landscape of Pohjanmaa tells a different story: historical traces can be seen in settlement patterns, old road routes and the layout of extensive fields. These features offer a tangible view of how the landscape has developed, while land uplift brings geological change to the fore.

Stundars: Open-air museum and walking trail

Stundars, an open-air museum, is located in Ostrobothnia (Pohjanmaa). The museum grounds are open for recreation year-round; access to the buildings varies by season. When planning your visit, it is therefore helpful to distinguish between the grounds and seasonal access to the buildings.

The Stundars walking trail is 6.6 kilometres long and runs along the edge of the beautiful and rare Söderfjärden meteorite crater. The distance gives you a concrete point of reference when considering this trail as part of your trip. The museum grounds and walking trail offer different experiences: the open-air museum setting on the one hand, and the route along the crater’s edge on the other.

Nature themes and regional culture

The dioramas in the Terranova exhibition show the melting continental glacier, Baltic ringed seals, autumn bird migration, insect diversity and life in the coastal meadow in Ostrobothnia. The Terranova natural history exhibition also covers the region’s unique nature, the Kvarken World Heritage Site, the Ice Age and the relationship between people and marine nature. Geological processes, wildlife and human relationships with nature are presented as distinct themes.

The Vaasa City Museums are the museum responsible for the Ostrobothnia region. They preserve, present and communicate the region’s science, art and history. In the wider region, the Korsnäs sweater is also a distinctive feature: its pattern is unique, colourful and intricately designed.

Discover the Kvarken Archipelago

You can explore the Kvarken Archipelago by bicycle; trips on World Heritage cruises offer another way to discover it. At the Kvarken World Heritage Site, visitors can enjoy local specialities and a seaside atmosphere in a historic salt storehouse. As operating details may change, check before your visit whether the offering is available on your chosen date.

If you are looking for a hotel in Ostrobothnia, you can start by deciding what you would like to focus on during your trip: land uplift and Kvarken, the historic cultural landscape, or Stundars with its open-air museum and walking trail.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Nordanå, Vörå, Isokyrö, Vaasa, Jakobstad, Kristinestad, Ylihärmä, Lappfjärd, Iskmo, Eugmo, Nykarleby, Korsholm, Larsmo.