Kvarken Archipelago
The Finnish part of the transnational World Heritage Site
The Kvarken Archipelago is characterized by flat islands, shallow stony beaches and a rich bird life. The Ice Sheet deposited different kinds of moraine formations, which makes for a varied landscape. A couple of thousand years ago, the whole area was still below the sea. Kvarken Archipelago is now the only natural site in Finland listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Traces of the ice
Similar yet so different
Interactive World Heritage Map
Life in the Archipelago
The land uplift has always shaped the people and the culture in Kvarken, from the first seal hunters when small skerries rose above the surface, to the villages of today. The mosaic archipelago has shallow water teeming with fish. Fish, seal and birds have always been important for the societies in Kvarken Archipelago. But the land uplift also make harbours and fairways gets to shallow and have to be dredged or even moved. The people have strong connections to the nature and the surroundings even today, even though hunting and fishing are no longer a necessity for survival. You can learn more about how nature and culture have been tightly intervowen in Kvarken Archipelago in the Audioguide with 75 chapters from different places in the World Heritage Site.
Experience Kvarken Archipelago
You can experience Kvarken Archipelago in many different ways. You will be closest to nature if you are hiking or kayaking. Many people also visit Kvarken Archipelago to fish. There are many nature paths and hiking trails to discover and with the electric ferry at Korsbådafjärden you will get further out on the islands. Remember that nature are the home of animals, plants and other organisms. Humans are merely visiting. So make sure to follow the regulations outlined in “the right to roam” and look up the special rules for protected areas. You can find films about many of the points of interest in the Kvarken Archipelago in the channel highcoastkvarken on Youtube.
