Naantali
| Naantali | ||
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| City | ||
| Naantalin kaupunki | ||
Images, from top, left to right: Naantali’s medieval stone church and SS Ukkopekka, Jöns Budde statue, Särkänsalmi bridge, the guest harbour and Old Town of Naantali, Moomin's haus in Moomin World (Muumimaailma), Naantali Old Town and Archipelago of Naantali.
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| Nickname(s): The Sunshine Town | ||
 Location of Naantali in Finland |
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| Coordinates: 60°28′N 022°02′E / 60.467°N 22.033°ECoordinates: 60°28′N 022°02′E / 60.467°N 22.033°E | ||
| Country |
 Finland
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| Region | Southwest Finland | |
| Sub-region | Turku sub-region | |
| Charter | 1443 | |
| Government | ||
| • Town manager | Jouni Mutanen | |
| Area (2011-01-01) | ||
| • Total | 688.01 km2 (265.64 sq mi) | |
| • Land | 311.50 km2 (120.27 sq mi) | |
| • Water | 376.51 km2 (145.37 sq mi) | |
| Area rank | 181st largest in Finland | |
| Population (2016-03-31) | ||
| • Total | 18,992 | |
| • Rank | 60th largest in Finland | |
| • Density | 60.97/km2 (157.9/sq mi) | |
| • | 18 800 | |
| Population by native language | ||
| • Finnish | 97.4% (official) | |
| • Swedish | 1.4% | |
| • Others | 1.2% | |
| Population by age | ||
| • 0 to 14 | 18% | |
| • 15 to 64 | 66.1% | |
| • 65 or older | 15.9% | |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) | |
| Municipal tax rate | 17.25% | |
| Website | www.naantali.fi | |
Naantali (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈnɑːntɑli]; Swedish: Nådendal) is a town in south-western Finland, known as one of the most important tourist centres of the country. The municipality has a population of 18,992 (31 March 2016), and is located in the region of Southwest Finland, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) west of Turku.
The town encompasses a land area of 311.50 square kilometres (120.27 sq mi). Most of this area is located on the islands, but the majority of the population lives on the mainland. Most of the islands are covered with forest and farmland, while the mainland consists chiefly of residential areas.
One of the oldest towns in Finland, Naantali was founded around the mediaeval Brigittine convent Vallis gratiae, the church of which still dominates its skyline. The charter was signed by King Christopher of Sweden, the then ruler of Finland, in 1443. The convent got trading rights and other privileges, and the town around it began to grow. It also became an important destination for pilgrimage.
In the 16th century, as Catholicism gave way to Protestantism as the official religion of Finland, the convent was closed, and the town plunged into a depression. This lasted until the mid-18th century, when the town got a tollgate and a customs chamber. In the two centuries of economic stagnation before that the town had become famous for its knitted , a craft carried on from the times of the convent.
The year 1863 saw the founding of the spa at Cape Kalevanniemi, which raised the town's status as a holiday venue. In 1922, the Kultaranta estate on Luonnonmaa was made the official summer residence for the President of the Republic, after Finland had gained its independence five years earlier.
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Wikipedia