General definition

Maritime spatial planning identifies clusters of cultural values, which are related to maritime sectors.

Marking description

The marking indicates significant clusters of cultural values, which include, for example, nationally valuable landscape areas, nationally significant built cultural environments (RKY), underwater cultural landscapes, coastal fishing tradition areas and entities related to marine cultural heritage, such as entities related to the military history, seafaring, traditional biotopes, landscape as well as coastal, archipelago and villa culture.

Planning principle

When developing the areas, it is important to pay attention to the preservation of the characteristics of the area, sensitivity and enhancement of cultural values, accessibility of areas, natural values, value of the open sea landscape as well as marine livelihoods. 

Special characteristics and priorities of the planning areas

The northern Bothnian Sea, Quark and Bothnian Bay:

Marine cultural values in the area are related to fishing, sealing, seafaring and lighthouse islands, archipelago agricultures as well as shipbuilding and other industries on the coast. The World Heritage Site of the Quark area is significant natural and cultural heritage. Hailuoto is a distinctive cultural entity. There is no comprehensive data concerning the locations of the underwater relics available.

The Archipelago Sea and southern Bothnian Sea:

People have lived on the coasts and archipelago of Southwest Finland since the late Stone Age (approx. 2,000–1,300 BCE) and Satakunta is one of the oldest populated regions in Finland. The conditions were good for keeping livestock and farming. In addition to the old peasant culture, the cultural history is characterised by fishing and seafaring. The Archipelago Sea is a national landscape that depicts the most representative characteristics of Finnish nature and culture. There are many lighthouses in the planning area.

The Gulf of Finland:

Characteristics to the marine tradition in the area are traditional archipelago settlements, coastal fishing villages, coastal cities and towns, villa areas, military history and defence constructions. Many of the most known shipwrecks in Finland are located on the Gulf of Finland. The naval battle of Ruotsinsalmi is the most significant battle in the history of the Baltic Sea. The naval battle area includes also cultural landscape values. The chain of lighthouses of the Gulf of Finland is an important part of the cultural history and highlights the special characteristics of the Finnish coast.

Land-sea interactions

Cultural value entities are significant sources of vitality and attraction and they support, for example, tourism and recreational opportunities in the areas.

Many marine culture values are located on the coast and in the archipelago or are linked to the mainland, such as fishing villages, coastal cities and towns and ports as well as dockyards.

River valleys are cultural connections from the sea to the mainland and vice versa.

Starting points and surveys

The Finnish Heritage Agency: Review of the maritime heritage in Finland 2019 (Suomen merellisen kulttuuriperinnön tilannekuvaus)

The Finnish Heritage Agency (https://www.museovirasto.fi/en/ and https://kartta.museoverkko.fi/)

Built cultural environments of national significance (RKY)

Valuable landscape areas of national significance

Regional land use plans and related reports

National landscape conservation areas

Archeological heritage

UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites

National landscapes

National urban parks

The background material for the plan map shows the lighthouses, shipwrecks and other relics, nationally significant built cultural environments (RKY), and nationally valuable landscapes (maritime).