♥ The Old Town in Åland ♥
💎 The Åland Islands are a group of small islands officially belonging to Finland.Åland was declared a Finnish territory in 1921, but the core of its traditions are Swedish, as is the official language.
💎 Åland Islands belong to Finland since the fall of the Russian Empire, although all the dwellers are totally Swedish-speaking. The capital is Mariehamn.The capital of the Åland Islands owes its name (literally Maria’s Port) to wife of Tsar Alexander II – Empress Maria Aleksandrovna, patron of the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. Population of Mariehamn is a little bit over 11 thousand people.
💎 Åland has its own parliament, and the cultural heritage though is mostly Swedish. Speaking Swedish and being a part of Finland, the people of Åland regard themselves as a separate and autonomous part of Finland, and appreciate if you refer to them as one. Do not refer to Ålanders as "Finns", as this can be regarded as rude.
💎 The small and steep alley connects some busy streets in the Old Town. The alley is only 90 cm wide! The name of the street comes from a German merchant who was the owner of many houses in the area in the sixteenth century.
# Travel and Discover with Jess* 🌟
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