Naantali Nådendal | |
|---|---|
City | |
| Naantalin kaupunki Nådendals stad | |
 Images, from top, left to right:Naantali’s medieval stone church andSS Ukkopekka,Jöns Budde statue, Särkänsalmi bridge, the guest harbour and Old Town of Naantali, Moomin's haus inMoomin World (Muumimaailma), Naantali Old Town andArchipelago of Naantali. | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Nickname: The Valley of Grace[1] | |
 Location of Naantali inFinland | |
| Coordinates:60°28′N022°02′E / 60.467°N 22.033°E /60.467; 22.033 | |
| Country |  Finland |
| Region | Southwest Finland |
| Sub-region | Turku sub-region |
| Metropolitan area | Turku metropolitan area |
| Charter | 1443 |
| Government | |
| • Town manager | Jouni Mutanen |
| Area (2018-01-01)[2] | |
• Total | 687.98 km2 (265.63 sq mi) |
| • Land | 312.58 km2 (120.69 sq mi) |
| • Water | 376.51 km2 (145.37 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 231st largest in Finland |
| Population (2025-06-30)[3] | |
• Total | 20,312 |
| • Rank | 54th largest in Finland |
| • Density | 64.98/km2 (168.3/sq mi) |
| • | 18 800 |
| Population by native language | |
| • Finnish | 94.5% (official) |
| • Swedish | 1.3% |
| • Others | 4.2% |
| Population by age | |
| • 0 to 14 | 14.8% |
| • 15 to 64 | 58.8% |
| • 65 or older | 26.3% |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
| Website | www |
Naantali (Finnish pronunciation:[ˈnɑːntɑli];Swedish:Nådendal) is atown inSouthwest Finland, and, as aresort town during the summer, an important centre oftourism in the country.[6][7][8] The municipality has a population of 20,312(30 June 2025),[3] and is located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) west ofTurku.
The town has a land area of 312.58 square kilometres (120.69 sq mi).[2] Most of this area is located on the islands, but the majority of the population lives on the mainland[citation needed]. Most of the islands are covered with forest and farmland, while the mainland consists chiefly of residential areas[citation needed].
One of the oldest towns in Finland, Naantali was founded around the medieval Brigittine conventVallis gratiae (or Nådendal Abbey), the church of which still dominates its skyline. The charter was signed by KingChristopher of Bavaria, 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 forpilgrimage.
In the 16th century, asCatholicismgave way toProtestantism as the official religion ofSweden (whichFinland was part of at the time), the convent was closed, and the town plunged into a depression. This lasted until the mid-18th century, when the town got atollgate and a customs chamber. In the two centuries of economic stagnation before that the town had become famous for its knittedstockings, 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, theKultaranta estate onLuonnonmaa was made the official summer residence for the President of the Republic, after Finland had gained its independence five years earlier.
The municipalities ofMerimasku,Rymättylä andVelkua were consolidated with Naantali on January 1, 2009.
The per capita tax income of the town is the second highest of all towns in Finland, and the highest in the province ofSouthwest Finland.
The nameNaantali is thefennicised version of the Swedish name of the town,Nådendal. The Swedish name was given as a direct translation from theLatinVallis Gratiae which literally means "The Valley of Grace".[1]
The proximity of both Turku, the region's administrative centre and largest city, and of thearchipelago both contribute to the area's popularity with tourists.
Other points of interest in the city includeMoomin World, a theme park on the island of Kailo, andNaantali’s medieval convent stone church. The area also includes the official summer residence of thePresident of Finland, the Kultaranta estate which is located on the island ofLuonnonmaa.[citation needed]
TheArchipelago Sea boat traffic is handled byS/S Ukkopekka. Oldsteamship cruise Naantali-Turku-Naantali.
Naantali hosts an internationalmusic festival every June, and the traditional Sleepyhead Daycarnival in July.
Every July 27, Naantali celebrates theNational Sleepy Head Day (Finnish:Unikeonpäivä;Swedish:Sjusovardagen). The old tradition is to throw a chosen "sleepy head", usually a Finnish celebrity, in the sea from the city's port at 8 a.m. The identity of the sleeper is kept secret until the event. People who are chosen have usually done something to the benefit of the city.[9][10][11][12]
In addition to tourism, the city's main industries areelectricity production,oil refining,manufacturing, andservices. ThePort of Naantali is the third largest in Finland in terms of goods traffic, and the city is home to apower plant and an oil refinery owned by the government-controlled companyFortum andNeste.
Naantali istwinned with:
Vadstena, Sweden
Nordfyn, Denmark
Svelvik, Norway
Vesturbyggð, Iceland
Puck, PolandPreviously:
Kirovsk, Russia | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(May 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Naantali travel guide from Wikivoyage| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
