Åland's history is closely bound up with the power struggles of the Baltic. The islands' strategic position — in the middle of the sea lane between Stockholm and St Petersburg — gave them a role in Nordic history disproportionately large compared to their size.
Kastelholm Castle
Kastelholm Castle is Åland's most visited historical site. The castle was built in the latter half of the 14th century and during the medieval period served as one of the Swedish crown's most important fortresses in the Baltic region. It functioned as the administrative centre for Åland and the island territories further into Finnish waters.
The castle has undergone several rebuilds and restorations and is today well preserved. During the summer season, guided tours and various cultural events are held here. Nearby is Jan Karlsgården open-air museum — a reconstruction of a traditional 19th-century Åland farm, well worth a visit alongside the castle.
Kastelholm is about 25 km northeast of Mariehamn along main road 2, easily reached by bike or car.
Bomarsund — Russian fortress and European history
The Bomarsund fortifications are one of Åland's most fascinating historical sites, if considerably more fragmented. During the 1830s, the Russian Empire — which had controlled Finland and thus Åland since 1809 — began building a massive fortress complex at Bomarsund in eastern Åland.
The intention was to create a powerful base for the Russian Baltic Fleet. But the fortress was never completed. During the Crimean War in 1854, a British-French fleet arrived and bombarded the complex to ruins. It was one of the war's only operations in the Baltic.
Today, dramatic ruins line the waterfront — thick granite walls bearing witness to the ambitious project. Signs and information boards on site give a clear picture of the events.