Porvoo

Sister cities

• Viljandi
• Viborg
• Hancock
• Viimsi Rural Municipality
• Dalvík
• Lund Municipality
• Dinkelsbühl
• Surgut
• Kamień Pomorski
• Tyresö Municipality
• Hamar Municipality
• Ventspils

History

The area of Porvoo has been inhabited since the Stone Age. In prehistoric times, the river Porvoonjoki was a route of commerce for Finnish tribal Tavastians who primarily inhabited the inland regions. The Tavastians also had some permanent settlements in the area, such as the village of Hattula (later Strömsberg), which was named after an inland Tavastian village. The original name of the river Porvoonjoki was possibly Kukinjoki. The name derives from the name of the trade vessel cog which was a common merchant ship in the Baltic Sea in medieval times. The early center of the area was Saksala, meaning "the place of the Germans", and deriving from the merchants who were trading in Saksala. Porvoo was colonised by Swedes in the 13th and 14th centuries after the so-called Second Crusade against Tavastians in 1249–1250. The colonisation was led by the Catholic Church and the kingdom of Sweden. The colonists originated from Svealand, and were provided with seeds, cattle and, tax exemption for four years. However, it is also claimed to have been founded as early as 1347, which would make it the second oldest after Turku. Due to land rise and loss of shipping access, Ulvila lost town rights to nearby Pori in 1558. The Porvoo Common Statement is a report issued at the conclusion of theological conversations by official representatives of four Anglican churches and eight Nordic and Baltic Lutheran churches in 1989–1992. It established the Porvoo Communion, so named after the Porvoo Cathedral where the Eucharist was celebrated on the final Sunday of the conversations leading to the Statement. The old city of Porvoo was formally disestablished and the new city of Porvoo founded in 1997, when the city of Porvoo and the rural municipality of Porvoo were consolidated.

Most-observed species

• Great Tit

  Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  3,557
• Eurasian Blue Tit

  Cyanistes caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,933
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,216
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,060
• Eurasian Kestrel

  Falco tinnunculus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,956
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,601
• Hooded Crow

  Corvus cornix Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,479
• Eurasian Magpie

  Pica pica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,477

Most recent

• M 2.6 — 2011-03-19
  Finland