Destination visit: City of Porvoo 16 May

Old Town (1300-) with its red-ochre painted riverside warehouses is one of the most photographed landscapes in Finland and a popular tourist destination. Walk on the gobble stones amongst boutiques and coffee shops, and admire the old houses.

Due to a fire that burned approximately two thirds of the city, the current building stock was mainly built between 1760 and 1820.

Empire district (1800-) has changed throughout decades from the original, but some blocks have preserved well until this day. The original residential blocks (gridiron plan) were reserved for Empire-style single-storey wooden houses, with wide streets running between them. The Empire district is characterized by its large courtyards and gardens.

A modern wooden town area has been built across the river from old town and empire district. The project started in 1998 as a pilot project of the national wooden construction promotion program. After the first area – the area of ​​compact and low construction by architect Tuomo Siitonen – the newest area with three wooden multistory residential buildings is under construction.

Programme and registration

Precise schedule for the destination visit will be published closer to the event. Departure from Helsinki will be at approximately 9.00 and we will return latest by 17.00.

Tour includes:

• Transportation in a charter bus, Helsinki-Porvoo-Helsinki
• Tour in Porvoo, focusing on wooden construction throughout centuries
• Lunch