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Unesco World Heritage
Stony shoreline

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Welcome to the Kvarken Archipelago

A Valuable Natural Heritage Site

The unique Kvarken Archipelago is Finland's only Natural World Heritage Site on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Together with Sweden's High Coast, the Kvarken Archipelago is the best place in the world to experience and understand the land uplift phenomenon caused by the last Ice Age.

Boat houses by the water

Experience the Kvarken Archipelago

In the Kvarken archipelago, you can experience the fresh nature, the idyllic villages and the breathtaking land uplift scenery.

Find your experience
World Heritage Gateway Visitor Center

Visitor Centre World Heritage Gateway

Located next to the longest bridge in Finland, the Visitor Centre World Heritage Gateway is the starting point of your visit! At the gateway you can explore the World Heritage and get tips for your trip in the Kvarken Archipelago. We also have info points in the municipalities surrounding the World Heritage area.

Visit World Heritage Gateway
In the Kvarken, the scenery is rough but beautiful.

World Heritage Site in a nutshell

High meets low: the Kvarken Archipelago and Sweden's High Coast are a joint World Heritage Site on UNESCO's list. Traces of the Ice Age and continuous land uplift feature the both sides.

Learn more about the World Heritage Site
A boy sitting on a pier with a dog. The boy has headphones.

The Kvarken Archipelago Audio Guide

In this audio guide, you can dive into the Kvarken Archipelago's cultural-historical story. In 75 episodes, we tell stories and show pictures and films from 75 different places around the Kvarken Archipelago World Heritage Area. Listen and enjoy!

Listen to stories of the Kvarken Archipelago
Small wooden box, a padlock on top of it.

Kvarken’s Sea Monster – Escape Game

The mysterious sea monster has been seen in the Kvarken Archipelago in the 1800s. Now it seems to be back in our rocky kingdom. Step in to the exhibition Weichsel in the visitor centre World Heritage Gateway, and see if you can catch the monster in time!

Read more and book your game here
Two people watch as a drone is flying away.

Projects in the Kvarken Archipelago World Heritage area

Read more about the ongoing projects in the Kvarken Archipelago World Heritage area.

Read more about the projects

Environmental Management Certificate to The World Heritage Gateway Visitor Center

On December 9th in 2022, the Kvarken World Heritage association was awarded the EcoCompass environmental management system certificate for managing and developing environmental issues in accordance with the environmental management system. The organisation commits to compliance with the 10 EcoCompass criteria.

Read more about the environmental certificate