The European Route of Industrial Heritage, certified as Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe in 2019 route has further expanded into Finland with 16 new sites joining the Route. This follows a project coordinated by the Association of Industrial Heritage (Teollisuusperintöseura ry). The Association of Industrial Heritage is a national association whose goal is to increase awareness of industrial heritage and to promote its documentation, research, and conservation in Finland. These new members will be instrumental to connect these Finnish industrial heritage sites to a wider European context.

Regional Routes are an integral part of the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH), and Finland's first official ERIH Regional Route was established during the project. The West Coast Regional Route brings together five industrial heritage sites located in the Satakunta region: Ahlström Ironworks and Kauttua Ironworks, which are also on the Alvar Aalto cultural route, Leineperi ironworks, the Friitala leather museum renovated in spring 2024, and the Rosenlew museum in Pori, which serves as the Anchor Point of the route. “It is amazing to see so many new ERIH members in Finland, and the first Regional Route in Satakunta. I believe there will be several more regional routes to come.”, says the project coordinator Emmi Koivisto.

During the project, cooperation between operators has been intensified by creating the Finnish Industrial Heritage Route, Teollisuusperintöreitti. The route, consisting of 19 destinations, focuses on promoting domestic industrial heritage tourism, and connecting destinations from different parts of Finland. The sites present Finland's industrial heritage and industrial development from the 17th century to the present day. Fascinating stories about industry pioneers are combined with art and cultural tourism. The official opening of the route was celebrated on 17 May 2024.

The project coordinated by Teollisuusperintöseura ry has been partly financed with grant funding from the Finnish Heritage Agency (Museovirasto).

Finland has been a member of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA) since 2018, and is currently crossed by 9 certified Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.

Emma HARJU, Senior Ministerial Adviser at the Ministry of Education and Culture is Finland’s national representative of the Governing Board of the EPA on the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.

Contact details:

Teollisuusperintöseura RY Project Planner: Emmi Koivisto emmi.koivisto@varkaus.fi

Teollisuusperintöseura RY Chairperson: Hanna-Kaisa Melaranta hanna-kaisa.melaranta@varkaus.fi