Bustling activity
This lively district of 800 inhabitants has been preserved as a living entity, as the heart of the town where people still live and work throughout the year. The most important manifestation of the area’s bustling life is the market square, which was recently renovated with wonderful new paving and awnings. In recent years, Old Rauma has developed considerably in other ways too.

Captivating boutiques
Idyllic little cafés lure visitors to the area with their pleasant summer terraces, along with a hundred or so different little shops. Interior design and antique shops and flea markets are real treasure troves, where you can make fantastic and unforgettable discoveries.

Enchanting medieval features
Within the structure of old Rauma covering almost 30 hectares, medieval features are still evident, such as narrow, winding streets and lanes and irregularly-shaped courtyards. The densely-built area has almost 600 buildings, most of which are privately owned. Characteristics of the townscape include courtyards marked by impressive gates and wooden fences. Each house has its own colourful story, which the residents of today are continuing. Old Rauma is best enjoyed on foot. On a walk, the visitor may take in the scent of lilac blossom, or the wood smoke rising atmospherically from chimneys. He may also examine the skilful handicraft of carpenters on the building facades and courtyard gates. Some of the buildings in Old Rauma have preserved features from the 18th century and others from the early 19th century. Most buildings, however, have the appearance of the more modern Neo-Renaissance style that they were given during the active period of renovation in the 1890s.

Church of the Holy Cross
In addition to the charming wooden houses, other essential parts of Old Rauma are the views of the meandering River Raumanjoki, and, in particular, the Church of the Holy Cross built in the late 15th century. It was formerly a church of the Franciscan Order, and in the chancel of this greystone church with a double nave you can admire splendid medieval frescoes on the walls and vault.

A unique lace town
Lace-making is an old tradition of Rauma. Bobbin lace has been made in the town since at least the mid-18th century, and the golden age for Rauma lace was the period when traditional silk caps with lace trimmings worn by married women were at the height of fashion. Ever since 1971, Rauma has held a Lace Week, gathering together lace enthusiasts and visitors from Finland and beyond.