Old town of Ii
In the 1300th century, Wanha Hamina was an important harbor and market area of the Perämeri Sea. The main traded goods were salmon, tar and furs. In the 1500th century, by order of Kustaa Vaasa, Hamina became an official trading place alongside Kemi, Tornio and Oulu. Dozens of merchants lived in Ii's Hamina permanently, but during market times, sellers from Oulu, Stockholm, Sigtuna, Viena Kemi and Karjala gathered there.
The Finnish Heritage Agency (Museovirasto) has listed Ii's Hamina old harbor and market place as one of Finland's most significant cultural and historical marketplaces.
Ii's historical gem Wanha Hamina
The houses on both sides of the two streets Alakatu and Yläkatu on the banks of the Iijoki river are mostly centuries-old, renovated buildings. The oldest buildings are of log construction from around the beginning of the 1800th century. It is typical that the buildings are next to each other, even close to each other.
Read more about Old Hamina in the retkipaikka.fi article: Ii's historical gem
Location and services
There are directions to the residential area of Iin Wanhan Hamina from highway 4. The Ii church and parish hall are located in the area, which is open in the summer Ii's hometown museum, as well as the covered stage space of Huiling and the market yard area of Wanhan Hamina.
In the summer of 2023, Huilinki restaurant and cafe in Old Hamina (Puistotie 4, Ii) will be operated by Juhlapalvelu Pikasso (pikasso.fi).
Explore on foot or by bike Cultural landscape route to Ruustinna. There are two walking routes to choose from, the longer route 2 goes to the Environmental Art Park and back (total round trip 1,7 km), the shorter one goes around the Wanhan Hamina residential area from Alakadu via Yläkatu back (total round trip 550 m).
Along the Ruustinta route there are guide boards about the history and life of Ii.
Guided walking tours in Old Hamina
It is possible to order tours, for example, in connection with training or recreation days.
Iin Hamina tour
Content: history and stories from Hamina
Duration: according to the agreement, 1-2 hours on foot (barrier-free access)
Time: the tour can be ordered all year round
Price: by agreement
Guide/reservations: Pertti Huovinen phone 050 571 9248
Writers' Ii
Contents: Walking tour in Old Hamina. The guide tells about the writers who lived in Ii and/or wrote about Ii, and the actors of Ii Näyttämöyhdisten read the authors' texts
Duration: approx. 1.30 h – 2 h.
Time: The tour can be ordered all year round
Price: by agreement
Guide/reservations: Pertti Huovinen phone 050 571 9248
Finland 100 / Life in Ii and Hamina during independence
Content: Walking tour of Old Hamina, history and stories of Ii and Hamina from the time of Finnish independence, different content than the tour of Hamina
Duration: approx. 1 – 2 h according to the agreement
Time: Available to order all year round
Price: According to the agreement
Guide/reservations: Pertti Huovinen phone 050 571 9248
Ruistinta route history tour
Content: let's get to know Ii's history and stories by walking along the Ii cultural landscape route
Duration: approx. 2 h on foot (barrier-free access)
Time: the tour can be ordered all year round
Price: by agreement
Guide/reservations: Pertti Huovinen phone 050 571 9248
