Today there are still many craftsmen in Ekenäs, including shoemakers, watchmakers, furniture upholsterers and restaurateurs, carpenters, seamstresses and a framing shop. Ekenäs’ cosy bakeries and cafés are very popular, as are the market days on Wednesdays and Saturdays, especially in summer.
The streets of the Old Town are still inhabited. You can carefully look over the fences to the gardens as you stroll on the narrow alleys. So called gossip mirrors, decorative gates and window ornaments in different designs are nice details to look at. At Christmas time, those walking around the Old town can see a glimpse of a Christmas tree, an old tiled stove or a beautiful mirror door.
Stroll along the seashore
Basa Square next to Stallörsparken is a suitable starting point for a walk along Västvallen. There you can enjoy the sea views. The old shame pole in Basa Square recalls the days when public punishments were common.
At the beginning of the walk you pass the Old Sauna, a large brick building that was built in 1903. It was built as a bathhouse for the Russian high society. The building was the city’s public sauna until the late 1960s.
During the walk along the beach you can admire the Old town’s wooden houses, small boat harbours and lush parks. At Södra viken is the small, beautiful Våghus Park, with memorial stones to two Knights of the Mannerheim Cross, Tor Lindblad and airman Hans Wind. In Våghus Park you can also see when paddlers steer off to sea. In the Skepparträdgården Garden, which is a short walk away, you can ring the bell that is part of the artist Helene Schjerfbeck’s memorial.
Ekenäs is a seaside town. There are harbours of various kinds, beaches in the center of the town, and rocky beaches on Ramsholmen and Högholmen. In winter, the sea hides under the ice, but the winter bathers continue swimming at the swimming facility at Stallörsparken. About one kilometre from the center is Ramsholmen’s park forest area where both locals and tourists go to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet of nature.
Helene Schjerfbeck was very fond of the sea, walks in the Old Town and excursions to the Ramsholmen forest park area. She spent much of her time in Skepparträdgården park painting and watching people. Helene did, in fact, paint a lot of portraits of ordinary people with interesting facial features in Ekenäs. Nowadays the memorial The Finnish Untuned Bell, which children like to ring, is set into the park. It was created as a permanent monument to celebrate the artist’s life’s work.
Ekenäs, the hometown
Helene Schjerfbeck lived in several locations in Finland and abroad. The artist spent the summers 1918-1920 in Ekenäs, and lived permanently in the town during years 1925-1941. She chose to live in Ekenäs because she wanted to live close to the sea. Her first apartment was in the old Juslin house on Långgatan (Raseborgsvägen 2). The house was demolished a long time ago, but there is now a memorial and Helene Schjerfbeck Square. For some time Helene also lived in the yellow house next to the Fish Market in the Ekenäs Old Town as the tenant of Sigfrid Nyberg. This house still stands.
Dramatized walks with Helene Schjerfbeck
Dramatized walks are held in Ekenäs where Helene herself will guide you through the interesting phases of her own life and the history of Ekenäs. She will show you the parks and buildings that she was inspired by and tells about her friends that modelled in her portraits. For bookings, please contact cafeschjerfbeck@gmail.com.
In addition to the dramatized walk, groups can book a guide to the Schjerfbeck exhibition in Raseborg Museum, a letter read, or painting with the artist. The museum’s permanent exhibition presents Helene’s works and items that belonged to her.
Already in the 14th century, the King’s Road has stretched from Bergen, Norway. Then following an old postal route going via Oslo to Stockholm, Sweden. From there it runs further to Mariehamn on the Åland islands, in Finland. The route continues through the archipelago to Turku and via coastal areas of Southern Finland. Finally all the way to Vyborg and St. Petersburg in Russia.
The kings and their couriers, bishops and burgesses, artists and armies have traveled the road. The road supposedly was built as a trail for chargers between Turku and Vyborg Castles. Later, the road was used as a postal route. The route went from village to village. Manor houses, farms, guest houses, taverns and inns where travelers were able to stay and dine popped up along the way.
In Raseborg, the King’s Road runs via Tenala towards Pojo parish village when coming from Turku. Pojo was once an important hub with i.a. manor houses, ironworks, inns, harbours, and a lookout hill. From Pojo village the road continues to Fiskars Village. Which today is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Raseborg.
After Pojo church, the King’s Road runs through Billnäs Village along the Svartå River. At Karis Kroggård the road branches off to northern and southern parts. The northern King’s Road passes through Svartå to Lohja and further to Siuntio. There the southern branch takes you to Ekenäs and Raseborg Castle Ruins. Then continuing to Fagervik and further to Ingå and Siuntio. There the northern and southern branches are reunited.
