View source for Raahe

{{short description|Town in North Ostrobothnia, Finland}}
{{expand Finnish|date=June 2023|topic=geo}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Raahe
| official_name      = {{lang|fi|Raahen kaupunki}}<br />{{lang|sv|Brahestads stad}}
| other_name         = Brahestad
| settlement_type    = Town
| image_skyline      = Raahe church and statue.jpg
| image_caption      = Raahe Church and statue of Per Brahe
| image_shield       = Raahe.vaakuna.svg
| shield_size        = 120x80px
| image_map          = Raahe sijainti Suomi.svg
| map_caption        = Location of Raahe in Finland
| coordinates        = {{coord|64|41|N|024|28|E|type:city({{Data Finland municipality|population_total|Raahe}})_region:FI-14|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Finland}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Regions of Finland|Region]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[North Ostrobothnia]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Sub-regions of Finland|Sub-region]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Raahe sub-region|Raahe]]
| leader_title       = [[City manager]]
| leader_name        = Leena Mikkola-Riekkinen
| established_title  = [[Charter]]
| established_date   = 1649
| area_footnotes     = {{Data Finland municipality|area_footnotes|Raahe}}
| area_total_km2     = {{Data Finland municipality|area_total_km2|Raahe}}
| area_land_km2      = {{Data Finland municipality|area_land_km2|Raahe}}
| area_water_km2     = {{Data Finland municipality|area_water_km2|Raahe}}
| area_rank          = {{Data Finland municipality|area_rank|Raahe}}
| population_as_of   = {{Data Finland municipality|population_as_of|Raahe}}
| population_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|population_footnotes|Raahe}}
| population_total   = {{Data Finland municipality|population_total|Raahe}}
| population_density_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|population_density_km2|Raahe}}
| population_rank    = {{Data Finland municipality|population_rank|Raahe}}
| demographics_type1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics_type1|Raahe}}
| demographics1_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_footnotes|Raahe}}
| demographics1_title1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title1|Raahe}}
| demographics1_info1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info1|Raahe}}
| demographics1_title2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title2|Raahe}}
| demographics1_info2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info2|Raahe}}
| demographics1_title3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title3|Raahe}}
| demographics1_info3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info3|Raahe}}
| demographics1_title4 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title4|Raahe}}
| demographics1_info4 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info4|Raahe}}
| demographics_type2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics_type2|Raahe}}
| demographics2_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_footnotes|Raahe}}
| demographics2_title1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title1|Raahe}}
| demographics2_info1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info1|Raahe}}
| demographics2_title2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title2|Raahe}}
| demographics2_info2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info2|Raahe}}
| demographics2_title3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title3|Raahe}}
| demographics2_info3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info3|Raahe}}
| blank_name         = {{Data Finland municipality|blank_name|Raahe}}
| blank_info         = {{Data Finland municipality|blank_info|Raahe}}
| timezone           = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
| utc_offset         = +02:00
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
| utc_offset_DST     = +03:00
| website            = {{Url|https://www.raahe.fi/en}}
| named_for          = [[Per Brahe the Younger]]
}}
'''Raahe''' ({{IPA|fi|ˈrɑːhe|lang}}; {{langx|sv|Brahestad}}; {{IPA|sv-FI|brɑːheˌstɑːd|lang}}) is a [[town]] in [[Finland]], located on the western coast of the country. Raahe is situated in the [[North Ostrobothnia]] region, along the [[Gulf of Bothnia]]. The population of Raahe is approximately {{formatnum:{{#expr:{{Data Finland municipality/population count|{{PAGENAME}}}}round -3}}}}, while the [[Rauma sub-region|sub-region]] has a population of approximately {{formatnum: {{#expr: {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Pyhäjoki}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Raahe}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Siikajoki}}round -3}}}}. It is the {{ordinal|{{Data Finland municipality/population count sequence|{{PAGENAME}}}}}} most populous [[Municipalities of Finland|municipality]] in Finland.

Founded in 1649 by the Swedish statesman and Governor General of Finland, Count [[Per Brahe the Younger]], it is one of 10 remaining historic wooden towns (or town centres) in Finland. Examples of other historic wooden towns in Finland are [[Kaskinen]] (Kaskö), [[Old Rauma]], [[Porvoo]] (Borgå), [[Jakobstad]] (Pietarsaari) and [[Vaasa]] (Vasa). After a devastating fire in 1810, Raahe was rebuilt according to new design principles that minimised the risk of fire and enlarged some of the civic spaces. ''Old Raahe'' (or "Wooden Raahe") is notable for its [[Renaissance]]-inspired rectilinear town plan with an unusual central square (called ''Pekkatori'') with closed corners.<ref>[https://www.raahe.fi/matkailijat/wanha-raahe Wanha Raahe] – Raahe.fi (in Finnish)</ref><ref>[https://www.visitraahe.fi/en/pekkatori-square Pekkatori Square] – Visit Raahe (in English)</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/a/74-20025769|title=Pohjoisessa on ainutlaatuisen arvokas puukaupunki, jonka ränsistymistä vastaan taistellaan nyt uusin keinoin|trans-title=There is a uniquely valuable wooden town in the north, whose dilapidation is now being fought with new means|first=Risto|last=Ukkonen|work=[[Yle]]|date=2023-04-09|access-date=2023-04-09|language=fi}}</ref>

Raahe is located {{convert|75|km}} southwest of [[Oulu]] and {{convert|126|km}} northeast of [[Kokkola]], and covers an area of {{convert|{{Data Finland municipality/total area|Raahe}}|km2}} of which {{convert|{{Data Finland municipality/waters area|Raahe}}|km2|abbr=on}} is water.<ref name="total_area" /> The [[population density]] is {{convert|{{Data Finland municipality/population density|Raahe|round=2}}|PD/km2|abbr=on}}.. Historically an agricultural and maritime region, Ostrobothnia supplied the largest number of immigrants from Finland to the USA and other countries such as Canada and Australia during the Great Migration of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The neighbouring municipalities of Raahe are [[Haapavesi]], [[Oulainen]], [[Pyhäjoki]], [[Siikajoki]] and [[Siikalatva]]. Founded as a [[Finland-Swedish|Swedish]]- and [[Finnish language|Finnish]]-speaking town, the municipality is now unilingually Finnish.

Three parishes have been merged with Raahe: [[Saloinen]] in 1973, [[Pattijoki]] in 2003 and [[Vihanti]] in 2013.

The asteroid [[1786 Raahe]] was named after the town and the municipality.

== History ==
=== Before the establishment ===
The area of Raahe was originally a part of the parish of [[Saloinen]], known until 1913 as ''Salo''. It was one of the first parishes in northern Ostrobothnia.
{{see|Saloinen}}

=== Seventeenth century history ===
[[File:Artikel 17.jpg|thumb|120px|left|[[Per Brahe the Younger]] established the city of Raahe in 1649.]]
Count [[Per Brahe the Younger]], the governor-general of Finland, gave a charter to the town of ''Salo'' (not to be confused with [[Salo, Finland|Salo]] in [[Finland Proper]]) in the year of 1649 with the purpose of constructing a town at [[Satamakangas]], near the old harbour site. However, the harbour area had become so low that the future town was decided to be transferred. A new and better location was found further to the north, at the bay of Raahe. Having acquired the possession of the parish of Salo in 1652, Per Brahe renamed the town Brahestad or Raahe in Finnish.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.oamk.fi/english/ects/docs/history_of_raahe.doc |title=The History Of Raahe |website=oamk.fi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070326001617/https://www.oamk.fi/english/ects/docs/history_of_raahe.doc |archive-date=2007-03-26 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":1">Raahe Tourist Office</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.raahe.fi/frontpage|title=Frontpage {{!}} Raahen kaupunki|website=www.raahe.fi|access-date=2016-07-17}}</ref>

The planning of the town for the purpose of building Raahe was given to the surveyor [[Claes Claesson]]. His town plan followed the ideals of the regular grid plan of the [[Renaissance]]. All of the streets of Raahe were of equal width of 20-21 cubits or 10–11 meters. The market square stood by Rantakatu and the Town Hall behind the square. At the northeast corner of the town stood the church and the schoolhouse. Six blocks were realized of the town plan, i.e. the area surrounded by present-day Koulukatu, Kirkkokatu, Saaristokatu and Rantakatu. The later expansion and changes of the town have held the ambitions of Claesson's town plan in respect until the beginning of the latest century.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

The oldest picture still remaining of the town of Raahe, a seventeenth-century drawing, dates back to the year of 1659. It depicts the town as being surrounded by a so-called customs fence with two custom gates, the eastern one located outside of the crossroads of present-day Brahenkatu and Reiponkatu streets and the southern one at the end of Pitkäkatu street (present-day Kauppakatu street) approximately by present-day Koulukatu street. The busy harbour of the town was located on the shore by the customs warehouse, the [[Raahe Museum|present museum]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

There were two public buildings in Raahe: a handsome, admirable, two-story town hall with a tower, and a wooden church, whose construction had already begun in 1651. The church was given a weather boarding already in 1684-1685. This is one of the earliest examples of boarding known in Finland.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

The dwellings and houses were made from logs. As a rule, they were built close to the street facing plot boundary, the long side and the ridge of the roof parallel to the street. The unbuilt portion of the plot against the street was fitted up with a high, solid plank fence and a drive-in gate. The plots inside a block were not separated by fences. The average house usually consisted of one or two rooms, most of which were of the two-room cabin type. Almost every house in the drawing of Raahe has the most remarkable novelty of the seventeenth century, the chimney. At the same time it was still quite common to have whole towns and villages with chimneyless houses, especially in Eastern Finland. Considered from the point of view of architectural history, at the time of its foundation Raahe was a quite modern town. As far as is known today, no buildings exist from the seventeenth century.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

=== 18th century ===
The [[Great Northern War]], fought in the first two decades of the 18th century, and the [[Great Wrath]] nearly destroyed the town. In 1705, the population had been 641, while after the war this had decreased to 134, and the majority of the merchant class had escaped the war to Sweden. The town slowly recovered after the war, and trading started again. Raahe was given the right to international trade in 1791,<ref>{{Cite book |title=Finlandia: Otavan iso maammekirja. 8: Pohjois-Pohjanmaa - Kainuu |date=1986 |publisher=Otava |isbn=978-951-1-09142-4 |editor-last=Tarkka |editor-first=Jukka |location=Helsinki |language=fi |editor-last2=Eskola |editor-first2=Matti |editor-last3=Huovinen |editor-first3=Pentti}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Raahen historia |url=https://www.raahe.fi/tietoa-raahesta/raahen-historia |access-date=2024-02-16 |website=Raahen kaupunki |language=fi}}</ref> which further enlivened the town's traffic and commerce. Goods such as tar, boards, tallow, butter, and fur were traded through Raahe, and improved road connections increased the competitiveness of the harbour.

==Climate==
{{Weather box	
|location = Raahe Lapaluoto satama (1991-2020 normals, records 1993-present)
|collapsed = Yes
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C= 5.0
|Feb record high C= 6.3
|Mar record high C= 11.9
|Apr record high C= 20.7
|May record high C= 28.6
|Jun record high C= 31.7
|Jul record high C= 33.5
|Aug record high C= 30.5
|Sep record high C= 24.4
|Oct record high C= 18.5
|Nov record high C= 10.5
|Dec record high C= 7.4
|year record high C= 33.5
|Jan high C = -3.7
|Feb high C = -4.1
|Mar high C = -0.8
|Apr high C = 4.4
|May high C = 10.4
|Jun high C = 16.0
|Jul high C = 19.7
|Aug high C = 18.1
|Sep high C = 13.2
|Oct high C = 6.8
|Nov high C = 1.9
|Dec high C = -1.3
|year high C = 6.7
|Jan mean C = -6.2
|Feb mean C = -6.8
|Mar mean C = -3.7
|Apr mean C = 1.1
|May mean C = 6.8
|Jun mean C = 12.5
|Jul mean C = 16.2
|Aug mean C = 15.0
|Sep mean C = 10.5
|Oct mean C = 4.5
|Nov mean C = -0.1
|Dec mean C = -3.5
|year mean C = 3.9
|Jan low C = -9.4
|Feb low C = -10.1
|Mar low C = -7.0
|Apr low C = -1.5
|May low C = 3.7
|Jun low C = 9.6
|Jul low C = 13.5
|Aug low C = 12.2
|Sep low C = 7.9
|Oct low C = 2.7
|Nov low C = -2.0
|Dec low C = -6.1
|year low C = 1.1
|Jan record low C= -31.4
|Feb record low C= -30.1
|Mar record low C= -26.9
|Apr record low C= -15.7
|May record low C= -4.8
|Jun record low C= 2.0
|Jul record low C= 6.6
|Aug record low C= 4.0
|Sep record low C= -2.1
|Oct record low C= -12.4
|Nov record low C= -20.6
|Dec record low C= -34.1
|year record low C= -34.1
|Jan humidity    = 88
|Feb humidity    = 87
|Mar humidity    = 84
|Apr humidity    = 80
|May humidity    = 77
|Jun humidity    = 76
|Jul humidity    = 79
|Aug humidity    = 81
|Sep humidity    = 83
|Oct humidity    = 86
|Nov humidity    = 89
|Dec humidity    = 88
|year humidity   = 83
|source 1 = https://www.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/ilmastollinen-vertailukausi
|source 2 = https://kilotavu.com/asema-taulukko.php?asema=101785
}}

== Economy ==
[[File:Rautaruukki steel factory in Raahe Jul2009 002.jpg|thumb|A railway connection to the [[Rautaruukki]] steel factory in July 2009]]
Raahe was granted [[Staple port]] rights in 1791 and was traditionally a harbor town. With industrialization, Raahe was reinvented as a steel and heavy industry city and has further developed with engineering services, [[Information and communication technologies|ICT]] and [[Computer software|software]] production. Raahe is known for steel, heavy machinery, engineering works, shipping and ICT. The [[Rautaruukki]] steel mill, which up to the 1980s was the largest single industrial site in the Nordic countries, is located in Raahe. The mill produces steel plate, coil and sheeting and semi-finished products for the engineering works.

Traditionally, Raahe was a port city. In the late [[Age of Sail]], the 1850s and on, shipping companies in Raahe owned Finland's largest fleet of sailing vessels, 60 in total at their height. Currently, the [[port of Raahe]] is the sixth busiest port in the country, with 700 ships visiting each year. Cargo that is transported through the port includes raw materials and loose cargo, steel, lumber, containers and contract-shipped goods.<ref>[https://seafocus.international/news-%26-blogs/f/port-of-raahe-%E2%80%93-one-of-the-busiest-ports-in-finland Port of Raahe – One of the Busiest Ports in Finland] – SeaFocus</ref>

With the steel industry, Raahe has grown into the third largest city in the ex-[[Oulu Province|Oulu province]], after Oulu and [[Kajaani]]. Like Oulu, the city promotes the ICT business, with the help of the steel industry (ProMetal and Steelpolis) and ICT industry (Softpolis) [[business incubator]]s/[[business park]]s.

The municipal tax rate is 19.75%. In 2007, the structure of the economy was as follows: agriculture and forestry 1%, construction 6%, manufacturing 43%, and retail, services and public services 50%. The sub-region includes the municipalities of [[Pyhäjoki]] and [[Siikajoki]].

==Sports==
The men's [[pesäpallo]] team [[Pattijoen Urheilijat]] competes in the [[Superpesis]] national league, playing at [[Rännäri Stadium]].

==Transportation==
The [[European route E8]] goes through the city, and is the biggest mean of land transportation in Raahe. Raahe also has bus transportation by various companies. The Raahe railway station next to the Raahe Railroad was closed from passenger traffic in 1966.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Liikennepaikan tiedot |url=http://vaunut.org/liikennepaikka/1456 |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=vaunut.org |language=fi}}</ref> Ticket selling ended in 2000.

==Notable people==
* [[Joonas Donskoi]] (born 1992), ice hockey player
* [[Katja Hänninen]] (born 1980), politician
* [[Jyri Junnila]] (born 1984), ice hockey player
* [[Petri Keskitalo]] (born 1967), decathlete
* [[Heikki Kinnunen]] (born 1946), actor
* [[Laura Kivistö]] (born 1981), football (soccer) player
* [[JP Leppäluoto]] (born 1974), musician
* [[Hanna-Leena Mattila]] (born 1964), politician
* [[Janne Niinimaa]] (born 1975), ice hockey player
* [[Lasse Paakkonen]] (born 1986), cross-country skier
* [[Markus Poukkula]] (born 1988), ice hockey player
* [[Samuli Putro]] (born 1970), musician
* [[Miikka Salomäki]] (born 1993), ice hockey player
* [[Onni Suutari]] (born 2003), football player

==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Finland}}

===Twin towns — Sister cities===

Raahe is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Town twinning |url=https://www.raahe.fi/en/information-about-raahe/town-twinning |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=www.raahe.fi |language=en}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|SWE}} '''[[Skellefteå]]''', [[Sweden]], since 1940
*{{flagicon|NOR}} '''[[Mo i Rana]]''', [[Norway]], since 1946
*{{flagicon|RUS}} '''[[Cherepovets]]''', [[Russia]], since 1968, cooperation suspended since 2022<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2022-03-17 |title=Raahen kaupunki jäädyttää yhteistyön venäläisten ystävyyskaupunkiensa kanssa ja lahjoittaa 20 000 euroa humanitaariseen apuun ukrainalaisille |url=https://www.raahe.fi/ajankohtaista/raahen-kaupunki-jaadyttaa-yhteistyon-venalaisten-ystavyyskaupunkiensa-kanssa-ja |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=www.raahe.fi |language=fi}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|SVK}} '''[[Košice]]''', [[Slovakia]], since 1987<ref name="Košice twinnings">{{cite web|url=http://www.kosice.sk/clanok.php?file=gov_s_c-00_uk.html|title=Twin cities of the City of Kosice|access-date=2013-07-27|work=Magistrát mesta Košice, Tr.}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|EST}} '''[[Märjamaa]]''', [[Estonia]], twinned with Vihanti (now consolidated with Raahe) since 1998
*{{flagicon|RUS}} '''[[Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad Oblast|Sosnovy Bor]]''', [[Russia]], since 2017, cooperation suspended since 2022<ref name=":2" />
*{{flagicon|ROM}} '''[[Aiud]]''', [[Romania]], preparation for twinning agreement started in 2018

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Raahe Tornitalo 20140820.JPG|Raahe highrise/water tower was built in 1958.
File:Memorial Anchor Raahe 20160731.jpg|Raahe Museum
File:Softpolis Raahe - panoramio - Aulo Aasmaa (5).jpg|Softpolis Raahe
File:Raahe Church 20120112a.JPG|Raahe Church
File:Hospital Raahe 20130511 02.JPG|The Raahe Hospital
File:Löytöeläinkoti, Home for found animals - panoramio.jpg|Animal shelter for found animals
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Raahe Museum]]
*[[Tasku beacon tower]]

==References==
;Notes
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{commons category-inline|Raahe}}
* {{wikivoyage inline|Raahe}}
*[https://www.raahe.fi/en Town of Raahe] – Official site
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070313114913/http://www.kirjastovirma.net/vanharaahe/?lang=en Old Raahe historical information in English, Finnish, German, and Swedish]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060617232257/http://www.migrationinstitute.fi/index_e.php Finnish Institute of Migration English pages with historical information and databases]
*[http://www.genealogia.fi/indexe.htm Genealogical Society of Finland pages in English]
*[https://raaheguide.fi/en/home/ Raahe Guide]

{{Geographic location
 | Centre = Raahe
 | N  = [[Siikajoki]]
 | E  = [[Siikalatva]]
 | SE = [[Haapavesi]]
 | S  = [[Pyhäjoki]], [[Oulainen]]
 | W  = ''[[Bothnian Bay]]''
}}
{{NorthernOstrobothnia}}
{{50 most populous Finnish municipalities}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Raahe| ]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Finland]]
[[Category:Grand Duchy of Finland]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Finland]]
[[Category:Brahe family]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in Finland]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1649]]
[[Category:1649 establishments in Sweden]]