Industrial heritage in Finland

Industrialism in Finland

The industrialization of Finland was a multi-stage and regionally differentiated process that shaped the country’s economic and social structures. In the 16th century, Finland was a predominantly agricultural region with limited industrial activity. The first forms of industry, such as ironworks and mills, began to develop, especially in Southern Finland and Ostrobothnia. This was also the time when early forms of industry, such as glass factories and salt bridges, emerged.

In the early 19th century, especially during Russian rule, more significant changes began to occur. Finland received its own customs territories and taxation rights, which enabled the growth and diversification of industry. This led to the creation of industries such as textiles, wood and metal. However, industrialization was still in its early stages, and most of the population was still engaged in agriculture.

At the beginning of the 20th century, industry began to grow more rapidly. Especially in the 1920s and 1930s, new industrial sectors emerged, such as the chemical industry and electronics. After World War II, especially in the 1950s and 1970s, industrialization accelerated significantly. Finland became part of the international economy, and large-scale industries, such as the paper and forest industries, took on a central role. At the same time, urbanization and the migration of the working population from rural areas to industrial areas accelerated.

Industrialization also created new social challenges, such as the status of the working class, environmental issues, and regional inequality. Efforts were made to respond to these challenges, among other things, through labor market policies and regional development programs. The process of industrialization was multi-stage and regionally differentiated, but it laid the foundation for Finland’s current economy and society.

Finnish Industrial Heritage Route -project

The Finnish Industrial Heritage Route was a tourism route project initiated by the Teollisuusperintöseura (TICCIH Finland) in 2023 to expand the European Cultural Routes network, funded by the Finnish Heritage Agency with a grant for the development of European Cultural Routes. The project’s funding ends in June 2025. The aim of the project was to connect as many Finnish industrial heritage sites as possible to the existing European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH) route, to create a national network to strengthen cooperation and marketing of Finnish industrial heritage sites, and to help sites also create smaller local route networks (ERIH Regional Routes). The project was launched with 17 project partner sites in November 2023 and 30 sites had been included in the project by the end of the funding period in June 2025. During the project, three ERIH regional routes were completed: Western Coast, Kymenlaakso and Southwest Finland, and during the process, a total of four Finnish sites applied for ERIH anchor point status.

The Finnish Industrial Heritage Route continues its operations after the end of the funding period, operating independently, supported by membership fees collected from route members and sponsorship income. The route’s operations have focused on tourism marketing and promoting the awareness of route destinations both at home and abroad.