Finland’s Regions All Have Their Charm – and Their Own Coat of Arms #
Regularly in the spring, when I drive through the southern and southeastern part of Finland, I see them: the large signs by the roadside. On the highway and when entering a new city area. Impressive signs with the name of the municipality or region. Unlike what I’m used to from my home country, the signs are quite large, the text is easy to read while driving, and the actual coat of arms is easy to recognize.
At first, I didn’t understand it. Then one day it hit me: Aha, a new region. Over time, I thought it was a shame not to stop and take a closer look at the signs. So, I started to take an interest in Finland’s coats of arms.
The 19 Regions of Finland at a Glance #
If you want to get an overview of landscapes, regions and municipalities, projects, and buildings, you can browse the website of the Finnish National Land Survey ( maanmittauslaitos.fi). There used to be a map with all 19 municipalities and their respective coats of arms. Unfortunately, it is no longer available. However, with a bit of searching online, you can find this map, which is available on Reddit and finland.fi.
But There Are Many More Coats of Arms #
Each municipality has its own coat of arms, which can be seen by the roadside or on the highway when crossing from one region to another. You can see the abundance of coats of arms in the following image (completeness not guaranteed):
The regions in the country:
You Must See Them All #
Stop, Absolutely: #
At some point during my drive, I wondered if it was possible to photograph all the coats of arms in Finland. It’s probably not possible. At least not if you don’t live there. So, I started to stop and take photos of the signs whenever possible. The list is not very long yet, but who knows, maybe one day I will have photographed them all.
Here is an initial selection:
The Meaning of the Coats of Arms #
Why each coat of arms is designed the way it is, I personally cannot explain. You probably need to ask in the respective city archives. Some can be explained, while others probably cannot.
The YouTube channel “Irish in Finland” has made a small series about this. I recommend checking it out and watching the videos on “Coats of Arms”.
How do you like the coats of arms? Are they more beautiful than what you know from your country? For me, they certainly are.