Åland

Several battles have been fought over Åland. Even Peter the Great planned to attack Stockholm via Åland. Since then, Åland has been an object of never-ending military planning, just as in the Finnish War when the people of Åland clearly indicated that they wanted to be part of Sweden. With no help from the Swedes, they managed to disarm the Russian invaders.

At Finström in May 1808, the local sheriff and vicar captured an 80-strong detachment of Russians and arrested its commander - a major. The King of Sweden granted the captors medals of valour. A few days later, 500 Russian troops and their commander, a colonel, were captured in Kumlinge. The Swedish army made a futile attempt to land near Turku and Vaasa. At the peace negotiations in Hamina, the Swedish delegates did their utmost to avoid the cession of Åland to the extent that they appealed to Napoleon during the course of the talks.

When Åland was annexed to Russia along with the rest of Finland, Eckerö became the empire’s gateway to the West. The town’s impressive Post and Customs House, designed by architect Carl Ludvig Engel, was completed in 1828. Mail services between Eckerö and Grisslehamn, Sweden, were provided by rowing boats.