Vaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. The history of Vaasa begins in the 14th century, when the seafarers from the coastal region in central Sweden disembarked at the present Old Vaasa, and the wasteland owners from Finland proper came to guard their land.
King Charles IX founded the town of Vaasa on October 2, 1606 around the oldest harbour and trade point in the Mustasaari church village 7 km to the southwest from the present city. King Charles IX gave the town the name of his royal house. Thanks to the sea connections ship building and trade, especially tar trade, was flourishing from the seventeenth century and most of the inhabitants earned their living from it.
In 1683 the three-subject or ‘trivial’school moved from Nykarleby to Vaasa and four years later a new schoolhouse was built in Vaasa. Finland’s first library was founded in Vaasa in 1794.

	Country:	Finland
	Location:	West
	Country Code:	+358
	Population:	57,266
	Language:	Finnish, Swedish
	Currency:	Euro (€)
	Time Zone:	GMT+2
	Train Station:	Vaasa Station
	Tourism:	Vaasa Tourism

By Car The E12 leads all the way from Helsinki to Vaasa. From the east (Jyväskylä), take road 23 until you reach E12 and turn right towards Vaasa.

By Train Train services operating out of Vaasa go to all major cities in Finland and most towns. Services also run to Sweden, Norway and Russia.

By Ferry RG Lines ferry services connect Vaasa with Umea in the North East if Sweden.

• Ostrobothnian History Museum
• Tikanoja Art Museum
• Wasalandia Amusement Park
• Vaasa Maritime Museum
• Brage Open Air Museum

Vaasa, with its historically important buildings, statues and monuments has more than enough to offer those with an interest in the history of this fascinating region. Vaasa have a lot of different museums and Galleries. In the Ostrobothnian History Museum, art and nature are brought together. The objects describing people’s life and nature originate from Ostrobothnia, the special collections contain art and items both from Finland and other countries. Besides Ostrobothnian Museum the Art Museums are represented by the Tikanoja Art Museum which collection is especially famous for its international section containing works by Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. The collection also includes Finnish art from the 19th and 20th centuries. Traditional masters, such as Albert Edelfelt, Axel Gallen-Kallela, Maria Wiik and Tyko Sallinen are included in the collection as well as younger artists. Wasalandia Amusement Park is the ultimate place for fun for kids and the whole family. Wild water slides in and outdoor, water falls, bubble baths, exotic saunas and the waters always a warm +32 c°.