The asps and the two mountains which shall give an impression of the Torne river between them, together make the arms canting, as the name is Finnish for "asp beach". The golden sun, which because of its position on the silver field is breaking the tincture rule, is to symbolize the midnight sun. The border mark is of course a sign for the town's situation at the border to Finland.
By the arms adjustment in the 1970's, it was suggested that this mark would be removed from the arms, as it could hurt the feelings of the brother nation on the other side of the border - a removal could on the other hand just as well be interpreted as if Sweden wanted to regain its claim of wanting to reconquer Finland. (Heraldry of the World)
City: Haparanda
Region: Norrbottens län
Country: Sweden
My Commentary: Haparanda is a not exactly a very urban and huge town but it's strategically located near a river and today is a town on the border of Finland and Sweden, which makes it interesting for historical exploration in the area.
Links:
Interesting Facts:
- Haparanda is the easternmost area of Sweden
- Because of the friendly relationship of the two towns at the border: Haparanda on Swedish side and Tornio on the Finnish side, they got interconected as EuroCity, being the Swedish side called Haparanda-Tornio and the Finnish side Tornio-Haparanda (ps: Haparanda is 1h behind Tornio in the Time Zone)
- During World War II approximately 80,000 Finnish children evacuated to Sweden through Haparanda
- The border between Haparanda and Tornio has recently been called "the world's most peaceful border."
History of Haparanda: When Sweden ceded Finland to Russia in 1809, the border was drawn along the Rivers Tornio and Muonio. The town of Tornio, located on the island Suensaari in the river delta became part of the Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire as demanded by czar Alexander I. (Finland declared independence in 1917).
At that time the town of Tornio was dominated by Swedish-speaking merchants and craftsmen, forming a linguistic island in a Finnish-speaking countryside. After the war many of the Swedes started to develop the small village Haaparanta across the border instead (Haparanda and Tornio are within walking distance), eventually leaving Tornio unilingually Finnish. Haparanda was made a market town (köping) in 1821 and received its city charter in 1842.
Into the early twentieth century Haparanda enjoyed commercial and political significance out of proportion to its size because of its position at the mouth of the Torne river at the head of the Gulf of Bothnia. Timber and furs from across northern Scandinavia and Russia arrived by water for shipping on to the rest of the world via the Baltic. Arctic and Antarctic expeditions of the 19th and 20th centuries, including that of Admiral Peary of the US, wore furs supplied by Hermansons, whose shop still stands in Haparanda, albeit closed now. Haparanda was the only open railway border crossing at the border to Russia during the World War I. (Wikipedia)
My Photos in Haparanda
Part of: Europe 2013 series
My Commentary: It had a special taste for me to see for the first time the Swedish Flag hoisted in Swedish land. I saw some historical places and buildings and only visit the town twice, but I really wish I could have explored more.
City Hall of Haparanda
Ikea Haparanda Tornio: The flags of Sweden, Finland, Sami, Norway and Russia
Ikea Haparanda Tornio: The flags of Sweden, Finland, Sami, Norway and Russia
Kukkolaforsen is at the rapids of Torne River (border of Finland and Sweden) where fishermen fish in a medieval style, it's a very historical place and it's nowadays a museum with shops and also a place for events, food and leisure.
Kukkolaforsen: The flags of Sverige, Norsk, Suomi and a fourth mysterious one
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