Pålsböle, Finström | Exploring Åland
Pålsböle is a village in Finström Municipality on the Åland Islands. It is the church village of the former Finström Parish. The church is today a part of Finström-Geta Congregation. The village is home to around 120 inhabitants and lies just 4 kilometers west of the commercial center in Godby.
A Short History of Pålsböle
The Medieval church was built here in Pålsböle during the 13th century. Traces of an older church have been found and it is estimated that the first church was built already during the 12th century. The church once lay at the shores of a bay that connected the area with the Baltic Sea. The ongoing tectonic uplift during the centuries since has meant that the village today lies inland with only smaller lakes in its vicinity.
Things to Do and See
What to do in Pålsböle? It might not look like much at a first glance. Surrounded by fields and forests the medieval church stands here as the main landmark.
Finströms Kyrka
Finström Church is dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel. It dates back to the 13th century and is by some sources considered to be the best preserved medieval building in Finland. It is today one of two churches of the Finström-Geta Congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.
Ålands Fotografiska Museum
Ålands Fotografiska Museum, the local museum of photography, was founded in the early 21st century. It is housed in the old school of Pålsböle and includes both historical photography equipment as well as well other related objects in its collections. The collection is claimed to be one of the largest in Europe.
How to Get to Pålsböle
- Flights: The closest airport is Mariehamn Airport (MHQ), the main airport for the island.
- Car: Pålsböle lies along countryside roads near Road 4, to the northwest of Godby. A ferry ride is required to get here from the mainland of Finland.
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