Red Storehouses in Porvoo, Finland Postcard

These red storehouses on the Porvoo River in Old Porvoo, Finland, are among the town's most photographed sights. Red ochre paint was used to paint the storehouses in the late 18th century in honour of King Gustav III's arrival. Historically, Porvoo has been an important centre of trade, and the storehouses were once used to store goods and produce, such as exotic delicacies from distant lands. The Porvoo River connects the town to the Gulf of Finland. Porvoo is one of the six mediaeval towns in Finland, first mentioned as a city in texts from 14th century. In the Old Town, the district dating back to the time of Swedish rule, you can still sense the atmosphere of the mediaeval town. Porvoo was first granted town rights around 1380. Porvoo is on southern coast of Finland about 30 miles (50 km) east of Helsinki. On the left is the History and art museum in the heart of the Old Town, housed in the former City Hall (1760). The Diet of Porvoo was held here, and today it showcases artefacts from peasant life and a collection of old photographs.