Thank you Pia for this lovely card giving a few views of Naantali which is a city in south-western Finland, known as one of the most important tourist centres of the country. The municipality has a population of 18,858 (31 January 2012), and is located in the region of Finland Proper, 14 kilometres west of Turku. The town encompasses a land area of 311.50 square kilometres. Most of this area is located on the islands, but the majority of the population lives on the mainland. In fact, most of the island is beautiful forest and farmland, while the mainland consists chiefly of residential areas.
One of the oldest towns in Finland,
Naantali was founded around the mediaeval Brigittine convent Vallis gratiae,
the church of which still dominates its skyline. The charter was signed by King
Christopher of Sweden, the then ruler of Finland, in 1443. The convent got
trading rights and other privileges, and the town around it began to grow. It
also became an important destination for pilgrimage.