Rauma is the third oldest town in Finland, founded in 1442, and currently home to some 40,000 people. At the heart of the town is Old Rauma, the largest unified historical wooden town in Scandinavia, which contains 600 buildings in an area of 28 hectares and is one of Finland’s 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites. In the 14th century, prior to it being declared a town, Rauma was the site of a Franciscan monastery and a Catholic church, and its location on the coast saw it develop into one of Finland’s most important seafaring towns; by 1897, the town had the largest fleet of commercial sailing boats in Finland, totaling 57 vessels.