Porvoos

Porvoo (Finnish) or Borgå (Swedish) is a city and municipality in the Uusimaa region of southern Finland. It lies on the southern coast at the mouth of the Porvoonjoki river, about 50 kilometers east of Helsinki. Porvoo has medieval origins and developed as an important trading town in the Middle Ages. The city remains notable for its Old Town, a well-preserved district with wooden houses painted in warm reds and ochres along the riverfront. The Old Town is a major tourist destination and contains historic churches, small shops, and cafés.

A central landmark is Porvoo Cathedral (Porvoon tuomiokirkko), the historic seat of the Diocese of Porvoo, set on a hill overlooking the river. The Runeberg family house (Runebergin talo) is a museum dedicated to the Finnish national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg, who lived in Porvoo in the 19th century. The city has a diversified economy that includes services, light industry, and maritime-related activities; it also functions as a residential and cultural center for the Helsinki metropolitan area.

Porvoo is connected to the capital region by road and rail, with links that enable commuting to Helsinki and other cities. The name Porvoo is used in Finnish; Borgå is the Swedish name. The English plural form Porvoos is not a standard designation for a place, and when encountered it generally refers to Porvoo itself rather than a separate entity.