Raseborg Castle was built in 1370s on a rock that was surrounded by water at the time. The castle was constructed as the administrative centre of Western Uusimaa and was meant to keep watch over the shipping and trade in the Gulf of Finland. The castle was an important military base, and was presumably meant to defend Swedish interests against the successful Hanseatic town Reval (Tallinn, Estonia). The heyday of Raseborg was in 1450-1460. The castle was abandoned in 1558 after Helsinki and Ekenäs were granted town charters. It laid deserted for more than 300 years, until the first restoration began in 1880s. Today Metsähallitus manages the operations and preservation of the castle ruins.
