The development of Arabianranta began in the Bronze and Iron Age

“About 2000 years ago the waterway of Vantaanjoki broke through towards Pitkäkoski. This event “started” the formation of the gulf of Vanhakaupunki and its surroundings. Before this Vantaanjoki flowed to the sea along, today known as, Mätäjoki, where the first signs of prehistorical (Stone-Age) Helsinki were found. The present bed of Vantaanjoki developed within a few hundred years joining the bed of Keravanjoki in the clay of Tuomarinkylä.
Because of this change in the routes, Mätäjoki dropped from the development. Bronze and Iron Age and later centre of the prehistorical settlement moved permanently to other areas, first to the surroundings of Oulunkylä and Pukinmäki and later on to the gulf of Vanhakaupunki.” (translated quotation) (a quote from archaeologist Oula Seistonen “Helsinki from the Stone Age”)

In the origin of Helsinki

In the 1550 King Gustav Wasa decided to found a city on the riverside of Vantaanjoki to compete with Tallinn of the domination of the Baltic Sea. The name Arabia appeared in writings already in the 1700 century as “the land of Arabia and Canaan”. Therefore, the factories of Arabia were named after the area and not the other way around.
In the year 1551 a bridge was built to the island of Kuninkaankartano and in 1559 there were already 210 residents although only 11 of them were women, this refers to the nature of the area as a military base. In the island lived lower court officer, carpenter, cavalry master, plough smith, glazier, shippers, fisherman, hired man in cow house, artillerymen and a few maids to take care of the cow house, pig house and brewing. The place was strategically well chosen because of the mansion, which also was a fortress. From there the main road of Turku-Viipuri and the piracy sailings of peasants from Häme were easily supervised.

The beginning of industrialism in Helsinki

The beginning of industrial activity and municipal industrialisation relates essentially to Arabianranta. Already in the 1800’s in early stages on industrialism the first water-power station and water refinery was built near Vanhakapunki torrent. The power station is still active as a “power station museum” maintained by cooperation of Helsingin Energia and City Museum. As the water refinery was transferred to Viikinmäki, a “museum for technology” was founded. Arabia factories started their operations in 1874 and they are still making porcelain products in these premises, but under the brand name of Iittala.

The leading centre of design in the Baltic Sea Area

The redevelopment of Arabianranta began in the end of the 1970’s when the city decided to expand the regional shore and started to transport soil there. Before that the Vanhakaupunki side of Arabianranta was mainly accretion land and even a dumping ground and the coastline was substantially nearer to Hämeentie. A special development step happened when the University of Art and Design Helsinki moved to Arabia and in the year 1995 an agreement for “leading centre of design in the Baltic Sea Area” was signed.

Archeological Park

The latest historical plan is to establish an archaeological park on the origins of Helsinki where parts of the prehistorical Helsinki from the 1550’s would be excavated.