When does the Lemström canal swing bridge open?

The swing bridge opens on the hour when needed during the boating season. In 2026 it opened from 9:00 to 22:00 between 5 June and 16 August, with shorter hours in May, late August and on September weekends. Boats must be waiting at the canal before the scheduled time.

What is the clearance under the Lemström canal bridge?

Clearance under the closed bridge is 3.3 metres, according to Visit Åland. Boats with taller masts have to wait for an opening. Swedish Wikipedia gives a maximum beam of 16 metres and a maximum draught of 3.5 metres for vessels using the canal.

How long does a bridge opening take?

An opening normally takes about 15 minutes, and up to about 20 minutes when boat traffic is heavy, according to Lemland municipality in April 2026. The opening is ended when necessary even if boats are still waiting, so that road traffic is not held up too long. Traffic lights control boats in the canal.

When was the Lemström canal built?

The canal was completed in 1882, when Åland was part of the Russian Empire. Lemland municipality and Visit Åland give 1882 as the year it was built. Swedish Wikipedia instead describes 1882 as the year the canal was widened and lined with granite, using prisoners from Finnish jails as labour.

Is Kanalkalaset still held?

Kanalkalaset, the canal festival, was first held in summer 2005 as a birthday party for the canal on a Sunday in July. The municipality later decided not to organise it itself and opened it up to private organisers and local associations. We found no confirmed date for 2025 or 2026, so check before you go.

How do I contact the canal keeper?

The canal keeper can be reached on +358 457 350 0354, according to a notice from the Åland government published by the municipality in May 2026. The older number, +358 18 33 731, has been replaced. Call with questions about openings outside the regular hours.

Lemström Canal, Åland Islands: swing bridge and history

The Lemström canal is a narrow, stone-lined channel 350 metres long that separates Lemland from Jomala. It links Slemmern, the water east of Mariehamn, with Lumparn. The main road into Lemland crosses it on a swing bridge, which turns aside when boats need to pass.

Why was the Lemström canal built?

The canal shortened the sea route between the east side of Mariehamn and Lumparn, a well-used route according to Visit Åland. It was built during the Russian period, when Åland belonged to the Russian Empire, as part of a state effort to make trade within the empire easier. Swedish Wikipedia gives an estimated cost of 180,000 Finnish marks.

Sources describe the year 1882 in two ways. Lemland municipality and Visit Åland say the canal was built in 1882, and the municipality’s tourist brochure says it was dug by hand that year. Swedish Wikipedia instead says that in 1882 the canal was widened and lined with granite, with prisoners from Finnish jails doing the work. What is certain is that the stone-lined canal you see today was finished in 1882.

The canal became an important link for shipping. Today it is used mostly by leisure boats, according to the municipality’s brochure. In 1983 a new, wider swing bridge was built over the canal, and it is still in use.

Since 2005 the canal’s birthday has been celebrated with Kanalkalaset, described below.

Lemström canal, Åland Islands: key facts

Item	Value	Source
Length	350 metres	Visit Åland, municipality
Clearance under the closed bridge	3.3 metres	Visit Åland
Maximum vessel beam	16 metres	Wikipedia
Maximum draught	3.5 metres	Wikipedia
Speed limit in the area	9 km/h	Visit Åland
Current swing bridge	Built 1983	Municipality, Wikipedia

The swing bridge was renovated by the Åland government. Work began in May 2024, and in spring 2025 the bridge was closed to road traffic several times while it was being adjusted.

When does the swing bridge open in 2026?

The bridge opens for boats on the hour when needed. According to Lemland municipality (notice of 30 April 2026), these were the 2026 times:

Period in 2026	Bridge openings
1 May to 4 June	11:00 to 18:00
5 June to 16 August	9:00 to 22:00
17 August to 6 September	9:00 to 18:00
11 to 13 September	11:00 to 18:00
18 to 20 September	11:00 to 18:00
25 to 27 September	11:00 to 18:00

An opening normally takes about 15 minutes, or up to about 20 minutes when boat traffic is heavy. To keep road traffic moving, the opening is ended when necessary even if boats are still waiting. Your boat must be at the canal before the scheduled time, and traffic lights at the entrance show when you may go in. Visit Åland notes that in summer the last opening comes about ten minutes before the evening closing time.

Times change from year to year. Always check the current schedule with the Åland government or the canal keeper (+358 457 350 0354, new number since May 2026) before planning a passage.

What can you do at the canal?

Watch the bridge open. In high summer you can see the bridge swing open and boats slip through, often sailing boats whose masts are too tall for the closed bridge.
Walk along the canal. The canal walls are stone, and Visit Åland mentions the canal as a popular picnic spot.
Start the Lemlandsleden trail. The 25 km trail begins at Lemström. Its first stage runs to Söderby, with views over the sea and the archipelago.
Get married. According to the municipality, the canal is a popular place for weddings; questions go to the Åland government.

Victor Westerholm and Tomtebo

By the canal stands Tomtebo, the studio and summer home of the painter Victor Westerholm, which he bought in the mid-1880s. In 1886 Westerholm founded the Önningeby artists’ colony, with painters from both Sweden and Finland, and many of their subjects came from the countryside around the canal, according to the municipality’s tourist brochure.

Kanalkalaset: the canal festival

Kanalkalaset was first held in summer 2005 as a birthday party for the canal. It took place on a Sunday in July, for example on 16 July 2017 and 15 July 2018, with market stalls, performances, exhibitions and the presentation of the Lemlander of the Year award. The municipality later decided not to organise the festival itself (for example in the summers of 2020 and 2023) and invited private organisers and associations to take it over.

We have not found a confirmed programme for 2025 or 2026. Check before you go whether Kanalkalaset is taking place.

Getting to the canal

The canal is on the main road between Mariehamn and Lemland, on the border between Jomala and Lemland. It is close to Lemland church and Lemböte chapel, and the three are easy to combine in a day. More places are listed under things to do in Lemland, and travel options in the guide to getting here.

The Lemström canal