Touring Scandinavia on Ancient Post Roads
Denmark
The post roads played an important part in the creation of "modern" Scandinavia. The post had to be brought out quickly and according to schedule - regardless of wind and weather.
The Danish road system was adequate for the traffic in the 17th century although the roads were nothing but more or less rough wheel tracks. Proper roads were seen only across streams and wetlands in the shape of dikes and wooden bridges. Fundamental renewal of the Danish road system did not take place until the end of the 18th century.
Norway
In Norway traffic on land took place by foot or bridle paths in the early 17th century. Goods were transported on packhorses, dragged, or taken by sledge.
Long transports and conveyance of large quantities were preferably carried out by horse and sledge in winter time, often on frozen watercourses by the special winter roads.
The first Norwegian carriage road was made between the silver mines at Kongsberg and the loading place of Hokksund during the period 1624-1630. In 1665 the road was extended to Oslo.
Only in the 18th century Norwegian main roads were in general enlarged into carriage roads.
Sweden
Enlargement of the old bridle paths into proper carriage roads started in the 16th century, but especially in the late 17th century many road improvements were made. The Crown granted the money and sometimes ordered soldiers to do the work. Stones were removed, holes filled, and the gound improved. Moreover, dams of brushwood, stones and earth were constructed across wetlands. People walked or were ferried over streams. Bridges of timber were built in some places.
Arould the year 1700 the major roads had been enlarged into carriage roads and it was possible e.g. to drive by the post road all the way north of the Gulf of Bothnia.
Finland
The ample old road in Finland, Store Strandvej (Great Beach Road), between Abo and Viborg is already mentioned in the 14th century. In the 15th century work was done to enlarge it into a bridle road. In May 1511 a messenger could ride day and night from Abo to Viborg. However, the prime of Store Strandvej as a European highway began only in the 17th Century.
A tour by Store Strandvej is a trip through the history of Finland. Abo was the "capital" while Finland was a part of Sweden until 18009. Helsingfors (Helsinki) became the capital when in 1809 Finland became a Russian grand duchy, and it also became the capital of independent Finland from 1917. Viborg was surrendered to the Russians in 1940 after the Winter War.
