Råneå

Råneå stands near the mouth of the Råne River on the northern Gulf of Bothnia. In 1642 its farmers sought permission to build a church, hoping to separate their district from the large parish of Luleå. The building was largely complete by 1646, and the king approved a separate parish in 1654. Around the church, families from the surrounding villages built cottages in which to stay during services, court sessions and markets.