English
Suomenlinna spans several islands in the Baltic Sea, linked by bridges in the bastions that stand on uneven ground. It belonged to the defense of successive states of Sweden, Russia and Finland, which places a special importance on it.
In 1700, when Finland was still part of Sweden, it began building a fortress to protect itself against Imperial Russia, which was expanding. Founded in 1748, the island fortress was originally named Sveaborg, which means Swedish castle in Swedish.
During the War of Finland, the fortress was surrendered to Russia on May 3, 1808, facilitating the occupation by enemy forces in 1809. The guns that still point to the west are remnants from the period of Russian domination.
The castle was used as a prisoner of war camp during the Finnish Civil War of 1918.
The fortress is now, however, full of life, with more than 700,000 visitors a year, which makes it one of the most popular tourist attractions in Finland. Since 1973 it has been a part of the civil administration, which restored the facility to create restaurants, museums and residential spaces.
The fort can be easily covered on foot. There is a main route, the blue route, which runs from north to south, passing through the main points of interest which are marked with historical information.
Many important cultural events are held in the fortress each year. As such, it serves as a sort of gateway to Finland.
They have preserved the artistic tradition and artisan culture, as seen in the restoration of their traditional sailboats. On the pier you will find the gallery of the Helsinki Artists Association, which organizes excellent exhibitions of contemporary art. The gallery also has a small shop.
In summer the cafés and restaurants have comfortable terraces that invite you to take a break. Some are also open in winter, allowing visitors to recover from the cold with a hot drink or to enjoy a beer from the Suomenlinna’s own brewery.
In summer, from June to August, guided tours are offered daily in three languages. A walking tour takes you to major historical sites and the Kustaanmiekka and Susisaari islands. It lasts approximately one hour. In winter, from September to May, they offer tours in English on the weekends.
Suomenlinna can only be reached by boat. The journey takes about 20 minutes. The ferry runs all year, but the water taxis only run in the summer. The round trip price does not exceed five euros.
The ferries leave from the Kauppatori market square, in front of the presidential palace. For the return, the ferry leaves the dock at the island of Iso Mustasaari.
From the Kauppatori market square you can also take the water taxis that come back from the Visitor Center dock, stopping at the King´s Gate. You can buy tickets directly on the water taxi.
For more information, visit the official website: http://www.suomenlinna.fi/en
Discover the magic of Finland this summer when you rent apartments in Helsinki. And don´t forget to check out the caves and bunkers of this fortress.
