One of the interesting things to do during our stay in Helsinki was to visit Suomenlinna, or Sveaborg in Swedish. This place is not just a fortress, but a living history book on six islands off the coast of Helsinki. The construction of the fortress system began in 1748, when Finland was still part of the Kingdom of Sweden. The design was entrusted to artillery officer Augustin Ehrensvärd, who dreamed of a modern sea defense line that would be able to stop the expansion of the Russian Empire and protect the Swedish fleet in the Baltic Sea.
The fortress has been under the rule of three different states throughout its history, which reflects the political changes in the region. After the Swedish era, in 1808, Russian troops besieged and captured the fortress, which then served as a Russian military base for more than a hundred years. Finally, in 1918, after Finland gained independence, it came into Finnish hands, and it was given its current name, Suomenlinna, which means “Finland’s Castle” in Hungarian.
From an architectural point of view, the fortress system represented the pinnacle of military technology of the time. The huge bastions, gunpowder warehouses and underground tunnel systems were built taking advantage of the natural features of the rocks. The fortress is unique in its “Star Fortress” shape and its massive granite walls, which even withstood the shelling of the British-French fleet during the Crimean War. UNESCO included it on the World Heritage List in 1991 as one of the best-preserved examples of 18th-century European military architecture.
Today, Suomenlinna is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Helsinki, but it is also a special part of the city, where nearly eight hundred people live permanently. The islands are also home to museums, art galleries, cozy cafes, and a craft brewery. Among the most exciting attractions for visitors are the monumental King’s Gate, the giant coastal cannons, and the Vesikko submarine, which rests on the shore as a memento of World War II.
