Fortress of Suomenlinna

The old name for Suomenlinna (which means Finnish castle) is Sveaborg (Swedish castle). It was built in a time that Finland was part of Sweden, hence the original name.

The Swedish architect Ehrensvärd started the construction in 1748. The Fortress was meant to be a stronghold for the Swedes against the Russians. The task was so enormous that large parts of the army were dedicated to help build the site. They transformed a few little islands off the coast of Helsinki into a city with more inhabitants than Helsinki itself.

All the effort didn't hinder the Russians taking over in 1808. They also used it as a fortress, and added their own constructions.

Finally in 1918 the Fortress became Finnish. Nowadays it is a popular park with museums, interesting flora and beaches.

Year	Decision	Comments
1991	Inscribed	Reasons for inscription

Visit June 2001

Fifteen minutes by boat from Helsinki Harbour gets you to Suomenlinna. The Helsinkians seem to favour it as a leisure park: to picknick, lie in the sun and drink a lot of alcohol.

For the curious visitor there's a lot to see though. The Suomenlinna Museum shows a good documentary about the history of the island. It's also a lovely island by itself: the fact that about 900 people still live here permanently gives it an extra edge, and takes it beyond an open air museum.

More photos can be found in the Picture Gallery

Reviews

Klaus Freisinger (Austria):
No visit to Helsinki, which is by the way a very beautiful and charming capital that too often gets overlooked, would be complete without the short boattrip to Suomenlinna. The harbour is beautiful, and the huge ferries passing by are very impressive as well, and on a sunny day it´s surprisingly easy to catch a sunburn there (I speak from experience..) Even though I have to admit that Suomenlinna is not that great and important from a historical point of view, it does offer many interesting things to see and do, and many locals use the place to relax (even though Helsinki isn´t really all that stressful). If you like ships, boats, and water in general, Suomenlinna is perfect, as is one of the many boattrips offered that take you around the harbour area.

Date posted: June 2005

André Dique (United Kingdom):
The fortress island is a fine example of 18th century fort building and presents a relaxed day out. You can catch the free municipal ferry just off the fishmarket in Helsinki and enjoy views of the archipelago before disembarking on the island. The island feels strangely rural with a small post office and general store, emphasising the virtual isolation the islanders must feel in winter.

You could join the Fins enjoying a swim in the Baltic or explore the parks, museums, cannons and fortress walls all over the linked islands. Try to be there when the ferry to Stockholm passes between the narrow gap between two of the Suomenlinna fortress walls!

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