Suomenlinna, Uusimaa, Finland
Suomenlinna is an inhabited sea fortress built on 8 islands about 2.5 miles south east of the city centre of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is popular with tourists and locals.
Originally named Sveaborg (Castle of the Swedes) or Viapori as referred to by Finnish-speaking Finns, it was renamed in Finnish to Suomenlinna (Castle of Finland) in 1918 for patriotic and nationalistic reasons although it is still known by its original name in Sweden and by Swedish-speaking Finns.
The Swedish crown commenced the construction of the fortress in 1748 as protection against Russian expansionism. The general responsibility for the fortification work was given to Augustin Ehrensvärd. The original plan of the bastion fortress was strongly influenced by the ideas of Vauban, the foremost military engineer of the time, and the principles of the star fort style of fortification, albeit adapted to a group of rocky islands.
During the Finnish War, Sweden surrendered the fortress to Russia in May 1808 and this paved the way for the occupation of Finland by Russian forces in 1809 and the eventual cession of Finland to Russia at the conclusion of the war.
Russia held the fortress until Finnish independence in 1918. Finland then managed Suomenlinna through the Defence Department until turning most of it over to civilian control in 1973.
Date: 26th June 2019
Location: view from Tallinn to Helsinki Viking ferry
Originally named Sveaborg (Castle of the Swedes) or Viapori as referred to by Finnish-speaking Finns, it was renamed in Finnish to Suomenlinna (Castle of Finland) in 1918 for patriotic and nationalistic reasons although it is still known by its original name in Sweden and by Swedish-speaking Finns.
The Swedish crown commenced the construction of the fortress in 1748 as protection against Russian expansionism. The general responsibility for the fortification work was given to Augustin Ehrensvärd. The original plan of the bastion fortress was strongly influenced by the ideas of Vauban, the foremost military engineer of the time, and the principles of the star fort style of fortification, albeit adapted to a group of rocky islands.
During the Finnish War, Sweden surrendered the fortress to Russia in May 1808 and this paved the way for the occupation of Finland by Russian forces in 1809 and the eventual cession of Finland to Russia at the conclusion of the war.
Russia held the fortress until Finnish independence in 1918. Finland then managed Suomenlinna through the Defence Department until turning most of it over to civilian control in 1973.
Date: 26th June 2019
Location: view from Tallinn to Helsinki Viking ferry
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Return to: Helsinki and Porvoo, Finland or North Finland and north Norway - June and July 2019 or Gallery
Also in: Helsinki and Porvoo, Finland
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