1. To the Sveaborg fortress (translated from Swedish Sveaborg - Swedish fortress) I went immediately after the short one. Actually, the main point of the program that day was not the city, but a fortress located on islands in the Baltic Sea.

2. While still approaching on the ferry, I saw various buildings of the fortress. Here is a powder magazine, built on an artificial peninsula for safety.

3. A lot of watercraft are concentrated on the islands, because there is no land connection with the city. There are also quite rare hovercraft.

4. Having landed on the shore, I go to explore the coastal strip.

5. From here you have a beautiful view of the center of the Finnish capital. In general, it’s just a stone’s throw away.

6. The islands themselves are entirely stone, rocky, called “Wolf Skerries”.

7. The crevices of the rocks are filled with earth, from which low birch trees and grass with moss grow.

8. It is extremely rare to find sandy coves.

9. The fortress itself was built in the middle of the 18th century on seven islands to protect Helsingfors from the sea.

10. Basically, the fortifications were built from boulders tightly fitted to each other, in places reinforced with brickwork.

11. The main gate of the fortress from the side of the pier is decorated with a turret with a spire and a clock. All this was built in the 1860s by Russian military engineers.

12. In the center of the island there is a Lutheran church with a lighthouse dome. And originally it was orthodox cathedral in the name of Alexander Nevsky, built in 1854 by the famous architect Konstantin Ton, and was very similar to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior designed by him. In the 20th century, the Finns rebuilt the building beyond recognition.

13. The buildings inside the fortifications are entirely brick. In the former arena there is an exhibition of weapons from the Second World War, but on the day of my arrival it was closed.

14. Some buildings were erected on a high stone plinth.

15. At the entrance to the residence of the commandant of the fortress there lies a broken anchor of completely unimaginable size.

16. Nearby is an unusually designed power pole.

17. In total, 900 people live on the islands, and you can find quite ordinary houses here.

18. For reliability, local residents hammered crossbars for drying ropes into the stone base of the island.

19. On the island of Pikku Musta (Small Black), under the Russian Empire called Hospital, there is now a naval academy.

20. At the entrance to the academy there is a sculpture symbolizing the country’s coat of arms - a lion in a crown holding a sword in its paw.

21. The Academy is surrounded by the fortifications of the Lilo-Osterswerd fort, on the rampart of which there are anti-aircraft guns from the Second World War.

22. And the coast here is covered by coastal guns.

23. In one of the barracks there is a museum and a tourist center, but, as it turned out, nothing is open here in October.

24. In 1808, Finland was conquered by the Russian army. On March 2, the fortress was besieged. After a month of fruitless attempts to take the fortifications, a truce was concluded. They decided that if the Swedish fleet did not come to help by May 4, the fortress would surrender. The fleet did not come to help, the seven thousand strong garrison of the fortress surrendered. Everyone was sent home, taking the word not to participate in hostilities anymore. All artillery and ammunition went to the Russians.

25. The most powerful fortifications of the fortress are located on the island of Susisaari, the former Wolf.

26. Loopholes were built in the two-meter walls for artillery shelling of the enemy fleet.

27. Small loopholes were intended for firing from rifles at the enemy who risked taking the fortifications by storm.

28. The most interesting fortifications are in the southern part of the island. They once held the Kustaanmiekka (Sword of Gustav) Strait clearly visible behind them. Although the gap between the islands seems small, huge ferries pass through easily.

29. The local bastions contain dozens of casemates, all of them connected by turns, where you can interestingly wander.

30. Some of the bastions contain ancient cannons that once protected the entrance to Helsinki harbor.

31. Small door in one casemate.

32. Behind it is a long corridor with several turns, called the lost room.

33. The posterns connected the various parts of the fortress with each other.

34. It was possible to move along such corridors without fear of enemy shells and bullets.

35. In the curtain there were storage rooms, where the floor was laid with bricks.

36. Coming out of the casemates, I found myself at the Royal Gate, in front of which lies the pier of the same name. Once upon a time this was the main entrance to the fortress. In front of the gate there is a deep ditch, more like a narrow gap, through which a rising wooden bridge is thrown.

37. At the pier there is a massive ring driven into the rock.

38. From the pier there is a beautiful view of the island of Iso Mustasaari (formerly Komendantsky), where the forced labor colony is located. There, under symbolic protection, people who have committed minor offenses are working on the restoration of the fortress.

39. Not far from the gate you can see the tiny submarine "Vesikko" built in the 1930s. After the war, Finland was prohibited from possessing a submarine fleet, as a result of which the submarine lay abandoned for a long time on one of the islands of Suomenlinna. Now it has been restored and turned into a museum. Unfortunately, there was a lock on the door when I visited.

40. For more than a century, the fortress was part of the Russian Empire. It is not surprising that the Russian command was strengthening the defense of Helsingfors. On the island of Lansi Musta (Western Cherny, formerly Strelkov), the concrete position of the Russian coastal battery has been preserved.

41. Two massive doors lead to the interior of the battery.

45. They are locked with a lock that has become quite rusty.

43. There are traces of small shells on the doors. The fortress took part in hostilities during the First World War.

44. The battery was designed for four cannons, hidden in the gun courtyards behind the parapet. Under a thick layer of concrete there was a gallery to shelter the crew and ammunition. A small cast-iron hatch was provided for feeding shells.

45. Unfortunately, now there is not a single weapon left here, only cast iron supports remain. However, many Russian cannons have been preserved on the islands, which can be seen in one of the following posts.

Suomenlinna Fortress (Sveaborg)

The sea fortress Suomenlinna (translated from Finnish as Finnish Fortress) is perhaps the only popular attraction in Helsinki, which was built even before Finland joined Russia - at a time when it was part of Sweden, in 1748. In addition, Suomenlinna Fortress is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Helsinki (and one of 7 throughout Finland).

The sea fortress was built to protect the Swedish coast and the Russian-Swedish border and for half a century successfully fulfilled this role until it was conquered by the Russian army in 1808. After that, together with all of Finland, the fortress became the property of the Russian Empire for more than 100 years.

The fortress is located on an island, not far from the city, so you can only get there by water, on the city ferry, in 15-20 minutes. These ferries are part of the city's public transport system and can be used by single ticket for transport in Helsinki. These ferries depart at least every hour (depending on the season) from Market Square Kauppatori. The first ferry leaves at 9 am, the last one back at 6 pm. The cost of a one-way ticket is 4 euros. You can purchase tickets at the river station.

On the island you can wander along the walls of the fortress, examine its ancient guns, military premises, etc. There are also several museums of various subjects here. Entrance to the territory of the Sveaborg fortress itself is free. There will be a fee (from 3 to 6 euros) only for entrance to various museums on the island. In addition to museums, there are several restaurants and cafes, and there is even one hostel - Hostel Suomenlinna (see map).

Of course, the best time to visit Sveaborg is in the warm season.

Museums in Sveaborg:

Suomenlinna Museum. It has a large and varied exhibition reflecting the entire history of the fortress.

Ehrensvärd Museum. In the museum you can see a collection of miniature models of ships, as well as weapons, paintings, and furniture.

Toy Museum. Hundreds of different antique dolls, children's games, cars, etc. are exhibited here.

Military Museum Manege. Finnish military equipment is presented here.

Customs Museum. The museum's exhibition is dedicated to Finnish customs and its history.

Submarine Vesikko. On the grounds of Suomenlinna Fortress you can also visit a submarine from World War II.

Suomenlinna (Sveaborg) Map

LET'S TRAVEL CHEAP!

Chip flights

Any trip begins with searching and purchasing tickets - this is something you can and should save on!

When searching for cheap air tickets during our travels, we use search engines such as Aviasales and Momondo.

Some rules for finding cheap air tickets can be found in this article.

Cheap housing

Every traveler, of course, wants to optimize their costs and find good hotel(or apartments) in terms of price/quality ratio. Thus, the more options you are offered, the more likely you are to find the best one. Therefore, your search can be greatly facilitated by the Hotellook service, which searches for the best accommodation booking systems.

You don't need to compare prices on different services yourself - Hotellook will do it for you!

Insurance

To obtain a Schengen visa, as is known, the list of required documents includes an insurance policy for those traveling abroad.

When traveling to other countries where a visa is not required, taking out an insurance policy for the safety of you and your family members will also not be amiss, especially if you are traveling with children.

Excursions

The best way to get to know a new city are excursions from local residents. To do this, many travelers use services such as Sputnik8.

I visited Sveaborg back in the spring. This is an island near Helsinki that is popular with tourists.

The sea fortress of Suomenlinna (Sveaborg in Swedish) is located on the territory of a group of islands in the Gulf of Finland. This is actually part of the city, and you can get here all year round.

1. How to get there

We drove from the Finnish city of Turku to Helsinki. We get there by train or bus. The first option takes 2 hours, the second - half an hour more (but almost half the price).

There is a ferry from Helsinki to the island, which is one of the public transport HSL. Departs from Helsinki's Kaupatori market square.

In addition to the HSL ferries, which run all year round (in the summer - every 15-20 minutes), at the Helsinki pier, near the market square, in the summer you can find JT Line water buses, where a ticket will cost 7 euros, and ships of various travel companies that are on the island They moor closer to the fortress and main attractions, plus they conduct excursions.

2. Ticket prices

The ferry ticket costs the same as the bus - 2.90 euros. Valid for a little over an hour from the moment of purchase. They are bought either at the ticket office on the market square, or in special machines (their addresses can be googled “hsl ticket machine map”), or the easiest way is to buy a ticket on the bus (costs 3.20 euros), but this is provided that you will ride it (drivers sell single tickets on the bus, but this will not be possible on trams).

We bought tickets from a machine for the whole day. Each ticket cost us 9 euros. But besides this, we also rode back and forth several times, so it was more profitable for us to take a day ticket. And if you are going purely by ferry to the island and back, then it is better to buy a one-time ticket for 2.90, and at the ticket office on the island buy a return ticket before departure.

Another option is to buy a ticket in the HSL mobile application, then it will cost 5 euros and is valid for 12 hours from the moment of payment, but it is only valid on the ferry; you cannot travel by other transport.

Traveling without a ticket will result in a fine of 80 euros + the cost of the ticket.

3. Preparing for departure, ferry ride

We didn’t know whether there would be cafes on the island, so we stocked up on food in Helsinki. Fortunately, there are supermarkets in the city center where you can buy salads and other snacks. Secondly, I even strongly recommend doing this, since prices in Finnish cafes are far from cheap. If a store-bought salad costs 4 euros, then in a cafe it will cost you at least 10.

By the appointed time, we approached the market square, found the pier where the ferry we needed departed from (there is more than one pier, HSL sails from the one that is closer to the Ferris wheel).

There is also a ticket office nearby. There were already plenty of people gathered, there were many Russian speakers. We were separated from the ferry only by a barrier, which was raised as soon as all those returning from the island got on the ferry.

We were among the first to enter, so we were lucky to get a seat. seat place. No one checked tickets either there or back (by the way, no matter how many times we traveled on Helsinki trams, no one checks tickets there either).

In addition to many people, the ferry carried one or two cars, some of the passengers had bicycles and baby strollers with them.

On the way from Helsinki to Sveaborg we see several small islands. The sea is calm, there is no wind, the ferry is moving quietly, seagulls are flying in the sky. The whole journey takes 15 minutes.

4. Tour of the island, attractions

So, the HSL city ferry took us to the northern harbor, located on the Great Black Island, or Mustasaari. There are five islands in total, they are connected by bridges - we visited the three largest. Small Black Island, where the Naval Academy is located, and Western Black Island lie off the tourist route.

The fortress has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991 - and yet the island is still inhabited to this day. About 800 people live here, the houses are mostly one- and two-story.

About a third of the residents work here, the rest have to go to work and especially to do shopping in Helsinki - apart from museums, cafes and souvenir shops, there is practically no infrastructure as such on the island.

Coming ashore, we saw a long old building in front of us:

Previously, there were coastal barracks here, and now there is a local information center. In its lobby you can take a free map of the island in one of eight languages, including Russian, and there is also a toilet here. All toilets, including those accessible for the disabled, are marked on the map, which is very convenient.

Exactly the same map, on English language, can also be downloaded on the fortress website in PDF format - as in printed version, the “main route” is indicated there - a line following which you can bypass the main local monuments. The length of the route is about 1.5 km and it is quite suitable for children and pensioners - we met a lot of both of them along the way.

Island map:

Leaving the information center, we go south through the arch - and literally 200 meters in front of us is the first object, noticeable from afar, on the way to the island.

This is the Suomenlinna Church, built in the 19th century - then the fortress was under Russian rule, and the church was Orthodox, intended for the military garrison located here. After Finland gained independence, the church was converted into Lutheran.

The church stands on a hill and is visible from afar for a reason - in addition to its direct purpose, it was and still remains a lighthouse for ships.

We saw a sign on the door indicating the service times and asking tourists to refrain from visiting during these hours. The church is surrounded by a massive fence made of anchor chains and artillery pieces from the 18th century.

From the church we continued along the road deeper into the island, past residential areas and the library building. Having deviated slightly from the route, we came to east coast islands - there is another boat pier, not far from it is the Toy Museum. From there we returned to the trail and it led us to the bridge to Wolf Island, Susisaari.

Directly in front of the bridge is the Suomenlinna Museum building, where you can book a tour of the island and buy souvenirs.

Between the two islands is a narrow harbor called Artillery - this is where some of the tourist ships arrive.

On the other side there is a summer kiosk where they sell coffee, sweets and good ice cream.

Immediately after the bridge to Wolf Island, the central part of the fortress begins.

Turning right at the signposted fork, we climbed up the path to the fortress wall and passed through the arch of the Hopken bastion.

Here you can linger and examine the premises of the casemates - a narrow corridor running inside the fortress wall, with narrow defensive windows. Every now and then there are inscriptions on the walls, including in Russian.

Leaving the casemate, we find ourselves in the courtyard. Here is another local monument, the grave of Augustin Ehrensvärd, the founder of the fortress, under whose leadership its construction was carried out.

The tombstone is decorated with a sculpture depicting a boat. Nearby there is a museum in his memory, surrounded by a cozy shady square with old spreading trees.

A short walk from the courtyard - Observation deck, overlooking one of the oldest dry docks in the world, founded by the Swedes shortly after the construction of the fortress began in the 18th century. It still operates now, ships come in for repairs - two hundred years later the island remains faithful to its naval traditions.

Soon a somewhat unexpected landscape appeared in front of us - a pond, overgrown with reeds along the edges, with a flock of ducks. On the map this area is marked as Piper Park; nearby there is a cafe of the same name.

Even further beyond the park, Wolf Island ends, and the trail leads across the isthmus to the next and outermost island called Gustav Sword, Kustaanmiekka. Here is perhaps the most interesting part of the Suomenlinna fortifications: very well-preserved ramparts on which cannons from the 19th century are placed.

A ring of ramparts and cannons protects the island from the west and south. By the way, the cannons are worth examining more carefully - on some you can see inscriptions in Russian. This part of the island was under fire during the Crimean War, in 1855 - then Russia fought a war not only in the Black Sea, but also here in the Baltic. There are older guns, also Swedish.

Finally, in the southeastern part of the island there are the main fortifications: a ring of bastions founded by the Swedes in the mid-18th century has been preserved here. Some of them are connected to each other by tunnels marked on the map, where even on warm May days it is damp and cold. Having passed inside the ring of bastions, we find ourselves at the final point of the route.

The island left very pleasant memories - not only for its beauty, but also for the way everything was thought out for tourists. In addition to the clear map from the information center, there are numerous signs where the main route is highlighted in a separate color, the same as on the map. There are many toilets, including free ones, and plenty of places where you can rest.

It is worth adding that the fortress has an excellent website - the basic information duplicates the booklet with the map and is available in the same 8 languages, and in English (and Finnish) you can find a whole 3D tour of the entire fortress. Three-dimensional photos are available, both from the ground and from the air - more than 20 panoramas taken by drones, thanks to which you can see Suomenlinna from above.

The first stones of the fortress were laid in the mid-18th century - in 1748. The main reason for the construction was the need to strengthen the border with Russia in the context of the recently ended war. Due to the fact that at that time it was under the influence of the Swedish state, the building was called the “Swedish fortress” or Sveaborg. Some time later, in 1756, the fort began to be used not only as a defensive structure, but also as a base for warships. Later, in 1808, the Russian army captured more than 100 warships, as well as several thousand guns and prisoners, entering the fort, which had surrendered after the siege.

In 1809, Sveaborg, together with Finland, passed to the Russian Empire, which began a new page in its history. In the middle of the century, damage to the structure was caused by Crimean War, however, after all the damage was eliminated during restoration. New weapons and fortifications appeared in Sveaborg. By the beginning of the 20th century, the population of these islands numbered about 1,500 inhabitants, not counting the garrison stationed here.

During the First World War, new defensive fortifications were being built that would help cut off the enemy’s path to. However, in 1917, due to revolutionary events in the country, construction slowed down and then stopped altogether. In Finland, which gained independence at the same time, the structure was renamed the “Finnish fortress” or Suomenlinna. Some of the fortifications of Sveaborg were abandoned, and some were damaged by raids during the Second World War.

In 1973, Sveaborg finally ceased to play the role of a defensive fortification. The garrison was recalled, and the territory of these islands began to belong to. 1991 was a landmark year - Sveaborg, as a special example of fortifications of past centuries, was included in the list of monuments world heritage UNESCO.

At the present stage, Sveaborg is one of the famous attractions of the capital, and also continues to be a residential area with a population of several hundred people.

How to get there

The Sveaborg fortress is located on a group of islands directly in the waters of the Gulf of Finland, 3 kilometers southeast of Helsinki. You can get to it by ferry, which departs from the Kauppatori pier, located on the capital's Market Square. During the warmer months, from May to September, water buses also run to the fortress. You can find them on the same pier. Travel time on any type water transport is about 15-20 minutes. Tickets can be purchased from vending machines at the pier, and on water buses and on board.

17th will help you get to the pier bus route, which stops within walking distance.

Sveaborg on the map

Attractions around the castle

Sveaborg's territory includes several islands. Five of them are connected by bridges and passages, which makes it easy to move between them to inspect all the objects. So, on the peninsula called Kustaanmiekka you can see the bastions built by both the Swedes and Russian troops. Guns from the late 19th century will be interesting.

Another special place is one of the oldest dry docks in the world. Back in the mid-18th century, Swedish ships were built there, and today wooden ships of past centuries are being repaired on its territory.

It’s easy to spot another one near the shore interesting object, which often ends up in photos - the Vesikko submarine. Built just under a hundred years ago, it survived World War II. In the summer months, the submarine plays the role of a museum, where you can get acquainted with its internal structure and features of operation under diving conditions.

During the warm season, you can also find beaches on the islands around the fortress. They will allow you to take a break from long excursions and plunge into the waters of the Gulf of Finland.

What's inside the castle

Visitors have access to one of the oldest bastions of the city - Zander, as well as to the tunnels of the fortress. It is more convenient to explore them in the warm season, armed with a flashlight - there is no artificial lighting in the tunnels.

A notable element of Sveaborg is the central gate - the Royal Gate. They appeared here in 1753–1754 in the very place where the Swedish king got off his ship, a year earlier wishing to personally monitor the progress of the construction of Sveaborg.

In the heart of the structure is the so-called Fortress Yard. He played a role central square from the 60s of the 18th century. The founder of the fort, the Swedish military leader Augustin Ehrensvärd, also rests here.

The fortress complex also includes a small church. It was erected here in the mid-19th century, during the reign of the Russian Empire, and was intended for the soldiers of the garrison who served here. Later it was converted from Orthodox to Lutheran.

On the territory of Sveaborg you can visit several museums at once. Some of them are open only in summer, some can be accessed in winter. One of the main ones is the exhibition of the Suomenlinna Museum. Here you can get acquainted with the history of the fortress and watch thematic short films all year round.

The premises previously reserved for the commandant's residence now house the Ehrensvärd Museum. It is named after the Swedish field marshal and shows the setting of the time when the fortress was under the influence of. This exhibition is only open in summer.

Also included in the summer are the exhibitions of the Customs Museum, the Manege Military Museum and the Toy Museum. An exhibition dedicated to customs today occupies premises previously used as prison cells.

Excursions

The fortress offers systematic guided tours, which do not need to be pre-booked. Their schedule can be found at. These walks last about an hour and include historical places Suisaari and Kustaanmiekka islands. During the summer months, excursion support is provided in several languages: Swedish, Finnish, English and Russian. From September to May, only English-speaking excursions are available.

Personal excursions for organized groups are available all year round by prior arrangement. In this case, you can also discuss the language of excursion support. You can also book such an excursion at.

Sveaborg is not just a historical building, but a whole complex interesting buildings and objects, each of which can tell something of its own. They bear the consequences of the rule of three different countries: Sweden, Russian Empire and Finland. In addition, many conflicts and events of particular significance in history have left their mark on these islands: the Crimean War, the First and Second World Wars, the Russian revolutions. All these prints, accumulated by Sveaborg, add up to a variety of exhibitions and a special atmosphere in which the past collides with the present.

Suomenlinna Sea Fortress (Finnish Suomenlinna - "Finnish Fortress", Swedish. Sveaborg - "Swedish Fortress"), the construction of which was started by the Swedes in 1746, is located on a group of islands near Helsinki. It is a national monument of Finland and at the same time a UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 1991). More than 600 thousand tourists visit the fortress every year.

Unfortunately, we went to the fortress during the day and we didn’t have much time to explore and we weren’t able to visit everywhere. Of course, it is better to go for the whole day. If desired, in Suomenlinna fortress You can stay overnight; in the center of the fortress there is a small hostel (open throughout the year) with the same name. Just remember that in the hostel the shower and toilet are shared) In addition to the shared bedrooms, there are 1, 2 and 3-bed rooms. There is also a kitchen and Internet access. You can check the prices if you wish.

Built when Finland was part of the Kingdom of Sweden, Sveaborg Fortress surrendered to Russian troops in 1808 during the Finnish War. As you remember, it was after the end of this Russian-Swedish war and the conclusion of the Friedrichsham Peace Treaty (in 1809) that Finland became part of the Russian Empire and began to be called Grand Duchy of Finland. The fortress, accordingly, was also occupied by the Russian garrison for the next 108 years, until the Great October Socialist Revolution of 1917. In 1918, the fortress acquired a new name - Suomenlinna fortress.

Small photo sketches during summer walk. Fortress bastions, coastal defense line, sand ramparts, cannons, seascape... there is something to see there)))

The fortress church was built for the Russian garrison in 1854; it was originally Orthodox and had five domes. After Finland gained independence, it became Evangelical Lutheran, was partially rebuilt, and four domes were removed. Now the church spire is also used as a lighthouse for sea and air transport.

Suomenlinna Fortress Tourist Information Point

Center tourist information (Suomenlinna Center) is located in the central part Suomenlinna fortress. Here you can take a map, get information about walking routes etc. There is also a souvenir shop, a cafe and the Suomenlinna Museum. From here they depart tourist excursions. Basic a tourist route On the map of the fortress it is marked in blue and passes through all the main attractions. The length of the route is about 1.5 km; when you walk around the territory of the fortress, you will see that the inscriptions of the signs for this route also have a blue background.

Tourist information center opening hours:

• from May 2 to September 30 - daily, from 10-00 to 18-00
• from October 1 to April 30 - daily, from 10-30 to 16-30

Only permitted on the premises hiking. In addition, it is especially noted that each visitor is independently responsible for his own safety. This is due to the fact that the islands are rocky, there are a lot of dangerous places, so be careful.

If you visit the fortress with a dog, your pet must be on a leash. Dog waste must be removed by the dog owner. Actually, these are the usual requirements for Finland.

Lighting fires and making kebabs (barbecues) is also prohibited. If you really want to have a snack in nature, but don’t want to sit in a cafe, then snacks and lunches can be bought at the Siwa grocery store, located near the main pier.

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There are tunnels inside the fortifications, most of which are located on the islands of Kustaanmiekka ("King's Sword") and Susisaari ("Wolf Island"). Some tunnels are open to free access visitors.

Let's continue our walk

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Occasionally, you can stumble upon old barrels of formerly formidable guns, now simply piled in the grass.

If you are tired, you can sit down and admire the seascape

Symbol Suomenlinna fortress- monumental Royal Gate, built in 1753-1754 as the main entrance to the fortress.

The location and name of the gate is also not accidental - it was in this place that the ship of the Swedish monarch Adolf Frederick moored in 1752 ( Swede. Adolf Fredrik), who arrived on the island to personally observe the construction.

On the main fortress square of Suomenlinna there is the grave of the founder and first commandant of the fortress - Swedish field marshal Augustin Ehrensvärd ( Swede. Augustin Ehrensvärd). Sveaborg Fortress (Swede. Sveaborg) was built according to his drawings and is considered the main achievement of his activities. Of course, when Augustin Ehrensvärd began building the fortress, he was not yet a field marshal, but had the rank of colonel. After construction was completed, he was promoted to major general.

Walking through the fortress territory, you will see a small (length 40 m, total displacement 381 tons, crew 20 people) submarine built before World War II for the German navy. Moreover, the submarine was laid down and built at the Crichton-Vulcan shipyard in the Finnish city Turku. Launching took place in 1931 (the submarine was given the number CV-707), tests also took place in coastal waters Turku.

In 1936, the Finns bought a submarine for the Finnish Navy and renamed it "Vesikko" ("Vesikko" - mink). During the Finnish campaign of 1939, "Vesiko" did not take part in active hostilities, but in the period 1941-1944 it carried out reconnaissance and patrolling. Based in the Suomenlinna area. After the war, all Finnish submarines were destroyed (according to the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947, Finland, in particular, is prohibited from having a submarine fleet) and Vesiko is the only submarine of the Finnish Navy that we can see.

In 1959, "Vesiko" was transferred to the military museum ( Sota Museum), and in 1973 they transported it to Suomenlinna, where after restoration it was opened for visitors, you can see the internal structure and understand the conditions under which the submariners served. Unfortunately, we were not able to get inside. I hope it will work out on your next visit to the fortress)))

Cost of visiting the submarine "Vesiko"

Visits are open in the summer (say, for the 2014 season: from May 5 to September 30). Opening hours: from 11-00 to 18-00. Ticket sales end at 17:45. Entry fee:

• adult - 5.0 euros
• family ticket - 12.0 euros
• children under 7 years old - free

How to get to Suomenlinna Fortress

Get to sea ​​fortress, of course, it’s only possible by water. There are two options:

• by local service (HSL) ferry, which departs from Market Square East Pier ( Kauppatori, Fin. Kauppatori) during the whole year. The ferry arrives at the fortress at the main pier
• by waterbus on the JT-Linen line (this option is only available in summer, from May to September). Stops at the pier at the Royal Gate and Suomenlinna Center

The ferry ride takes approximately 15-20 minutes. Ferry tickets can be purchased from a ticket machine or from the ferry line ticket office on the Market Square (open only in summer). if you have "Helsinki Card", then the trip is free.

Cost of visiting Suomenlinna Fortress

The question is interesting, but, in this case, unnecessary. Entrance to the fortress is free. You only need to pay for travel. Currently (according to the HSL website at the beginning of 2014):

I marked the ticket Suomenlinna-lippu, which is valid for 12 hours (from the moment of activation at the reader) and is relevant only for ferry travel to Suomenlinna fortress. For children from 7 to 16 years old - 2.5 euros. In principle, the ferry is part of Helsinki city transport and all HSL tickets are valid on it ( Finnish Helsingin seudun liikenne). But the ticket Suomenlinna-lippu convenient. Please note that HSL tickets are not valid on the waterbus.

In addition, a walking tour with a guide (available in English and Russian) is also paid, costs 10 euros. By "Helsinki Card"- for free.

A separate fee is charged for visiting museums: the Suomenlinna Museum, the Toy Museum (located on the island of Iso Mustasaari) and the Manege War Museum. Tickets are inexpensive, around 5-6 euros, children's tickets are cheaper, family tickets are available. Please note that until late at Finland do not work))) There is also the Ehrensvärd Museum and the Customs Museum. The opening hours of the museums in the fortress are from about 10-30 to 16-30 (17-00).

A walk in the fresh sea air is very good for health and, among other things, causes an increased appetite. And then the Finns approached this problem thoroughly and solved it completely: they won’t let you die of hunger, there is a restaurant, a restaurant-brewery and several cafes. The island of Susisaari is home to the first traditional Japanese tea room in Finland.

All requied information, tourist map, the opening hours of museums and other institutions can be found on the official website Suomenlinna fortress.