Swedish fortress "Sveaborg" which is located in Helsinki. Suomenlinna - Finnish fortress on the island: how to get there and what to do Suomenlinna Fortress Helsinki what's in museums

Suomenlinna Fortress (Sveaborg) is located on 8 islands and is located near the capital of Finland, Helsinki. It was built for military purposes, to protect first the route to Stockholm, then only the Finnish capital. These days it is a magnificent sight.

These surroundings are not only a way to diversify your holiday in Helsinki, but also a reason for a separate trip. It takes a long time to get to know local history and realize how strangely the fate of these lands developed.

Panorama on the island of Suomenlinna in Helsinki - Google Maps

Historical buildings, special landscape design and local flora and fauna are not the limit for an inquisitive tourist. Sveaborg has a rich infrastructure.

Since 1991 Sveaborg has been included in the list world heritage UNESCO. Even in photographs, the views of the mighty fortress look very inspiring. At any time of the year, this place will find something to surprise you.

For example, the island of Iso-Mustasaari will be more appealing to those who want to visit the museums, learn about how power changed on the islands, how the construction and weapons industry developed here. The island of Kustaanmiekka and the recently opened Vallisaari will appeal to lovers of ecotourism. Each area of the ensemble is charming in its own way.

origin of name

The first name of the fortress is Sveaborg. It translates simply: “Swedish Fortress.” This is what the Russians also called it when Finland was part of the Russian Empire. The Finns at that time called the fortress Viapori (same translation).

In 1917, Finland became independent and no longer wanted the islands protecting the Finnish capital to be called Swedish. The name Viapori was changed to Suomenlinna (“Finnish Fortress”) in 1918.

The Swedes, however, continue to use the word Sveaborg, and the Russians have adopted a second name - Suomenlinna. In our language, it is generally accepted that the name of the fortress is variable, and both options are correct.

Story

The islands themselves on which the fortress is located are called “Wolf Skerries”. These are 8 rocky pieces of land with Finnish names: Kustaanmiekka, Iso-Mustasaari, Pikku-Mustasaari, Länsi-Mustasaari, Susisaari, Särkkä, Lonna and Pormestarinluodot.

Documentary about the history of Sveaborg Fortress

The war period in northern Europe secured the territory of the islands rich history. It so happened that this area experienced three periods: Swedish, Russian and, finally, Finnish.

Here in the 1740s. The Swedish government decided to build military fortifications. Major Augustin Ehrensvärd was appointed in charge. This was the beginning architectural ensemble, which has survived to this day.

In 1808, the Russians besieged the fortress and received it without casualties, but with a large number of prisoners in addition. At first they do not develop local territories, they only build an Orthodox church.

During the Crimean War, they were forced to erect cannons towards Sweden (they still stand on the islands). The Finns complained a lot about the behavior of the Russians during the years of dependence on the empire. In 1905, local residents staged their first uprising, which later served as the plot for the film.

In 1972, the USSR and Finland made a joint film “Sveaborg”. The film shows the bloody revolutionary uprising inside the fortress in 1905, which ended with a mass of executions of the Bolsheviks.

In 1917, Finland gained independence. During the Civil War (1918), the fortress was used as a concentration camp for Red Guards. World War II in 1941-1944. turned the fortress into a base for the German flotilla. After the end of the war, the lands passed to the USSR, but later returned to the Finns, who began careful restoration of local buildings.

Now Suomenlinna is a cultural and historical Center Finland, with stunning views and a rich heritage - in 1991 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

There were times when the population on the islands numbered up to 10 thousand people, but today there are only 800-900 indigenous people here - the rest of the families moved to Helsinki. Many people live here historical buildings, constantly being reconstructed.

Sights of Sveaborg Fortress

The rich history of the fortress rewarded it big amount attractions. Local population Now he lives in historical buildings, there are Russian cannons along the banks, and various museums are open every day.

Royal Gate

The stone gate, preserved from the very foundation of the fortress, is literally a symbol of Sveaborg. The Swedish king passed through them from the royal bay to his possessions, then making his way through secret passages.

Submarine

A German World War II submarine dominates the bay off the island's shore and is part of the Suomenlinna Naval Museum. Its imposing appearance once struck fear into the hearts of civilians, but now it is only a memory of difficult times and part of a museum of naval equipment.

Church

The large building of the Lutheran Church surprises with its multi-tasking: it is both a spiritual building and a beacon. Once upon a time this church was Orthodox, but now it is designed entirely according to Protestant canons. In this modest but very a nice place you can come for peace of mind.

Memorial plate in honor of V. G. Belinsky

News for many tourists is the information that Suomenlinna is the birthplace of the Russian critic Vissarion Grigorievich Belinsky. He was born here in 1811 on board a Russian ship. On the territory of the fortress, a personalized memorial plaque was laid in his honor, with an inscription in three languages: Swedish, Russian and Finnish.

Museums

There are several museums of various types on the islands:

Suomenlinna Museum. This is a key building. Here visitors are given general history fortress, from the very foundation to Finnish war, from World War II to the present day.
Customs. Permanent exhibition The museum is dedicated to the history of the Finnish customs service and the fight against smuggling. The museum building was built in the 18th century.
Ehrensvärd Museum. It is located in an area that is loved not only by tourists, but also by local residents. This is a place for relaxation and meetings. At the entrance to the museum there is a monument to the founder of Sveaborg, Augustin Ehrensvärd. He is buried here. The exposition of the object is dedicated to his life and the first years of the fortress’s existence.
Toy Museum in Suomenlinna. Favorite place all children and everyone interested in unusual things. The permanent exhibition presents a collection of antique toys from the beginning. XIX century until the 1960s
Manege Military Museum, Vesikko Submarine Museum And "Sea Fortress Suomenlinna" show guests various exhibitions dedicated to the wonders of European and Russian military equipment.

Entrance to all museums is paid, with the exception of customs.

Infrastructure

Suomenlinna has long been accustomed to hosting guests, so the infrastructure here is well developed. Can be found shopping centers, souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants. For cultural recreation There is a library and a gallery of contemporary fine art.

If you want to meet every day of your trip on these amazing islands, you can stay at the local hostel Hostel Suomenlinna. In May-September, it is better to reserve a place in advance, as there are a lot of applicants.

U Gulf of Finland The beaches are equipped - you can sunbathe and swim. You should definitely take a walk through the English Garden park - it is distinguished by different plants that are usually difficult to find growing in the neighborhood. A special “fortress” flora was formed here thanks to various peoples engaged in the improvement of this territory.

How to get to Suomenlinna Fortress in Helsinki

Purchase a single ticket in the city in advance for public transport. In any case, you won’t be able to get to the place by taxi or your own car, but this ticket will allow you to board the ferry without any problems. You can buy it in the subway or from bus drivers. There is also a sales point at the pier, but you will have to stand in line there.

How to get to Finland and how to get to Helsinki can be read on our website. Now you need to be at the Kauppatori market square, only from there you can get to Sveaborg.ferry. In winter, the ferry departs to Suomenlinna Fortress with a closed upper deck.

If you have already taken a ticket, go to the turnstiles. If you are traveling with a child in a stroller, go to the barrier and they will let you in for free. If you forgot to buy a ticket in advance, go ahead to the wooden kiosks, where the ticket office is located.

Sea bus

From May to September the site can be reached by sea bus. They take tourists to the main attractions of the city. There is, for example, a route by which you can arrive directly at the Royal Gate.

JT-Line is mainly responsible for sea trams. There are 3 summer routes. Single ticket does not work on this transport: you need to buy a separate pass at a kiosk or on board the ship.

From island to island

There is no island that contains all the attractions of Sveaborg. You need to travel between at least 3 islands: the mine island of Lonna, Iso Mustasaari and Vallisaari island.

From Iso-Mustasaari you can cross a bridge or a spit to the islands of Kustaanmiekka, Pikku-Mustasaari, Länsi-Mustasaari and Susisaari. The rest are served by water buses. If you wish, you can use the Island Hopping pass - with it you will be able to move freely on the water within the facility. Inside these “trams” there is a dining area with its own kitchen.

You can also visit the fortress as part of excursion tour in Helsinki.

Although the fortress Suomenlinna and is one of the main attractions of Helsinki, not every tourist from Russia who comes to the capital of Finland visits it. Some limit themselves to the view from the embankment, others sail past on the Silja Line motor ship heading to Stockholm. But in vain! You should definitely visit, at least out of respect for the history of your own country.

Swedish fortress

The famously twisted biography of the fortress should begin not even with its birth, but with a slightly earlier time. In 1703, Peter the Great founded St. Petersburg in the east of the Gulf of Finland, and, to paraphrase the classic, from there we began to threaten the Swede. It is not surprising that Sweden is thinking about retaliatory actions. We thought for a long time. During this time, Russia managed to win two wars against its formidable neighbor.

During the Northern War of 1700-1721, Helsingfors (future Helsinki) came under the control of the Russian army and burned to the ground. According to the Russian version, as a result of a fierce artillery duel between our fleet and the Swedish coastal artillery, according to the Swedish version, it was burned by retreating troops so that nothing would fall to the enemy. According to the Peace of Nystad in 1721, Peter I annexed only part of the Finnish lands (Ingria, Kegsholm district,). Helsingfors was returned to Sweden.

In the post-war years political life Sweden consisted of a struggle between adherents of peaceful relations with Russia (the "caps" party) and supporters of revenge (the "hats" party). The revanchists gained the upper hand, but during the Russian-Swedish war of 1741-1743 they again received a blow.

In August 1742, Russian ground forces under the command of Field Marshal P. P. Lasi, with the assistance of a squadron under the command of Vice Admiral Z. D. Mishukov, blocked Helsingfors and forced the Swedish army to capitulate without a fight. The peace in Abo, concluded in 1743, was successful for Russia. The Baltic border continued to move towards Stockholm.

In 1747, the outstanding Swedish military engineer, artillery and fortification specialist Augustin Ehrensvärd (a “hat” in political views) convinced King Fredrik I to accept a plan for the construction of new fortresses to counter the Russian fleet in the Baltic (albeit in a truncated form and with a reduced budget).

On a group of islands that represent a natural barrier to the Helsingfors roadstead, the name of which is translated into Russian very romantically - “Wolf Skerries”, construction of a fortress began. It received the simple name Sveaborg (that is, “Swedish castle”, “Swedish fortress”). True, almost immediately local residents began to pronounce the name with a Finnish accent - Viapori.

It was a real construction project of the century. Nothing of this scale was built anywhere in Europe in the second half of the 18th century. The defensive structures were erected by 6 thousand people. The main construction phase lasted for four decades, and minor improvements continued later. The “father of Sveaborg” and the first commandant of the fortress, Count Ehrensvärd, did not live to see the completion of construction. And although he died on the family estate, the count was reburied in the fortress. Ehrensvärd's grave, with its luxurious headstone, is one of Sveaborg's most photographed attractions.

Sveaborg, built according to the most advanced French models, received the proud nickname “northern Gibraltar”, which was supposed to symbolize its inaccessibility. A powerful military garrison was stationed in the fortress, which turned Sveaborg into the second largest after locality Finland.

In 1806, there were 4,600 people living on the islands, and 4,200 on the shore. The future Helsinki was, by and large, a village, in which only in 1757 the first stone house appeared, which belonged to the commercial councilor Johann Söderholm. This is the same small two-story house on Senate Square that all tourists photograph as soon as they photograph the cathedral and the monument to Alexander II.

In 1807, at a meeting between Russian Emperor Alexander I and his French counterpart Napoleon Bonaparte in Tilsit, an agreement was reached that Russia could annex Finland to its territory. On February 9, 1808, Russian troops under the command of infantry general Count F. F. Buxhoeveden crossed the border, and already on February 18 entered Helsingfors. Soon Sveaborg found itself under siege, remaining the only settlement in southern Finland that did not surrender.

The fortress housed approximately a third of all Swedish troops stationed in Finland: 7,500 soldiers and officers, 1,500 civilians, 354 convicts and six Russian prisoners of war; 110 warships, more than 2 thousand guns, 100 tons of gunpowder. The defense was commanded by the commandant of the fortress, Vice Admiral Karl-Olaf Kronstedt.

There were fewer besiegers of “northern Gibraltar”; they had only 59 guns at their disposal, and they also did not have huge reserves of gunpowder. But soon the commandant of the fortress signed a truce for a month, deciding to capitulate at the end of this period if he did not receive reinforcements from Stockholm. The messengers sent to Stockholm did not manage to reach their goal this month.

On the third of May Sveaborg capitulated. Once again we are faced with two conflicting versions as to why this happened. According to the first, the fault lies with the poorly trained Finnish peasant soldiers and the Swedish officers who did not want to die for no reason, the malfunction of most guns, the quickly consumed gunpowder, the lack of food supplies in the fortress and the lack of experience of Kronstedt, who had previously won victories only at sea. The second version, which military historians call “golden gunpowder,” is based on rumors that the Russian military command allegedly gave the commandant a large bribe. This fact has never been documented.

After the conclusion of the Treaty of Friedrichsham, in which all of Finland was transferred to Russia, Vice Admiral Kronstedt was made in Sweden almost the main culprit of the national catastrophe. He was sentenced to death, but was pardoned at the request of the Russian Emperor. The vice admiral retired, but refused to enlist in the Russian army, wore Swedish orders, but did not disdain to receive a Russian military pension, his son became a Finnish senator, and his relatives remaining in Sweden changed their surnames.

Russian fortress

After the Russian-Swedish war of 1808-1809, the Sveaborg fortress became Russian. The new owners did not rename the “Swedish castle” in the Russian way. But the islands on which the fortress is located were renamed, although not immediately. At first they used Swedish names, which were written with a Nizhny Novgorod accent.

The Finns, of course, pronounced all the names in their own way, so that each island had a whole bunch of names. Here are some examples: Gustavsvard (Gustav-Sverde), aka Kustaanmieka, aka Artillery; Stora-Ostersvarto (Sture-Ostersvarte), aka Iso-Mustasaari, aka Komendantsky; Vargon (Vargen), aka Susisaari, aka Engineer.

Although Sveaborg soon had twice as many Russian soldiers stationed as there had once been Swedish and Finnish soldiers, the island fortress began to slowly lose its importance, and the settlement on the shore became increasingly important. The reason for this was the announcement in 1812 of Helsingfors as the new capital of the newly formed Grand Duchy of Finland (as part of the Russian Empire). The former village at the fortress gradually began to turn into a city with a fortress on the sea outskirts.

Yes, by the way, in 1811, in the fortress, a son was born into the family of the garrison doctor Grigory Belinsky, who received the name Vissarion at baptism.

The interval between the first and second siege of Sveaborg was almost half a century. In the summer of 1855, during the Crimean War (which, contrary to its name, was not fought only in the Black Sea), the Russian Baltic Fleet was blocked in Sveaborg by a superior Anglo-French fleet.

On the twenty-eighth of July (from the point of view of the attackers) or on the 9th of August (from the point of view of the defenders) the shelling of the fortress began. The temporary commandant of Sveaborg, Lieutenant General A.F. Sorokin, apparently did not need a French military pension and did not dream of a place in the House of Lords for his son, and therefore managed to remarkably organize the defense of the fortress.

During two days and two nights of constant bombardment, more than 20 thousand shells were fired at the fortress and other islands near Helsingfors, “according to an approximate and most moderate estimate.” In the Finnish capital, from where the shelling was clearly visible, panic began - residents feared that the enemy would start shooting at the city.

Despite the force of the bombardment, the material damage caused to the fortress was negligible. The losses of the defenders amounted to 63 people killed, about 200 wounded and shell-shocked. The enemy lost 33 people. After several days of calm, the Allied fleet left the Baltic Sea. English and French newspapers wrote that Helsingfors and the Sveaborg fortress had been wiped off the face of the earth.

The next time the fortress became the scene of battles was in the summer of 1906. This time there was no external enemy. The commandant of the fortress, General V. A. Liming, received information about the impending general uprising in the Baltic Fleet and gave the order to mine the approaches to the fortress. Some of the sailors-miners refused to carry out the order.

There is, however, as always, another version. Since the times of Peter the Great, a sailor who stood watch in cold weather was entitled to a glass of vodka or compensation for its cost in money. For some reason, the sailors in the fortress did not get either one or the other, which caused discontent. One way or another, the commandant gave a new order - to arrest the troublemakers.

And then an uprising broke out. The forces were divided approximately equally. About 2 thousand people took part in the rebellion, to which the Socialist-Revolutionaries and Bolsheviks had a hand, who took possession of the islands of Aleksandrovsky, Artillery, Mikhailovsky and Inzhenerny. There were approximately the same number of servicemen loyal to the oath; they fortified themselves on Komendantsky and Lagerny Islands.

The rebellion was suppressed in two days. 28 organizers and most active participants were shot, more than a thousand were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment or sent to prison companies. About 600 people died in the battle. During the Brezhnev era in the USSR, a feature film “Sveaborg” was made about these events, which, of course, is very far from a truthful depiction of history.

Finnish fortress

In 1918, shortly after the declaration of Finnish independence, Sveaborg Fortress was renamed Suomenlinna (Finnish Fortress). It housed a concentration camp for a short time, in which those who participated in the civil war in Finland on the side of the Reds. Of the 8,500 prisoners a year later, after the camp was closed, 7,500 were released. The rest were killed by hunger and infectious diseases.

After the closure of the concentration camp, Suomenlinna became a military facility and remained so until 1973, when it came under the control of the civil administration and turned into one of the districts of Helsinki.

In 1991, the fortress was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. True, the island of Piku-Mustasaari (Hospital) is still at the disposal of the Finnish army. There is another attraction not far from Suomenlinna, which, alas, cannot be visited for the same reason.

On the island of Sandhamn-Santahamina-Lagerny, southeast of the fortress, in 1857 a monument was erected to “the 63 sailors and soldiers killed during the bombardment of Sveaborg by the Anglo-French fleet on July 28 and 29, 1855.” The design of the monument was carried out by Professor Baron P. Klodt (the same one who cast the horses for the Anichkov Bridge in St. Petersburg). But these are small exceptions, but they are almost universally intelligent, right? Wolf skerries are at the disposal of tourists.

You can safely set aside a whole day to visit Suomenlinna, but you won’t be able to see everything that is in the fortress.

But not only those who like to remember past victories of Russian weapons make sense to go to Volchi Skerries. A fortress is a fortress, but it is also a place where you can just take a walk, admire nature, and besides, various events are constantly organized there - open-air concerts, sailing regattas, exhibitions.

Majority local residents They prefer to eat food that they have thoughtfully brought with them. And this is not a stupid decision. Although there are no particular problems in finding a catering establishment. The most popular restaurant among tourists, Walhalla, however, is open to ordinary visitors only for dinner from Monday to Saturday, and on Sunday and lunchtime only organized groups are allowed there.

We can recommend pizzeria Nikolai to Russian patriots. It was named in honor of the merchant Nikolai Petrovich Sinebryukhov, who in 1819 received the exclusive right to produce and sell beer in Finland and almost immediately after receiving the patent, opened a tavern in Sveaborg. The brewing company Oy Sinebryhoff AB that bears his name still exists (though it belongs to the Swedish Carlsberg).

Ferries, marked "Suomenlinna Sveaborg", depart from the Helsinki fish market (Kauppatori) from 6 am to 2:20 am at intervals of 40 minutes to one hour. Travel time is 15 minutes. The round-trip ticket price is €3.80. In summer, water buses also depart from almost the neighboring pier. Helsinki card holders can use the ferry and visit all museums in the fortress for free. You can park your own yacht at the guest port on the island of Suisaari only if there is space available.

Suomenlinna can be visited all year round; the fortress is open 365 days a year, but it is better to do it in the summer. 900 people permanently live on the islands, and about 400 more work on them. Many houses on the islands are used as art studios. On the territory of the Suomenlinna Fortress there is a prison for those convicted of minor crimes. Prisoners are mainly engaged in maintaining fortifications in proper condition.

Entrance to the fortress itself is free; you only have to pay when visiting museums. The fortress houses the Suomenlinna Museum, the Ehrensvärd Museum, the Manege (museum of the Soviet-Finnish and Second World Wars), the Vessico submarine, and the customs museum, which is free to visit. It’s hard not to notice that most of the cannons in the fortress have inscriptions in Russian. I think it will be especially pleasant for natives of Perm to study them.

The local church was once the garrison church of the Russian limited contingent in Sveaborg and was called the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. The cathedral was built according to the design of the architect Konstantin Ton. And although not only Lutheran, but also Orthodox services have been held here since 2000, the external appearance of the building was irreparably damaged back in 1928 by the architect Frans Sjoström. Instead of a small copy of the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior, we now see an unremarkable Lutheran church.

While in the fortress, somewhere around 17:20-17:30 you can take part in the daily ritual - together with other tourists, wave your hand to the Silja Line ferry passing by, towards Stockholm. If for any reason you were late and didn’t wave, it’s okay. After half an hour, you will be given a second attempt - to escort the Viking ferry to the Swedish capital.

Thanks to the Schengen Agreement, these days you can travel from Helsinki to Stockholm for a day or two without any visas. And the mentioned ferries are attractions in themselves of both Scandinavian capitals. And if you are sailing on board one of them, do not miss the island with a fortress at the very beginning of the journey, from the shore of which strangers wave to you.

ALEXEY ALEXEEV
proof

Technical Sponsor

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.

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

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 in next visit it will be 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

Of course, you can only get to the sea fortress by water. There are two options:

by local service (HSL) ferry, which departs from the east pier Market Square (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.

In 1703, Peter the Great founded the new capital of the empire - St. Petersburg, located in the Gulf of Finland. The sea approaches to the new capital had to be guarded by a powerful military base Kronstadt, founded in the same year on Kotlin Island, 27 km west of the mouth of the Neva.
After accessing the Baltic Sea during the Northern War of 1700-1721, the Russian Empire became a powerful force in the Baltic, which had to be reckoned with.

This situation jeopardized Sweden's security; Russian naval vessels could directly attack the coast of southern Finland, which was part of the Kingdom of Sweden. Other European powers, especially France, which entered into a military alliance with the Swedish crown, also had their interests in this region.
After lengthy debates, in 1747 the Swedish parliament decided to strengthen the Russian-Swedish border and begin to build sea fortress to protect Helsinki, as a counterweight to Kronstadt. It was also decided to install border fortifications in Loviisa.

Sweden began construction of the fortress in January 1748, when Augustin Ehrensvärd, a young colonel in the Swedish army, came to the southern reaches of the kingdom to coordinate construction. The fortifications were designed according to the prescription of Vauban's fortification system, the advanced military engineering of the time. In addition to the defensive structures on the islands, a system of fortifications was added on the mainland, which guaranteed the safety of the fortress from the enemy creating a springboard for attack. Sveaborg's tasks also included providing ammunition, if necessary, to the Finnish group of the Swedish Army and the Royal Navy.
The fortress was built with French money and was supposed to become the “Northern Gibraltar”.
Construction continued until 1772.

After the treaty between Alexander the First and Napoleon Bonaparte, Russia began a military campaign against Sweden, as a result of which in 1809 Finland came under the rule of the Russian crown and became an autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire. The Swedish period of Finnish history, which lasted more than 700 years, has ended.

The fortress did not fulfill the functions assigned to it and did not fight to the victorious end in a hopeless war. Russian troops easily took Helsinki and began shelling Sveaborg. The commandant of the fortress, Karl Olof Kronstedt, concluded a truce with the Russian military command, but without receiving reinforcements by May, he surrendered the fortress along with 7,000 of its defenders. The reasons for Kronstedt's action remain somewhat unclear. But a hopeless situation, a psychological victory of the Russian troops, perhaps some bribed advisers, fear for life large quantity civilian population, lack of gunpowder and all this, against the backdrop of complete isolation - probable reasons for surrender.
During the Napoleonic Wars, most of the fortresses in Germany surrendered after only a few weeks of siege - the era of the fortress was coming to an end.

Russian period

The long period of peace that followed the annexation of Finland to Russia was interrupted Crimean War 1854-1856 The Allies, in order to weaken Russia's military presence in the south, decided to open a second front by sending the Anglo-French fleet to the Baltic Sea. For two years, the combined fleet bombarded cities and fortifications along the entire Finnish coast. As a result of the 47-hour shelling, the fortress was severely damaged. After the signing of the Paris Peace of 1856, extensive work began on the restoration of fortifications.
New defensive fortifications were erected on the southern parts of the island chain. The next stage of military buildup in the fortress was dictated by the First World War; Suomenlinna and its nearby islands became part of the Peter the Great naval fortification, designed to protect the capital of the empire - St. Petersburg.
Shortly before this, in 1906, a riot broke out in the fortress. The rioters were led by warrant officers Kmelyanov and Kokhansky. Having put forward political demands, they expected the approach and support of the Russian fleet, but the approaching ships suppressed the rebellion that arose in the fortress garrison; the rioters were shot. Their graves on the territory of the fortress became the first joint Finnish-Russian mass graves.

Finnish period

After Finland gained independence in December 1917, the fortress became Finnish and received a new name - Suomenlinna, which means “Finnish Fortress”.
In 1918, dark times began in the history of Suomenlinna - it served as a concentration camp for captured Reds, many of whom died there from hunger and disease.
For many years Suomenlinna was under the jurisdiction of the Finnish army, and only in 1973 the management of the islands on which the fortress is located was transferred to civilian administration.

Modernity

In 1991, Suomenlinna was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Nowadays Suomenlinna is a huge museum under open air, spread over six islands: Gustav Sword (Kustaanmiekka), Small Black Island (Pikku Mustasaari), Great Black Island (Iso Mustasaari), Western Black Island (Länsi-Mustasaari) and Wolf Island (Susisaari).
Well-preserved forts, bastions and fortress buildings attract tourists from Finland and other countries. There are many museums on the islands: the Suomenlinna Museum with an exhibition on the history of the fortress, the Coastal Artillery Museum, the Vesikko submarine, the Manege military museum, the Customs Museum, the Toy Museum. In the gallery of the Coastal Barracks and the Augusta Gallery you can see the products of the fortress’s art workshops.
On the territory of the Suomenlinna fortress all year round are carried out various events: in summer - sailing races "Viaporin Tuoppi" (Sveaborg Cup) and the jazz festival "Viapori Jazz", in winter - Christmas concerts and holidays. On the island of Susisaari, a summer theater has settled in an ancient bastion.
The fortress-museum still preserves old military traditions today. The Naval Academy is still located on the Small Black Island. The academy building was built in 1821-1829 according to the design of Karl Ludwig Engel.

Suomenlinna is not only an open-air museum, but also a district of Helsinki, in which about 900 people permanently live, 350 of whom have permanent place work. You can get to the fortress from Helsinki on ferries, which from morning to evening depart from east side Trade area(Kauppatori).

Important dates in the history of the fortress

1748: Construction of the fortress began under the leadership of Augustin Erensväld.
1808: Suomenlinna capitulates to the Russian army without any serious resistance.
1809: By to the Parisian world Finland becomes part of the Russian Empire
1855: Crimean War: artillery bombardment of Suomenlinna by the Anglo-French fleet, as a result of which the fortress was subjected to great destruction.
1906: Riot of the fortress garrison.
1914-1917: Strengthening the defenses of Sumenlinna.
1918: The name Suomenlinna becomes official name fortresses
1973: The fortress passes from military control and becomes one of the civilian areas of Helsinki.
1991: Suomenlinna is included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage of Humanity
1998: Suomenlinna's 250th birthday.

Tours of the fortress

A license is required to conduct tours of Suomenlinna Fortress. Authorized guides are only members of the Ehrensvärd Society. Guided tours are offered daily from June to August in Finnish, Swedish, English and .

Some attractions of the Finnish capital can only be reached by water. Among them is the Sveaborg Fortress (Suomenlinna), located on the islands off the southern tip of Helsinki. The defensive structure, built in the mid-18th century, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. And for tourists with children, Sveaborg is interesting with the opportunity to spend the whole day in the fresh air, peer from the fortress walls into the sea, touch old cannons and explore underground passages.

History of Suomenlinna Fortress

During this time, you probably managed to find out that the country has two state languages- Finnish and Swedish. The fortress in Helsinki also has a name in both languages, but the names have different meanings. The Swedes built a fort on the islands: until 1809, Finland was under Swedish rule. Having lost and recaptured Helsinki (then Helsingfors), Sweden decided to defend the city from the sea in 1748. This is how the Sveaborg fortress, or “Swedish fortress,” appeared on the rocky islands of the Wolf Skerries.

In 1918 Finland became independent state, and the fortress got a name in Finnish - Suomenlinna, that is, “Finnish Fortress”. The defensive structure was used very actively, survived several wars, and passed from hand to hand. Only in 1973 the fortress was sent to rest - now it has become a tourist attraction.

To learn more about the history of the fortress, use an audio guide for smartphones or join a guided tour. IN summer time excursions are conducted in different languages, including Russian.

Fortress Museums

Actually, if the weather is good, there is no need to rush to visit museums. Use the map provided by the fortress's official website to walk around the islands. The most convenient route for walking is the blue route. It runs from north to south near the main attractions, including the Royal Gate and the bastions with cannons. The route is approximately 1.5 km long and has some steep and rocky sections. But along it you will come out to massive walls resembling the rays of a star - they are visible in all photos of Sveaborg.

For families with children there is an easier route. And if you make stops at playgrounds, then none of you will get tired during the excursion.

Are restless people ready to explore every corner of the fortress? Take them down into the underground passages on the island of Kustaanmiekka and walk around the artificial hills, which are actually disguised fortifications for the defenders of the fortress. And for a snack, leave the Zander Bastion - one of the oldest buildings in the capital.

The main museum of Suomenlinna is dedicated to the 260-year history of the fortress. The exhibition is organized traditionally - personal belongings, tools, weapons, and documents are stored in display cases. To prevent the excursion from seeming too dry, watch a short film about what the fortress experienced during different periods of its history. And after that, climb the fortress wall and look at the peaceful city in the distance - it is quiet and calm, but here the waves crash against the rocky shore, as if reminding that military fortifications know no peace. But inside the fortress walls, grace reigns - tourists have picnics on the green lawns.

The theme of the battles in which the garrison of the Sveaborg fortress took part is continued by the exhibition of the Manege Military Museum. The central part of the building is occupied by samples of military equipment and weapons from various years, and mannequins in uniform line the walls. After the excursion, you can try on a modern uniform and estimate the weight of a full combat outfit by putting on a bulletproof vest and picking up a portable radio weighing about 20 kg.

The sea fortress of Suomenlinna/Sveaborg became the final mooring site. This is the only submarine that served in the Finnish fleet during World War II. Now there is a museum inside the ship. Externally, the boat does not seem big at all, and a tour of the engine room, cabins and cockpits only confirms the first impression.

With children tired of the abundance of historical facts, you can relax in the toy museum. The old wooden building with pale pink walls looks like Dollhouse, and inside it are toys that were in use two centuries ago. Plump dolls in exquisite outfits, brave tin soldiers, tattered (and therefore once very beloved) bears, board games - ask the children whether toys have changed much over so many years.

Perhaps a visit to Ehrensvärd's house can also be considered a vacation. Despite the fact that in the residence of the founder and first commandant of the fortress there is an exhibition of weapons and ship models, it still looks like a residential and quite cozy house - you just want to check whether the white Dutch stove is lit in winter.

A tour of Suomenlinna Fortress can take a whole day. We recommend bringing food for a small child, and older children can dine in cafes and restaurants on the islands.