Suomenlinna Situated in the southeast of the Kaivopuisto district and built by the Swedes to protect Helsinki from naval attack in 1748, the fortress of Suomenlinna is built on a group of five islands and is reachable by ferry from the South Harbour. These ferries take about a half an hour and the journey makes ideal mini break from the city - even to go and just explore the sand dunes. These were formed by the Russians with sand shipped over from Estonia to reinforce the new capital's defenses after they'd gained control of Finland. Go to the Inventory Chambers Visitors Centre for further information. Here you can also see the Suomenlinna Museum and Experience which gives a detailed history of the fortress. Suomenlinna has a number of museums, none of them are particularly interesting. If you go to one museum, however, the Ehrensvärd Museum would be the one most worthy of closer inspection. It is built on the residence originally used by the first commander of the fortress, Augustin Ehrensvärd. It was Augustin who oversaw the construction of Suomenlinna and these days he is buried in a tomb on the grounds; his personal possessions can be seen inside the house along with displays of the fort's construction. There are guided walking tours on offer along with various events taking place throughout the summer like jazz shows, exhibitions, and theatrical performances. [ Helsinki hotels in Helsinki] - [Site Map] - [ Secure Server ] - [ Privacy Policy ] - [ Disclaimer ]