The sea fortress Suomenlinna is one of the main tourist attractions in Helsinki, Finland. Located on a group of islands just outside Helsinki, the 18th century fortress is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has played an important part in Finland's history. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to Suomenlinna every year. It is also a popular daytrip destination for locals, and a permanent home to over 800 Helsinki residents.
Suomenlinna History and Attractions
The building of the fortress started in the middle of the 18th century, when Finland was a part of Sweden. Under the Russian era (Finland was an autonomous grand duchy in the Russian Empire from 1809 to 1917) the fortress was expanded and reinforced. After Finland's independence from Russia in 1917, the fortress hosted a military base until it was given over to civilian administration in 1973.
The fortress consists of a network of bastions that can be explored independently or on a guided tour. There are several museums around the island and many of the historic buildings around the fortress are still in everyday use. Some of the buildings have visitor services, some are working spaces or homes. Around 850 people live permanently on the eight islands that make up this island group.
Things to Do in Suomenlinna
Suomenlinna’s cliffs and beaches are popular picnic spots in the summer, but there are also several restaurants and cafés around the fortress. Suomenlinna has its own brewery, too: the Suomenlinna Brewery makes beer and runs a restaurant and a beer garden. Other attractions include a museum shop and artists’ workshops and studios. Suomenlinna also has a youth hostel (Hostel Suomenlinna).
There is no entrance fee to the island itself, but the different museums charge entrance fees. Guided tours are offered every day during the summer period from June to the end of August, and they are available in Finnish, Swedish and English. Check the departure times for the different language tours on the Suomenlinna website. Suomenlinna is also open in the winter.
How to Get to Suomenlinna
The only way to get to Suomenlinna is by boat. Frequent ferries operated by the Helsinki City Transport leave from Kauppatori (Helsinki Market Square) throughout the day. The ferry crossing takes less than 20 minutes. Tickets should be bought in advance from the ticket machines or from the ticket booth on Kauppatori. If you have bought a Helsinki Card, the ferry ticket is included.
If you are visiting Suomenlinna during the summer, weekends can get very crowded and half of Finland seems to be on its way to the cliffs to sunbathe. Mid-week is a better time for a slightly quieter visit.
