Helsinki Sveaborg ferry schedule. Swedish fortress "Sveaborg" which is located in Helsinki
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
Tourist Information Center(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. Tourist excursions depart from here. 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 walking is allowed on site. 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 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 were transported to Suomenlinna, where after restoration they opened for visitors, you can see internal organization and understand the conditions under which 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 are cheaper, there are family tickets. 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.
Suomenlinna is one of the most interesting sights of Helsinki, perfect place to take a walk, have lunch and even spend the night. This museum is under open air listed World Heritage UNESCO.
Suomenlinna, that is, the “Finnish fortress” (or, in the second official language of Finland - Sveaborg) is a sea bastion built on several islands in order to protect the entrance to the harbor of the Finnish capital. The first fortress was erected during Swedish rule - in 1748-1772. However, it could not resist the Russian troops - it fell in 1808, and after it the whole of Finland came under the rule of the Russian Empire. And much later, in 1855 - during the Crimean War - she was able to repel the Anglo-French squadron. Then the walls were completed and rebuilt, so now we see the “Russian version” of the “Finnish fortress”.
Why go to the island of Suomenlinna
Firstly, an excursion to the island is a pleasant walk along the sea, and, by the way, it will cost less than the 1-2 hour excursions offered on the embankment. From the water you can see (from an unusual angle!) most of the city's attractions.
Secondly, Suomenlinna is a great place for walking and picnics in good weather. There are a dozen establishments on the territory of the fortress, including even a restaurant-brewery.
Thirdly, to stay inexpensively, a hostel, Hostel Suomenlinna, has been opened on one of the islands.
And finally, those who are interested in history will be interested in walking through the outstanding fortification structure, visiting the preserved forts and bastions, visiting the military and customs museums, as well as on a submarine.
There is also an “open type” men’s prison on the main island of Suomenlinna, preparing prisoners for life in freedom. The prisoners work on the island or travel to the mainland, receive a salary and use it to pay for their maintenance.
How to get to Suomenlinna
Very simple! Ferries run from Market Square (Kauppatori) to the fortress from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. - 2 to 4 times an hour, depending on the day of the week and time of year. Travel time is approximately 20 minutes. Regular city transport tickets are valid on these ferries. That is, if you bought a day pass, you can go to the island using it.
Forgot to do this in advance? No problem! IN information center fortress (it is located in the first building that you see from the pier) there is free wi-fi.
Suomenlinna (Sveaborg) on the map
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Some attractions in the Finnish capital can only be reached by 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 official 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. So on rocky islands The Sveaborg fortress, or “Swedish fortress,” appeared on the Wolf Skerries.
In 1918, Finland became an independent state, and the fortress received 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, 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.
Tired of abundance historical facts children you will relax in the toy museum. The old wooden building with soft pink walls looks like a dollhouse, and inside it are toys that were in use two centuries ago. Plump dolls in exquisite outfits, brave tin soldiers, shabby (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.
Suomenlinna Fortress or Sveaborg- these are 4 islands off the coast of the city of Helsinki, previously also called Suomenlinna, this is a bright symbol of the city of Helsinki. Built by the French and intended to become the “Gibraltar of the North.” Now Suomenlinna is a functioning open-air museum.
History of origin.
Under the Swedes, the fortress was called Sveaborg - i.e. Swedish fortress. The Finns called it Viapori. The history of Suomenlinna Fortress is closely connected with the history of Finland, Helsinki and Baltic Sea. Suomenlinna Fortress appeared on the map of Finland in the nineteenth century. An important defensive line from the east, the fortress passed to Russia in the early 19th century and, in addition to naval bases in Tallinn and Kronstadt, it was used to guard the fairways leading to St. Petersburg.
Architecture.
Suomenlinna Fortress is a complex of chaotically located bastions built on small rocky islands. From the very beginning, defensive structures and fortress buildings were also used for utilitarian needs. Suomenlinna is largely authentic, that is, a historically original structure. Dozens of underwater historical sites have been discovered near the Suomenlinna fortress.
Neighborhood.
IN close proximity The Suomenlinna Fortress Museum is located. The museum contains unique examples of pre-revolutionary artillery of Imperial Russia - for example, a 6-inch siege gun of the 1904 model and other guns. In the collection of the Toy Museum you will find thousands of objects and things for children, the oldest of which were made at the very beginning of the nineteenth century. In addition, the museum has a separate room with military toys. The Ehrensvärd Museum displays miniature ship models, antique furniture, weapons and paintings by Sveaborg artist Elias Martin. Here you can also visit the Military Museum in Manege, which is located in a building that was previously used by the Russian army as an artillery depot. Nowadays, Finnish military equipment is exhibited there.
You can also see the Vesikko submarine, which was used during World War II. Almost all rooms inside the boat are open to the public.
Note to tourists.
Suomenlinna Museum is open all year round, from May to October it is open from 10:00 to 18:00, at other times it opens half an hour later and closes at 16:30.
The Ehrensvärd Museum is open throughout the summer season from 11:00 to 18:00, and in spring and autumn only on weekends, from 11:00 to 16:00.
The Toy Museum is open to visitors only from March to October, from 11:00 to 17:00.
The Military Museum is open from mid-May to September, from 11:00 to 18:00, entrance tickets for adults cost 4 euros, for children under 17 years old - 2 euros.
Entrance to the submarine is also open from mid-May to September, from 11:00 to 18:00, cost entrance ticket for adults - 4 euros, for children under 17 years old - 2 euros.
Hostel Suomenlinna is located on the territory of the fortress on the island of Iso Mustasaari.
You can grab a bite to eat at Café Vanille, where you will be offered excellent desserts, or at Café Piper, where in the summer you can dine in the garden, which is decorated in an English style. The Toy Museum Café will be interesting - you can drink tea and desserts inside a real toy museum. And for true gourmets, the Walhalla restaurant is open in Sveaborg, which will offer you a large selection of dishes and a rich wine list.
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. Dispatched from market square Helsinki Kaupatori.
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, which on the island moor closer to the fortress and main attractions, plus 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.
Behind ticketless travel faces a fine of 80 euros + ticket price.
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. 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 even more so for 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 the 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 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.
The central part of the fortress begins immediately behind the bridge to Wolf Island.
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 in warm May days 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.