CASTLES KYMENLAAKSO

Fort Elizabeth is a ruined 18th-century sea fortress located on Varissaari Island near Kotka, constructed as part of Russia's strategic Ruotsinsalmi sea fortress system to defend the northwestern border. The fort features an elongated semi-circular design with double-walled defensive perimeter, and foundations of internal barracks, gunpowder cellars, and warehouse structures remain visible among the ruins. Though destroyed during the Crimean War in 1855, the site preserves artifacts recovered from the sunken frigate Sankt Nikolai and a war memorial honoring the Second Battle of Svenskund from 1790. Accessible via a ten-minute ferry journey from Sapokka in Kotka operated by M/S Klippan, the island combines historical significance with natural beauty, offering visitors an accessible glimpse into Finland's maritime military heritage and 18th-century fortification engineering.

Kyminlinna is a historic fortress in Kotka built by Russia between 1791 and 1808 as a cornerstone of southeastern Finland's defensive system following the Russo-Swedish War. Initially constructed as a bastion fortress between 1791 and 1795 under the supervision of Russian General Alexander Suvorov and Dutch-born General Jan Pieter van Suchtelen, the original fortification was subsequently demolished and replaced with a dramatically larger fortress built between 1803 and 1808, featuring a distinctive five-corner caponier design spanning approximately 800 meters in diameter across 74 hectares. Strategically positioned to repel land-based attacks along the King's Road, Kyminlinna formed a double fortification system with the Ruotsinsalmi sea fortress. Though its military significance diminished after the Finnish War, the fortress was used for various purposes throughout the 20th century and is now publicly accessible, allowing visitors to explore the ramparts and contemplate its historical role.

Hamina Fortress is a unique circular star-shaped bastion fortress designed in the 1720s by Swedish General Axel von Löwen based on Italian Renaissance military architecture, making it globally rare as one of only two towns built within an active fortress—the other being Palvanova, Italy. The distinctive layout features eight radial streets radiating from the Town Hall Square at the fortress's center, creating an extraordinary geometric urban plan. Russian forces continued fortification work in the 1740s and under General Alexander Suvorov, who constructed the Central Bastion between 1803 and 1811, which became the fortress's largest bastion structure. Today, the Central Bastion functions as Hamina Bastion, an event venue topped with Europe's largest canopy for summer programming, while a 4.5-kilometer Fortress Trail meanders along the ramparts, allowing visitors to experience the remarkable integration of military architecture and urban planning.

Utti Fort is a star-shaped Russian fortress located approximately 12 kilometers east of Kouvola, built between 1791 and 1792 under General Alexander Suvorov to defend Saint Petersburg. The precisely engineered fortification measures 218 meters long by 172 meters wide and was designed to accommodate 400 soldiers and mount 24 cannons in its main bastion system and two outer redoubts. Situated strategically along Finland's southeastern defensive corridor, Utti saw limited military action, with only one battle recorded during the Russo-Swedish War in 1789. Today the main fortress stands fully renovated and open to visitors, accessible near Utti ABC gas station on the opposite side of Highway 6, offering insight into 18th-century military engineering and Russian fortification strategies in the region.