SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS HAMINA BASTION ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE The Central Bastion, which is part of the HOLY APOSTLES ST PETER AND ST fortress of Hamina, was built by the Rus- PAUL sians in the early 19th century according Raatihuoneentori 2 to the plans of the Dutch-born General The main church of the Orthodox parish, Peter van Suchtelen. built in 1837, is dedicated to the memory The Hamina Bastion was formed in 1998 of the apostles St Peter and St Paul. after extensive renovation work: the bas- Open: June-August Tue-Sun at 12-16 tion vaults, in other words 58 casemates, were equipped with modern technology ST Mary’S CHURCH AND and the bastion field was covered by the CHURCH MUSEUM largest summer canopy in Europe. Pikkuympyräkatu 36 Renowned as the venue of events such as The medieval stone church dedicated to the Hamina Tattoo, the Hamina Bastion Virgin Mary was probably built at the pre- can provide even large-scale events with sent location before 1396. The church has a splendid setting and memorable experi- been destroyed and repaired on several HAMINA IS A CLEAN-CUT FORTRESS TOWN ences. occasions. The church was renovated to You cannot get lost in the circular its present appearance after the fire of – THE TOWN AND THE FORTRESS MAKE TOWN MUSEUM Hamina in 1821 in accordance with draw- UP AN INSEPARABLE WHOLE Kadettikoulunkatu 2 b ings by C.L. Engel. At that point, a belfry streets of the old centre of Hamina. The museum is located in a building com- was added to the church. pleted in ca. 1760. This building known The most recent renovation of the church The attractions are close to each Per Brahe founded a town by the name of Weckelax Nystad as “Catherine’s Palace” served the ne- was completed in 2013. The purpose in the area of the former Vehkalahti in 1653. At that time, gotiations between Catherine the Great, of the renovation carried out under the other, and the Town Hall located in the town was awarded the rights to be engaged in foreign Empress of Russia, and King Gustav III of supervision of the architect Ulla Rahola Sweden, during three days in 1783. The was to restore the spirit of the 19th cen- the centre of the circle is an excel- trade. When the town was destroyed in the Great North- Town Museum moved to the building in tury. The belfry is decorated by a relief ern War, it was rebuilt in the 1720s and was given a circular 1957. The museum houses a permanent by Sulo Mäkelä, a local artist, from 1964. town plan and the name Fredrikshamn after Frederick I, the exhibition displaying the colourful history Ecclesiastical items from the 18th century lent landmark, since you can see it of Hamina, plus temporary exhibitions. onwards are on display in the museum King of Sweden. The name soon gained the form Hamina in The upstairs room is a cosy venue for vari- room in the southern wing of the church. from every street corner. Finnish. Sweden started to fortify its eastern border against ous workshops and events, and it is rented Open: 5 June - 13 August 2017 at 11-15. Russia, whereby Hamina became a fortress town. as a meeting room also for outsiders. There is a guide in the church Open: June-August Tue-Sun at 10-16 during the opening hours. January-May Wed at 16–20, The fortress of Hamina was built under the Swedish General Thu-Sun at 12-16 ST JOHN’S CHURCH Axel von Löwen in the 1720s. The fortress and the town plan Raatihuoneentori 10 SHOPKEEPER’S HOUSE MUSEUM St John’s Church, designed by Carl Ludvig were based on an Italian star-shaped Renaissance fortress Kasarminkatu 6 Engel, originally served the Swedish- from the 16th century. The Swedes built the fortification just The Shopkeeper’s House Museum, speaking population in Hamina. The church as sand bulwarks. The Russians continued the fortification completed in 1841, is a log building with named after John the Baptist was inaugu- cultural history value. The courtyard of the rated on Midsummer Day in 1843. work in the 1740s, when the era of so-called Old Finland house comprises outbuildings, the last of The altarpiece which depicts the resurrec- began in Hamina under Russian rule. which were built in the 1870s. The house tion of Christ was painted by B.A. Goden- and the adjacent buildings used to serve as hjelm. The oldest item in the church is a the residence and work rooms for craft- Bible from 1703. The traditional miniature The star-shaped bastion fortress encloses the old circular speople in various fields, and most recently church boat above the font originates from town centre, with the eight radial streets starting from the for the Muravjev merchant family, which Koivisto in Karelia. Town Hall Square. The radial streets have two circular cross kept a shop in the building. The church yard contains a soldiers’ grave- The house was opened as a museum in the yard with memorials of soldiers who died in streets, Isoympyräkatu and Pikkuympyräkatu, which follow late 1970s. The museum with the old shop the Winter War and Continuation War and the shape of the fortress. Pikkuympyräkatu is a full circle of presents the Finnish-Russian merchant those who were left in Karelia during the about 1 kilometre. traditions of the early 1900s, and the wars, plus a memorial stone commemorat- HAMINA INFO courtyard dwellings and outbuildings ing the Treaty of Hamina of 1809. reflect the everyday life of craftspeople. Open: 5 June - 13 August 2017 at 10-15. Tourist information/SpaHotel Hamina The circular town, which is rare on a global scale, with its Some of the courtyard buildings are open There is a guide in the church Sibeliuskatu 32, tel. +358 40 199 1330 WALKING ramparts and extraordinary town plan is well preserved de- to the public. In addition to the permanent during the opening hours. Open Mon–Sat at 8–20 exhibition, the museum arranges Easter spite many large-scale fires which raged in the 19th century. and Christmas exhibitions plus various HIETAKYLÄ CEMETERY The military traditions of Hamina have lived on, first in the Summer info, Flag Tower events. Laivasillankatu 6 IN OLD HAMINA Imperial Cadet School of Finland in the 19th century and Open: June-August Tue-Sun at 10-16 The Hietakylä Cemetery was established Kaivokatu 6, tel. +358 40 577 4472 At other times open during in 1773 outside the fortress walls beside Open: later in the Reserve Officer School in the 20th century. the exhibitions and for groups the sea. The cemetery rich in atmosphere May Mon–Fri at 12–15 FORTRess AND by appointment. contains many valuable headstones which June–August Mon–Fri at 9–17, Sat–Sun at 10–15 The event arena Hamina Bastion was built in the Central reflect the cultural history of Hamina and Bastion of the fortress in 1998. In the summer, the Bastion RESERVE OFFICERS’ SCHOOL its surroundings. The Hietakylä Lutheran #kohtaamistenhamina #hamina CIRCulAR STReeTS MUSEUM cemetery was expanded in 1859, and it facebook.com/kohtaamistenhamina is covered by the largest dismountable canopy in Europe. Kadettikoulunkatu 8 was also surrounded by a stone wall then. Hamina Bastion now provides events of various sizes with a The museum presents the traditions of the Wealthier town dwellers have been buried instagram.com/kohtaamistenhamina Reserve Officers’ School and its students there since the fire of Hamina in 1821. A worthy venue. since the 1920s. cremation urn cemetery was established Open: June-August Tue-Sun at 10-16 in conjunction with the cemetery in WWW.HAMINA.FI In the winter by appointment. 1997-1998 according to the plans of the architect Bey Heng. STATUES AND MONUMENTS 1. TOWN HALL 1798 Nuolilinnake (Johan Brockman) Kirkkojärvi A. Statue of Varvara Winter War and Continuation War and The Renaissance-style Town Hall (Veikko Haukkavaara) to those left in Karelia. (the tower is of Neoclassical style Varvara Schantin (1870–1941) was a from the 1840s) has served many street vendor of bakery products. She E. Monument to Soldiers Fallen in purposes, including local administra- sold her products to officer candidates Coastal Battles tion. The building has also housed a Bastioni even when they were in the middle (Veli Klami) bank, shops, the police department, Häm eenlinna of their field exercises. To show their To commemorate the soldiers killed in and the main guard of the fortress. appreciation, the officers who had the 1939–1944 wars. The middle floor is currently in graduated from the courses 1–43 gave 18. festive use and serves as a meeting the town this statue in 1972. F. Orthodox Chapel 1837 facility for the town council and Built to commemorate the original town executive board. B. Statue for Finnish Baseball wooden Church of St Peter and St Paul, Keskusbastioni (Onni Pursiainen) which was located in the current field 2. TOWN MUSEUM 1760 Donated to Hamina in 1968 by Onni of the Reserve Officers’ School and The oldest town building in Hamina and Otso Paavola to show their ap- demolished in 1830. built for private use. Empress Cath- preciation for everything the town has erine II of Russia and her cousin King RAUHANKATU 26a. done for Finnish baseball and youth G. Millstone Gustav III of Sweden held negotia- ISOYMPYRÄKATU 17. R OOPERTINKATU work. (Eino Marttila) tions in the building in 1783. The new 19. Old millstones found in the Hietakylä permanent exhibition was opened MANNERHEIMINTIE G 7. C. Monument to Fallen Officers village were used as the models for after the renovation in 2008.