HELCOM State & Conservation 10th meeting 2019 WELCOME TO HAMINA FINLAND 6.-10.5.2019 Practical Information for Participants Meeting premises Kumppanuustalo Hilma Kadettikoulunkatu 3 49400 Hamina Instructions on how to reach Hamina 1) From Helsinki airport to Helsinki centre by train and from Helsinki centre to Hamina by bus 2) From Helsinki airport to Hamina via Tikkurila to Kouvola by train and from Kouvola take a local train to Kotka and continue by bus to Hamina ( much longer time thatn option 1) 1a) From Helsinki Airport to Helsinki Centre to Hamina Airport: There are usually taxis waiting at the airport. Tel. (+358) 0100 0700 or (+358) 0100 7777 Price 40-50 €, depending on the time of day, duration about 25-30 min to Helsinki city centre. 1 Bus and tram: Take either the Finnair City bus (6,30 € - 30 min) or regional bus number 615/617 (5,50 € - 40 min) from the airport to the city centre (timetable). There are stops at both terminals. The same bus ticket is valid as on the regional bus, or tram ticket ca 2 €. Train: A rail link between Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and Helsinki city centre. Useful link: Public transport Journey Planner 1b) From Helsinki center to Hamina Railway station Bus station Bus Bus from Helsinki bus station Kamppi to Hamina Matkahuolto, 2h30min, 15,70€ https://www.matkahuolto.fi/en/ Weekday Schedule1 1 The time schedule can change, so check it before the travel. Sunday Schedule 2) From Helsinki airport to Hamina by train Train Take train to Tikkurila and change train to Kouvola and from Kouvola take bus to Hamina. https://www.vr.fi/cs/vr/en/frontpage For more information on Hamina: https://www.hamina.fi/visithamina/en/ Hotel accommodation The participants are kindly requested to make their hotel reservations themselves. Allotments for rooms have been made for the nights 5th – 10th May. Please quote “HELCOM” when making the booking. See the hotel information below for the last date of the bookings with allotment prices. Recommended hotels in Hamina: Spa Hotel Hamina 23 rooms total Single room 99 €/night , Double room 124€/night, booking expires 1st April Address: Sibeliuskatu 32, 49400 Hamina Tel. +358 (0) 5 - 353 5555 e-mail: [email protected] Seurahuone Hamina 2 single rooms total 95 €/night, booking expires 15th April 10 double rooms 95 €/night (3 including a possibility for an extra bed, 35 €) Address: Pikkuympyräkatu 5, 49400 Hamina +358 (0) 010 76 35871 [email protected] Some recommended hotels near Kotka: Original Sokos Hotel Seurahuone Keskuskatu 21, 48100, Kotka Tel. +358 (0) 10 7821 000 Fax. +358 (0) 10 7821 009 e-mail: [email protected] Scandic Kotka Kyminlinnantie 18, 48600 Kotka Tel. +358 5 7899 200 e-mail: [email protected] Bus connections from Kotka to Hamina If you want to stay in Kotka, there is frequent bus connection from Kotka to Hamina and vice versa. Local bus connections Matka.fi Express bus from Kotka to Hamina takes about 30-50 minutes and price is ca. 5,5 € depending on the route. Hamina Info Visit Hamina Visit HaminaKotka Port of HaminaKotka Gulf of Finland nationalpark Photo: Juho Lappalainen, Parks & Wildlife Finland Per Brahe founded a town by the name of Weckelax Nystad in the area of the former Vehkalahti in 1653. At that time, the town was awarded the rights to be engaged in foreign trade. When the town was destroyed in the Great Northern War, it was rebuilt in the 1720s and was given a circular town plan and the name Fredrikshamn after Frederick I, the King of Sweden. The name soon gained the form Hamina in Finnish. Sweden started to fortify its eastern border against Russia, whereby Hamina became a fortress town. The fortress of Hamina was built under the Swedish General Axel von Löwen in the 1720s. The fortress and the town plan were based on an Italian star-shaped Renaissance fortress from the 16th century. The Swedes built the fortification just as sand bulwarks. The Russians continued the fortification work in the 1740s, when the era of Old Finland began in Hamina under Russian rule. The star-shaped bastion fortress encloses the old circular town centre, with the eight radial streets starting from the Town Hall Square. The radial streets have two circular cross streets, Isoympyräkatu and Pikkuympyräkatu, which follow the shape of the fortress. Pikkuympyräkatu is a full circle about 900 metres long. The circular town, which is rare on a global scale, with its ramparts and extraordinary town plan is well preserved despite many large-scale fires which raged in the 19th century. The military traditions of Hamina have lived on, first in the Imperial Cadet School of Finland in the 19th century and later in the Reserve Officer School in the 20th century. The event arena Hamina Bastion was built in the Central Bastion of the fortress in 1998. In the summer, the Bastion is covered by the largest dismountable canopy in Europe. The stands can accommodate thousands of visitors. The 58 casemate vaults bordering the Bastion area have been renovated and equipped with modern technology. Before the independence of Finland, various wars and peace treaties between Sweden and Russia have affected the past of Hamina and the fortress. For any additional information, please contact: Ms. Jaana Nuorteva /Secretary Ministry of the Environment [email protected] +358 295 251 263 Ms. Penina Blankett/Ministerial Adviser Ministry of the Environment [email protected] +358 295 250 058 Local Organizer: Mr. Ari Laine / Nature Conservation Specialist Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland [email protected] +358 40 542 0387 .