Fortress Helsinki
@ 2:51 pm When I was a little boy, I got to play in old trenches that were virtually in my backyard. And no, I didn’t live in Suomenlinna. Back in 1914-1917 the Russians fortified an important naval base, Helsinki, against the German threat. The fortress was never used in action, except for some skirmishes during the civil war and parts of the underground bunkers used by the army and some locations as AA-turret bases in WW2.
So, if you have a day to spend in Helsinki and you think you’ve seen it all, go see the Patterimäki between Pajamäki and Pitäjänmäki, take either the bus 14 to the terminus and or the commuter train to Pitäjänmäki station and take the bridge over the tracks towards the paint factory and continue straight up the hill, there are two AA turret bases on top along with trenches and bunkers. The Helsingin Sanomat has a number of pictures in a reportage they made of the current remains of the fortress along with maps, and theres a website, also in English, dedicated to the fortification with more old pictures Krepost Sveaborg. The fortress line winds more or less along what now is Ring I, so a little off the road into the forest there might be something interesting.
I used to take long walks in Helsinki and I always came across signs of the WW II bombing.
Most people just walk by and didn’t realize that these shrapnel marks on the walls were a living memorial of the Finnish people of that generation.
Notable signs were on the Kolme Sepää statue in front of Stockmann’s, and the statue in front of Suomen Pankki, and the wall on Bulevardi in front of Koff Park where the first bombs of the Winter War was dropped.
A few years ago, there was a great exhibit at the City Museum for the effects of the War on Helsinki. It was extremely interesting.
Comment by Peter — Fri, Jun 27th, 2008 @ 3:38 pm
The HS had a report on what destruction the architects of the 1960’s caused that make the Helsinki bombing damage look quite tame.
BTW Theres a bullet hole in the National Museum door, through the glass, and also shrapnel marks on the “Pitkäsilta” in Hakaniemi, but those date to 1918, Tampere then again is full of bullet and shrapnel marks from 1918.
Comment by Hank W. — Fri, Jun 27th, 2008 @ 4:22 pm
Hank:
Yes, I agree with you.
The good old 1960’s: probably the greatest disasters was the Enso building in the South Harbour and the Makkaratalo across from the train station.
I didn’t know the shrapnel marks on Pitkäsilta was of 1918 vintage. I thought it was WW2. What was the history of it?
Comment by Peter — Sat, Jun 28th, 2008 @ 12:28 am
I’ve taken some photos of Krepost Sveaborg, there’s all sorts of things hidden away in the forest!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hugovk/collections/72157604255453042/
Comment by Hugo — Sat, Jun 28th, 2008 @ 9:48 am
#3 The Germans landed in the harbur, about where the presidents palace is, and the Reds had their last stronghold at their HQ in Paasitorni in Hakaniemi.
Comment by Hank W. — Sat, Jun 28th, 2008 @ 11:33 am
No. 5: I think there is a monument on the hill just below the German Church (at the point corresponding to the Linda Line terminal) that marks the landing point of the German troops in April 1919. However, the bulk of the German troops landed in Hanko in early April, and moved overland, largely unopposed.
Comment by Peter — Sat, Jun 28th, 2008 @ 9:25 pm
For those of us who like architecture and history, here is a great website which gives a brief description of the origins of most of the buildings of downtown Helsinki:
http://www.korttelit.fi/kaupunki.php
Comment by Peter — Sat, Jun 28th, 2008 @ 9:27 pm
How much of the fortifications do they (intend to) preserve? It’s good that HS shows this, but will it all be gone a couple of decades later?
Comment by majava — Sun, Jun 29th, 2008 @ 11:54 am
Well the fortifications are now under the “museum authority” but they got vandalized already in the 1920’s and at present they’re just “as is”. Much have been used as junk disposal so cleaning them up even in places would incur huge costs.
Comment by Hank W. — Mon, Jun 30th, 2008 @ 9:35 am
And here’s something from the “other world” as well. Signe Brander’s photos of Helsinki around 1909-1913 or so. Note the country idyll saying “Vanha tulliportti kaupungin rajalla Läntisellä Viertotiellä 1908″. , it is where the Rock&Roll McD is on Mannerheimintie.
http://www2.hs.fi/extrat/kulttuuri/kuviahelsingista/kuvat.html
Comment by Hank W. — Mon, Jun 30th, 2008 @ 9:40 am
“Note the country idyll saying “Vanha tulliportti kaupungin rajalla Läntisellä Viertotiellä 1908″”
Heh, my uncles were sent “to the country” in Mellunmäki back in the 40’s to get some fresh air and participate in healthy agricultural activities.
In Oulu, I used to live in Port Arthur or Välivainio, as it is known today. A long time back, the place was considered to be so far from the center of Oulu that it served as a garbage dump.
Comment by Antti rn — Mon, Jun 30th, 2008 @ 1:28 pm
Life could always be worse - you could be living in Alajärvi.
Comment by Hank W. — Tue, Jul 1st, 2008 @ 12:39 am
One of my proxy servers is located in Alajärvi you stupid n00b!
Comment by a man with no neck — Tue, Jul 1st, 2008 @ 11:54 pm
Phillip Schwarzmann knowns that Henry is Gay!
For more information please visit http://radiofreefinland.net
Comment by Henry_has_no_brains — Wed, Jul 2nd, 2008 @ 5:17 pm