Comments on: Fortress Helsinki

By: Henry_has_no_brains

Henry_has_no_brains — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:47:49 +0000

Phillip Schwarzmann knowns that Henry is Gay!
For more information please visit http://radiofreefinland.net

By: a man with no neck

a man with no neck — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:24:37 +0000

One of my proxy servers is located in Alajärvi you stupid n00b!

By: Hank W.

Hank W. — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:09:02 +0000

Life could always be worse – you could be living in Alajärvi.

By: Antti rn

Antti rn — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:58:57 +0000

“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.

By: Hank W.

Hank W. — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:10:56 +0000

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

By: Hank W.

Hank W. — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:05:52 +0000

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.

By: majava

majava — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:24:58 +0000

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?

By: Peter

Peter — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 18:57:35 +0000

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

By: Peter

Peter — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 18:55:05 +0000

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.

By: Hank W.

Hank W. — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 09:03:31 +0000

#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.

By: Hugo

Hugo — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 07:18:17 +0000

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/

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:58:54 +0000

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?

By: Hank W.

Hank W. — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:52:01 +0000

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.

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:08:43 +0000

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.