Suomenlinna

Suomenlinna (Sveaborg in Swedish) is a Finnish fortress built on six islands a few km south of Helsinki. Construction on the fortress started in 1748 under the Swedish, based on a star design influenced by the ideas of Vauban. With the conquest of Finland by Russia in 1809, the fortress passed under Russian rule and was further expanded in the 19th century. Nowadays the fortress is demilitarised and open to the public. Several ferries per day connect Suomenlinna with Helsinki. Suomenlinna has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1991.