Kyminlinna
Encyclopedia
Kyminlinna, ″the castle of Kymi″, is a fortress located in the northern part of Hovinsaari island in Kotka
, Finland
. Kyminlinna is part of the South-Eastern Finland fortification system
built by Russia
after Russo-Swedish War of 1788-1790. Kyminlinna formed the northern part of a double fortress together with Ruotsinsalmi sea fortress, where Kyminlinna was intended to repulse land-based attacks along the King's Road
.
Kyminlinna is a five-corner caponier fortress
approximately 800 meters in diameter. The surface area of the fortress is approximately 74 hectares and it forms the greater part of the Kyminlinna neighbourhood in Kotka. The fortress is surrounded by incomplete moat
s, which also form a part of the ditch system intended to keep the ground dry. The eastern part of Kyminlinna ramparts are cut by the Kotka railway built in 1890 and the Kymintie road built in early 20th century. National road 7
cuts the outer ramparts of the southern part of the fortress. The fortress area has 23 buildings, most of which have been empty after Finnish Defence Forces
ceased using the fortress.
of a few hundred meters in diameter built between 1791 and 1795. The construction of the fortress was first supervised by Russian marshall Alexander Suvorov
. After Suvorov the construction work was led by Dutch-born general Jan Pieter van Suchtelen
. This so-called Suvorov fortress was demolished to make room for the new, six times larger Kyminlinna that was built in the years 1803-1808. Suchtelen was also the designer of the new fortress and supervised its construction. The fortress was not quite ready by the time Finnish War
began and the fortress lost its military value after the border between Russia
and Sweden
moved from Kymijoki river
to Tornionjoki river
. Kyminlinna did not see action during the Crimean War
, when Ruotsinsalmi sea fortress was destroyed.
During the Finnish Civil War
Kyminlinna was used by Red Guards
as a training center. Kyminlinna fortress saw its only battle during the civil war on April 9, 1918 when a German unit attacked the red guards in the fortress. The battle caused a few casualties, among them German Willy Heinz, who is buried in the Kotka old cemetery. Finnish song writer Veikko Lavi
later made a song of the battle.
During the World War II Kyminlinna was used as refugee camp for Ingrian Finns
. The fortress was also used as a prisoner of war camp, tuberculosis hospital and civil guard
firing range. Kyminlinna was used by Finnish Defence Forces between 1939-2005. The area is currently owned by the Finnish government enterprise Senate Properties
(Senaatti-kiinteistöt).
Kotka
Kotka is a town and municipality of Finland. Its former name is Rochensalm.Kotka is located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland at the mouth of Kymi River and it is part of the Kymenlaakso region in southern Finland. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water....
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Kyminlinna is part of the South-Eastern Finland fortification system
South-Eastern Finland fortification system
South-Eastern Finland fortification system is an extensive defensive system formed by three concentric fortress chains in South-East Finland built by Russia in 1790s...
built by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
after Russo-Swedish War of 1788-1790. Kyminlinna formed the northern part of a double fortress together with Ruotsinsalmi sea fortress, where Kyminlinna was intended to repulse land-based attacks along the King's Road
King's Road, Finland
This King's Road is an old mailing route dating back to the 14th century starting from Bergen in Norway on the Atlantic coast, passing through the capitals of Norway and Sweden crossing the sea through the archipelago to Turku in Finland and ending up in Vyborg in Russia.The...
.
Kyminlinna is a five-corner caponier fortress
Caponier
A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" - which strictly means capon-cote i.e. chickenhouse.The fire coming from the feature A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" -...
approximately 800 meters in diameter. The surface area of the fortress is approximately 74 hectares and it forms the greater part of the Kyminlinna neighbourhood in Kotka. The fortress is surrounded by incomplete moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
s, which also form a part of the ditch system intended to keep the ground dry. The eastern part of Kyminlinna ramparts are cut by the Kotka railway built in 1890 and the Kymintie road built in early 20th century. National road 7
Finnish national road 7
Finnish national road 7 is a highway in Finland. It runs from Erottaja in Helsinki to Vaalimaa border crossing point in Virolahti. The road is long. The road is also European route E18 and it is a part of TERN....
cuts the outer ramparts of the southern part of the fortress. The fortress area has 23 buildings, most of which have been empty after Finnish Defence Forces
Finnish Defence Forces
The Finnish Defence Forces are responsible for the defence of Finland. It is a cadre army of 15,000, of which 8,900 are professional soldiers , extended with conscripts and reservists such that the standard readiness strength is 34,700 people in uniform...
ceased using the fortress.
History
The first fortification built on the place where Kyminlinna stands was a bastion fortressBastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
of a few hundred meters in diameter built between 1791 and 1795. The construction of the fortress was first supervised by Russian marshall Alexander Suvorov
Alexander Suvorov
Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov , Count Suvorov of Rymnik, Prince in Italy, Count of the Holy Roman Empire , was the fourth and last generalissimo of the Russian Empire.One of the few great generals in history who never lost a battle along with the likes of Alexander...
. After Suvorov the construction work was led by Dutch-born general Jan Pieter van Suchtelen
Jan Pieter van Suchtelen
Jan Pieter van Suchtelen, Count of Liikkala, Pyotr Kornilovich Suhtelen , was born in the Netherlands, and was a general in the Russian army during the Russo-Swedish War...
. This so-called Suvorov fortress was demolished to make room for the new, six times larger Kyminlinna that was built in the years 1803-1808. Suchtelen was also the designer of the new fortress and supervised its construction. The fortress was not quite ready by the time Finnish War
Finnish War
The Finnish War was fought between Sweden and the Russian Empire from February 1808 to September 1809. As a result of the war, the eastern third of Sweden was established as the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire...
began and the fortress lost its military value after the border between Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
moved from Kymijoki river
Kymi River
Kymi river is a river in Finland. It begins from the lake Päijänne, flows through the provinces of Päijät-Häme, Uusimaa and Kymenlaakso and discharges into the Gulf of Finland. River passes the towns of Heinola and Kouvola...
to Tornionjoki river
Torne River
The Torne River , is a river in northern Sweden and Finland. Approximately half of the river's length is a part of the border between these two countries. It rises at Lake Torne near the border with Norway and flows generally southeast for a distance of into the Gulf of Bothnia...
. Kyminlinna did not see action during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, when Ruotsinsalmi sea fortress was destroyed.
During the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
Kyminlinna was used by Red Guards
Red Guards (Finland)
The Red Guards formed the army of Red Finland during the Finnish Civil War in 1918. The combined strength of the Red Guard was about 30,000 at the beginning of the Civil War, and peaked at 90,000-120,000 during the course of the conflict....
as a training center. Kyminlinna fortress saw its only battle during the civil war on April 9, 1918 when a German unit attacked the red guards in the fortress. The battle caused a few casualties, among them German Willy Heinz, who is buried in the Kotka old cemetery. Finnish song writer Veikko Lavi
Veikko Lavi
Toivo Veikko Vepa Lavi was a Finnish singer, songwriter and author. Lavi made his first album in the early 1950s and became popular again in the late 1960s. His best known hit was perhaps Jokainen ihminen on laulun arvoinen...
later made a song of the battle.
During the World War II Kyminlinna was used as refugee camp for Ingrian Finns
Ingrian Finns
The Ingrian Finns are the Finnish population of Ingria descending from Lutheran Finnish immigrants introduced to the area in the 17th century, when Finland and Ingria were both part of the Swedish Empire...
. The fortress was also used as a prisoner of war camp, tuberculosis hospital and civil guard
White Guard (Finland)
The White Guard was a voluntary militia that emerged victorious over the socialist Red Guard as part of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War of 1918...
firing range. Kyminlinna was used by Finnish Defence Forces between 1939-2005. The area is currently owned by the Finnish government enterprise Senate Properties
Senate Properties
Senate Properties is a Finnish unincorporated state-owned enterprise, which manages a major part of the real estate assets owned by the Republic of Finland.-History:...
(Senaatti-kiinteistöt).
Sources
- Finnish national board of antiques Kyminlinna research
- http://www.ymparisto.fi
- http://kulttuuriymparisto.nba.fi