We spent today visiting this wonderful UNESCO World Heritage listed site. It is especially fascinating as it has been a fortress for Sweden, Russia and Finland at various times.
We went by ferry for the 20 minute trip to the island just off Helsinki. When we arrived, we visited the Suomenlinna Museum. By the time we left, we almost had the picture of who was fighting who over the last 300 years.
We visited the fortifications, tunnels, terraces etc. We also saw the old dry dock dating from the 1700s. We also saw possibly the only building in the world that combines a church and a lighthouse. It started life as a Russian Orthodox church and later the Lutherans converted it by pulling off the onion domes. I do not know who added the lighthouse.
On our return, we listened to a jazz concert in a park and visited the Ateneumin Art Museum. Yesterday we visited the Orthodox and Lutheran cathredrals with their contrasting architecture, the market square and the old market hall - Helsinki's answer to Harrod's Food Hall as well as lots of parks and squares with unusual outdoor sculptures.
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4 comments:
Unusual sculptures? What are they of? (Mentally chanelling Monty Python's "Are you embaressed easily" and Dr Karl Gruber of the Institute of Going a Bit Red in Helsinki)
maybe it is dedicated to nokia a giant mobile phone
We have many photos of us posing with sculptures.At least you don't have to tell the sculpture to smile!
Most are decent but for a few I had to hold a hand a hand across a vital spot.
In real life,the sun brings out the sunworshipers in Scandinavia.Some of these were wearing very little!!Sorry no photos!
HAHA
I am sure I should be impressed at the historical content but also keep thinking of the Institute of Going a Bit Red in Helsinki.
PS The anonymous comment is from your errant son David, so he tells me when I roused on him for not commenting on your blog.
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