A short ferry ride from Helsinki’s Southern Harbor beside Market Square brings you to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Suomenlinna Fortress. One of Finland’s most popular attractions, the fortress stretches across eight rocky skerries—small islands that once formed an extensive maritime defensive system.
Today roughly 800 people live on Suomenlinna year‑round. Most of the islands are managed for civilian use, though one is still occupied by Finland’s Naval Academy. Large‑scale restoration began in 1973 after the military moved out, and conservators have relied on traditional building techniques to rehabilitate embankments, earthworks and the historic buildings.
Restoration work has transformed former barracks and ramparts into homes, workshops and businesses. Artisans, stonemasons and engineers oversee structural conservation, while researchers study how salt water and sea winds accelerate the deterioration of even massive brick and masonry. Conservation extends below the surface as well: the Maritime Archaeology Unit of the National Board of Antiquities documents almost two dozen submerged structures and dozens of shipwrecks from various periods.
Visitors can enjoy a peaceful walk across the islands, stop for a meal at one of the cafés, and take in the constant presence of the sea—Suomenlinna’s natural setting remains an essential part of its charm and history.