Fortress of Suomenlinna
Built in the second half of the 18th century by Sweden on a group of islands located at the entrance of Helsinki's harbour, this fortress is an especially interesting example of European military architecture of the time.
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/583
The Fortress of Suomenlinna are military fortifications built on six islands to guard the entrance to Helsinki's harbour.
The old name for Suomenlinna (which means Finnish castle) is Sveaborg (Swedish castle). It was built in a time that Finland was part of Sweden, hence the original name.
The Swedish architect Ehrensvärd started the construction in 1748. The Fortress was meant to be a stronghold for the Swedes against the Russians. The task was so enormous that large parts of the army were dedicated to help build the site. They transformed a few little islands off the coast of Helsinki into a city with more inhabitants than Helsinki itself.
All the effort didn't hinder the Russians taking over in 1808. They also used it as a fortress, and added their own constructions.
Finally in 1918 the Fortress became Finnish. Nowadays it is a popular park with museums, interesting flora and beaches.
http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/suomenlinna.html
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