Suomenlinna Sea Fortress
Suomenlinna is an 18th-century sea fortress and nature area with centuries-old artillery and defensive walls, spread across 6 linked islands. The Swedish crown began building the fortress in 1748, as a protective bastion against Russia. Suomenlinna was then surrendered to Russia in 1808, during the Finnish War, until Finland became independent in 1917.
Nowadays Suomenlinna is under civilian control and some 700 people live there. In addition to that, the island hosts museums, an open prison and several cultural institutions. Suomenlinna was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.
The conference island can be reached via a ferry that leaves from the Market Square. The trip takes around 15 minutes, and ferries leave regularly between 6:00 AM and 2:20 AM. In September the ferries run on Winter schedule so they depart every 40 minutes, remember to take this into account!
Fun fact: in winter, when the sea freezes over, it is possible to just drive to Suomenlinna!
The walk to the conference venue, Tenaille von Fersen, only takes around 10 minutes, and passes by some of Suomenlinna’s picturesque buildings, such as the Jetty Barracks, the Nedonoskov house, the Suomenlinna church, the Ehrensvard museum and some of the island’s tunnels. Many of the paths in Suomenlinna are paved with cobblestones, so we strongly recommend wearing comfortable shoes!
Tenaille von Fersen
With its handsome vaulted halls, the Tenaille von Fersen in the inner bastion ring of Suomenlinna is one of the most valuable buildings on the island. Tenaille von Fersen is located on Suomenlinna’s Susisaari island, next to the dry dock.
The renovated banquet hall is located in the old granary of the fortification’s bakery, built in 1775. The rough, lively tile vaults and grand windows of the hall give the space a unique atmosphere.
Museums and historical views
If you want to relax and take a break from the busy conference program, what better way to do it than to visit museums and enjoy the surroundings and history of one of Finland’s UNESCO World Heritage sites which is our Conference Venue, Suomenlinna!