Hamina

Hamina (IPA2|ˈhɑminɑ; Swedish: "Fredrikshamn" IPA| [freːdriksˈhamn] ) is one of Finland's most important harbours. The population of the main town is approximately 5,000. The municipality of Hamina includes the town and has a population of about 22,000 inhabitants in an area of 630.65 km². Hamina is unilingually Finnish speaking. The port specialises in forest products and transit cargo to Russia.

History

Vehkalahti county was mentioned in the documents for the first time in 1336. At the proposal of Count Peter Brahe, the area surrounding the church of Vehkalahti was separated from rest of Vehkalahti in 1653 and it became a town called Vehkalahden Uusikaupunki (Veckelax Nystad in Swedish, "Newtown of Vehkalahti"). The town was destroyed during the Great Northern War in 1712 [http://www.hamina.fi/?pid=458&cg=119&sg=458&grp=lang&lang=eng Hamina ] ] .

As the important foreign trade town of Viipuri was surrendered to Russians in 1721, this town (newly renamed in honour of the King Frederick I of Sweden in 1723) was intended to replace it. The town, thus far a small domestic trade port with restricted trade, was granted extensive privileges including foreign trade. Finnish people soon shortened the name to Hamina. The rebuilding of the town took place in 1722–1724. The star-shaped fortress and the circular town plan are based on an Italian renaissance fortress concept from the 16th century. . Fortress towns like this are quite rare, another example is Palmanova in Italy [http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:PIMkFtfPn58J:www.yss.fi/Kopomaa.pdf+palmanova+hamina&hl=fi&ct=clnk&cd=8&client=opera] .

In 1743 Hamina was surrendered to Russians, after the Russo-Swedish War, 1741-1743, and the town of Loviisa was the next Swedish candidate for an Eastern-Finnish trade centre. Hamina became a Russian frontier town, for which a fortress was desirable.

The Treaty of Fredrikshamn (1809), by which Sweden ceded Finland, along with parts of the provinces of Lappland and Västerbotten and the Åland Islands, was signed in Hamina. Thus Sweden was split and the eastern half, along with previously conquered territories including Hamina ("Old Finland"), was formed into the Grand Duchy of Finland, an autonomous part of the Russian Empire.

Hamina Cadet School was founded in 1819 and it was in function until 1903. In 1920 the Reserve Officer School began in the same facilities.

Because the town was once founded next to the Vehkalahti Church, the municipal center had always been inside the town borders. Vehkalahti and Hamina were merged in 2003, and the old coat of arms was replaced with Vehkalahti's coat of arms.

Main sights

* St. Mary's church. Originally medieval, damaged in fire in 1821 and renovated by Carl Ludvig Engel in 1828. It's the oldest building in Kymenlaakso. [http://www.hamina.fi/?pid=701&cg=441&sg=701&grp=lang&lang=eng Hamina ] ] [http://www.muuka.com/finnishpumpkin/churches/h/church_h.html Churches in Finland ] ]
* St. John's Church, Carl Ludvig Engel, 1843.
* Orthodox Church of St Peter and St Paul, 1837. The church is built on a site where two other churches (Ulrika Eleonora Church, built in 1732 and destroyed in 1742, and Elizabeth Church, built in 1750 and destroyed in 1821) were located. The belfry is built in 1862.
* Town Hall. Originally built in 1798, renovated by Carl Ludvig Engel in 1840.
* Reserve Officer School
* Town Museum. The museum is located in a building where King Gustav III of Sweden and Empress Catherine II of Russia met in 1783.
* Shopkeeper's Museum
* Fortress. The fortress was built in the 18th century. The corners of the fortress form six bastions, named after towns in Finland. The Central Bastion was added at the end of the 18th century, and is currently used for cultural events.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.hamina.fi/ Official website of Hamina]
* [http://www.hamina.net/opaskartat.php Guide map of Hamina]
* [http://www.elisanet.fi/petri.metsala/kartat/hamina.pngMap of Hamina]