Hamina
Encyclopedia
Hamina (ˈhɑminɑ; , freːdriksˈhamn) is a town and a municipality of Finland
. It is located in the province
of Southern Finland
and is part of the Kymenlaakso
region
. The town has a population of
and covers an area of km2 of
which km2
is water. The population density
is
PD/km2. The population of the main town is approximately 5,000. Hamina is unilingually Finnish
speaking. Hamina is also one of the most important harbours of Finland. The port specialises in forest products and transit cargo to Russia
.
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.
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, hitherto 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.
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
, including parts of the province of Lappland 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 consolidated in 2003, and the old coat of arms was replaced with Vehkalahti's coat of arms.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. It is located in the province
Provinces of Finland
The state of Finland consisted of six provinces between the years 1997 and 2009. The provincial authority was part of the central government's executive branch, not directly elected. The system was created in 1634, and its makeup was changed drastically in 1997, when the number of the provinces...
of Southern Finland
Southern Finland
Southern Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2010. It bordered the provinces of Western Finland and Eastern Finland. It also bordered the Gulf of Finland and Russia.- History :...
and is part of the Kymenlaakso
Kymenlaakso
Kymenlaakso is a region in Finland. It borders to the regions Uusimaa, Päijänne Tavastia, Southern Savonia, and South Karelia.- Historical provinces :For history, geography and culture see: Uusimaa , Karelia- Municipalities :...
region
Regions of Finland
Finland consists of 19 regions called in Finnish and in Swedish. The regions are governed by regional councils, which serve as forums of cooperation for the municipalities of a region. The main tasks of the regions are regional planning and development of enterprise and education. In addition,...
. The town has a population of
and covers an area of km2 of
which km2
is water. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is
PD/km2. The population of the main town is approximately 5,000. Hamina is unilingually Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
speaking. Hamina is also one of the most important harbours of Finland. The port specialises in forest products and transit cargo to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
History
VehkalahtiVehkalahti
Vehkalahti is a former municipality surrounding the town of Hamina in south-eastern Finland. At the beginning of 2003 Hamina and Vehkalahti combined to form a new town of Hamina.-History:...
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
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
, "Newtown of Vehkalahti"). The town was destroyed during the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
in 1712.
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
Frederick I of Sweden
Frederick I, , was a prince consort of Sweden from 1718 to 1720, and a King of Sweden from 1720 until his death and also Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel from 1730...
in 1723) was intended to replace it. The town, hitherto 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
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
fortress concept from the 16th century. Fortress towns like this are quite rare, another example is Palmanova
Palmanova
Palmanova is a town and comune in northeastern Italy, close to the border with Slovenia. It is located 20 km from Udine, 28 km from Gorizia and 55 km from Trieste near the junction of the Autostrada Alpe-Adria and the Autostrada Venezia-Trieste .Palmanova is famous for its fortress...
in Italy.
In 1743 Hamina was surrendered to Russians, after the Russo–Swedish War, 1741–1743, and the town of Loviisa
Loviisa
Loviisa is a municipality and town of inhabitants on the southern coast of Finland. About 43 per cent of the population is Swedish-speaking.The municipality covers an area of of which is water...
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
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, including parts of the province of Lappland and the Åland Islands
Åland Islands
The Åland Islands form an archipelago in the Baltic Sea. They are situated at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia and form an autonomous, demilitarised, monolingually Swedish-speaking region of Finland...
, was signed in Hamina. Thus Sweden was split and the eastern half, along with previously conquered territories including Hamina (Old Finland
Old Finland
thumb|right|260px|The areas that Sweden lost to Russia in the wars of 1721 and 1743Old Finland is a name used for the areas that Russia gained from Sweden in the Great Northern War and in the Russo-Swedish War...
), was formed into the Grand Duchy of Finland
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...
, an autonomous part of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
.
Hamina Cadet School
Hamina Cadet School
Finland Cadet school was the common name for the Fredrikshamn cadet school during the period 1819–1901. The Cadet School was originally founded in 1780 by Georg Magnus Sprengtporten at Kuopio and transferred in 1781 to Rantasalmi where it was called Haapaniemi Cadet School...
was founded in 1819 and it was in function until 1903. In 1920 the Reserve Officer School
Reserve Officer School
According to the military, the Finnish defence doctrine relies on the principle of territorial defence which means that the whole of Finland must be defended in all cases. It is claimed that this requires a very large war-time reservist defence force to deter and fight aggression. Career officers...
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
Vehkalahti
Vehkalahti is a former municipality surrounding the town of Hamina in south-eastern Finland. At the beginning of 2003 Hamina and Vehkalahti combined to form a new town of Hamina.-History:...
and Hamina were consolidated in 2003, and the old coat of arms was replaced with Vehkalahti's coat of arms.
Main sights
- St. Mary's church. Originally medieval, it was damaged by fire in 1821 and renovated by Carl Ludvig EngelCarl Ludvig EngelCarl Ludvig Engel, or Johann Carl Ludwig Engel , was a German architect known for his neoclassical style. He had a great impact on the architecture of Finland in the first part of the 19th century....
in 1828. It is the oldest building in KymenlaaksoKymenlaaksoKymenlaakso is a region in Finland. It borders to the regions Uusimaa, Päijänne Tavastia, Southern Savonia, and South Karelia.- Historical provinces :For history, geography and culture see: Uusimaa , Karelia- Municipalities :...
. - St. John's Church, designed by Carl Ludvig EngelCarl Ludvig EngelCarl Ludvig Engel, or Johann Carl Ludwig Engel , was a German architect known for his neoclassical style. He had a great impact on the architecture of Finland in the first part of the 19th century....
in 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, it was renovated by Carl Ludvig EngelCarl Ludvig EngelCarl Ludvig Engel, or Johann Carl Ludwig Engel , was a German architect known for his neoclassical style. He had a great impact on the architecture of Finland in the first part of the 19th century....
in 1840. - Reserve Officer School
- Town Museum. It is located in a building where King Gustav III of SwedenGustav III of SwedenGustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
and Empress Catherine II of RussiaCatherine II of RussiaCatherine II, also known as Catherine the Great , Empress of Russia, was born in Stettin, Pomerania, Prussia on as Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg...
met in 1783. - Shopkeeper's Museum
- Google Data Center (former Stora Enso pulp factory)
- Hamina FortressHamina FortressHamina Fortress is located in Finland on the coast of the Gulf of Finland and it is an integral part of the Hamina city centre. Hamina fortress is a Star fort, representing the Renaissance ideal city embodied by Palmanova city in northeastern Italy....
, built in the 18th century. The corners of the fortress form six bastionBastionA bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
s, named after towns in Finland. The Central Bastion was added at the end of the 18th century, and is currently used for cultural events.
