The decision to build a fortress in the first place was a political resolution from the Sedish crown, since Finland was a part of Sweden from the Middle Ages until 1809. The decision was a reaction to a situation created by two ruinous wars in 1700-21 (The Great Northern War) and 1741-43 (The Russo-Swedish War) where Sweden lost easternmost regions along with old fortifications. To choose the location of this new main fortress, place d’Armes, was a difficult decision. It had to be in the middle of the Finnish coastline, offering a protected water area for the fleet. Helsingfors (Helsinki) and Degerby (Loviisa) were competing with each other, and surprisingly waterways and water areas became one of the issues of discussion. Finally, the archipelago in front of Helsingfors was chosen, and fortification was originally built on six bedrocks isles following a bastion system, which was freely applied according to natural forms of the landscape. With my forthcoming doctoral dissertation, I have been considering what is the footprint of this decision of the location of the fortress in the underwater landscape.
Author - MA, PhD Student Koivikko, Minna, The National Board of Antiquities of Finland, Helsinki, Finland (Presenting author)
