cities

Hamina

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Overview

Hamina is a town in Kymenlaakso, in the extreme southeast of Finland.

Facts

Rank

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Coordinates

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

Media

From Wikipedia1,078 words

WBP editorial3

A walk through the town’s grid

Hamina’s street layout still follows the 17th‑century plan of a perfect square with a central market square, a rarity in Finland where organic growth dominates. The orthogonal grid creates sight‑lines that frame the harbour and the old wooden warehouses, allowing visitors to trace the town’s commercial past simply by strolling from the harbour front up to the elevated church steps. The uniformity also makes it easy to navigate on foot or by bike, and the predictable blocks encourage cyclists to branch off into the surrounding countryside where cultivated fields meet the archipelago’s calm waters. For those who enjoy mapping the city’s evolution, the contrast between the preserved core and the newer residential suburbs offers a clear visual narrative of Finnish urban development.

Seasonal rhythm on the shoreline

While the climate is typified by cool summers and snowy winters, the rhythm of life along Hamina’s waterfront changes dramatically with the seasons. In late summer, the harbour teems with modest pleasure craft and the occasional sailing school vessel, creating a relaxed backdrop for a coffee on the promenade. Come winter, the frozen bay becomes a natural rink, and locals gather for informal skates and a warm bowl of salmon soup sold from a pop‑up stall. The shift is not just meteorological; it influences local cuisine, with fresh Baltic herring featured in summer menus and smoked fish taking centre stage when the days grow short. Timing a visit to experience both phases yields a nuanced picture of coastal Finnish living.

Beyond the town: the archipelago trail

A short ferry ride from Hamina’s pier lands you on a chain of small islands that form a low‑key alternative to the more touristic routes of the Turku archipelago. Each isle is linked by modest wooden footbridges, and the trail is dotted with modest lighthouse remnants and modest fishing cabins still in use. Because the islands are sparsely populated, visitors often encounter the same few locals who tend to their gardens and tend small guest‑houses that serve freshly caught fish. The lack of mass tourism means you can linger on a quiet beach, watch seabirds nest, or join a resident for a spontaneous sauna session beside the sea—a cultural practice that ties the community to the water in a way guidebooks rarely capture.

Introduction

For other uses, see Hamina-class missile boat. Town in Kymenlaakso, Finland Town in Kymenlaakso, FinlandHamina FredrikshamnTownHaminan kaupunkiFredrikshamns stadClockwise from top-left: St. Mary's Church, the Reserve Officer School, the countryside of Husula neighbourhood, a view from the Sailor Pavilion towards Tervasaari and the historical Town Hall. FlagCoat of armsLocation of Hamina in FinlandInteractive map of HaminaCoordinates: 60°34′N 027°12′E / 60.567°N 27.200°E / 60.567; 27.200Country FinlandRegionKymenlaaksoSub-regionKotka-HaminaCharter1653Named afterFrederick I of SwedenGovernment • Town managerIlari SoosaluArea (2018-01-01) • Total1,155.14 km2 (446.00 sq mi) • Land609.89 km2 (235.48 sq mi) • Water545.66 km2 (210.68 sq mi) • Rank138th largest in FinlandPopulation (2025-12-31) • Total19,113 • Rank61st largest in Finland • Density31.34/km2 (81.2/sq mi)Population by native language • Finnish90.7% (official) • Swedish0.3% • Others9%Population by age • 0 to 1412.8% • 15 to 6457.2% • 65 or older30%Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET) • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)ClimateDfbWebsitewww.hamina.fi/en/ Hamina (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈhɑminɑ]; Swedish: Fredrikshamn, Finland Swedish: [freːdriksˈhɑmn] ⓘ, Sweden Swedish: [freːdrɪksˈhamːn]) is a town and a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Kymenlaakso region (formerly the province of Southern Finland), approximately 145 km (90 mi) east of the country's capital Helsinki and approximately 25 km (16 mi) of Kotka, the regional capital of Kymenlaakso. The municipality's population is 19,113 (as of 31 December 2025) and covers an area of 1,155.14 square kilometres (446.00 sq mi), of which 545.66 km2 (210.68 sq mi) is water. The population density is 31.34 inhabitants per square kilometre (81.2/sq mi). The population of the central town is approximately 10,000. The municipal language of Hamina is Finnish. Highway 7 (E18) is the town's road connection to Helsinki, after it was upgraded to a continuous motorway in September 2014. Hamina is also the base of one of the most important harbors of Finland, the Port of Hamina-Kotka. The port specializes in forest products and the transit of cargo to Russia. One of Google's five European data centers is situated in Hamina.

History

[edit] Vehkalahti was as a municipality first mentioned in 1336. At the proposal of Count Per Brahe, the area surrounding the Vehkalahti church (today St. Mary's Church) received its charter in 1653 through the establishment of Vehkalahden Uusikaupunki (Veckelax Nystad in Swedish, "The New Town of Vehkalahti"). The town was later destroyed during the Great Northern War in 1712. Plan of the Fredrikshamn fortress town (1723) by Axel Löwen As the commercially vibrant city of Vyborg was lost to Russia in 1721, Fredrikshamn (named in 1723 in the honor of King Frederick I of Sweden) was dedicated to replace it. The town, hitherto a small domestic port with restricted trading privilege's, was granted extensive rights to conduct foreign trade. The Finnish speaking population soon abbreviated the name of the town to Hamina. The reconstruction of the town was completed between 1722 and 1724. The star-shaped fortress and the circular town plan, designed by Axel Löwen, were based on Central European and Italian Renaissance concepts from the 16th century. Fortress towns with a circular street plan like this are quite rare; one example is Palmanova in Italy. In 1743, Hamina was surrendered to Russia, after the Russo–Swedish War, 1741–1743, and the town of Loviisa was the next Swedish candidate for an Eastern-Finnish trade center. 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 Åland, was signed in Hamina. Thus Sweden was split, and the eastern half was formed into the Grand Duchy of Finland, an autonomous part of the Russian Empire. In 1812, the previously conquered territories known as Old Finland (including Hamina) were joined to the Grand Duchy. Hamina Cadet School was founded in 1819 and was in operation until 1903. One of the most famous students of this school was young Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (1867–1951), later known as the Marshal of Finland. In 1920 the Reserve Officer School began in the same facilities. Because the town was 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. The old coat of arms was readopted in January 2013. Results of the 2021 Finnish municipal elections, resulted in The Finns Party being the largest group on Hamina council, in Hamina.

Main sights

[edit] Town Hall: Originally built in 1798, it was renovated by Carl Ludvig Engel in 1840. Reserve Officer School: The site which trains reserve officers in the Army Academy of the Finnish Army Town Museum: It is located in a building where King Gustav III of Sweden and Empress Catherine II of Russia met in 1783. Shopkeeper's Museum Google Data Center: (former Stora Enso pulp factory) Hamina Fortress: Built in the 18th century, it is one of the star forts in Finland. 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. Churches[edit] St. Mary's Church, previously known as Vehkalahti Church, is the oldest building in Kymenlaakso. It was originally built in the Middle Ages, but it was burnt in 1821 and the current neoclassical exterior is designed by Carl Ludvig Engel and completed in 1828. The church has a museum dedicated to the church life from the 18th century onwards. St. John's Church, formerly known as Hamina Church, was built between 1841-1843. It was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel in the neoclassical style. Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, the Orthodox church in Hamina, was built in 1837. It was designed by Italian-French architect Louis Visconti. The architecture of the church is combination of neoclassical and Byzantine elements. The orthodox church of Peter and Paul Aerial view of the town Central bastion of the fortress The town museum

Notable people

[edit] A house called "Herran Kukkaro", the birthplace of painter Hugo Simberg Magnus Enckell (1870–1925), symbolist painter Simo Häyhä (1905–2002), a farmer and military sniper Tapani Kansa (1949–2025), a singer Pelle Miljoona (born 1955), a musician Hugo Simberg (1873–1917), a painter Emilie Mechelin (1838–1917), opera singer and pedagogue Leo Mechelin (1839–1914), a professor, statesman, senator and liberal reformer Keke Rosberg (born 1949), racing driver Meri Toppelius (1863–1896), educational theorist