Hamina in winter: a walk around Finland's star-shaped fortress town
A winter walk offers a street-level look at Hamina's distinctive circular centre and fortress landscape.
This winter walk is a useful first look at Hamina's unusual street plan. The town centre radiates from Town Hall Square, while the surrounding ring roads follow the geometry of an eighteenth-century fortress. That pattern is easiest to understand while moving through the streets: the military design is still part of the everyday town, among wooden houses, churches, shops and cafés.
Hamina was founded in 1653 as Vehkalahti Nystad. After the border shifted and the settlement was destroyed in the Great Northern War, it was rebuilt in the 1720s as Fredrikshamn. The video is a seasonal walk rather than a complete guide, so pair it with a visit to the municipal museum or the fortress trail. The official trail runs about 4.1 kilometres from the Flag Tower to Town Hall Square. In winter, check snow and ice conditions as well as opening times before setting out.
Video by Polulla · Watch on YouTube