2km/1.25mi west of Karhula a road (6.5km/4miles) branches off on the left to the port and industrial town of Kotka (pop. 56,000), on an island in the Gulf of Finland, now linked with the mainland. The top of the former Haukkavuori water tower provides excellent views of Kotka and the surrounding area. Situated on the estuary of the largest river in southern Finland, the Kyminjoki, the town rapidly developed into a major exporting port. The most important industries in Kotka include woodworking. A naval battle between Sweden and Russia was fought off the coast here in 1790.
On one of the islands off Kotka nearer the shore (reached by a side road off the road leading to the E 3) is the "fisherman's hut" of Langinkoski, a timber-built house once presented by the Finnish Senate to Tsar Alexander II. The house, in a beautiful setting, is now a museum; dramatic performances are given here from midsummer to the end of July.
Kotka's Lutheran church (1897-98) has an altarpiece by the well known painter Pekka Halonen. Also in Kirkkokatu is the modern Municipal Library (1977).
The Maritime Museum of Finland is located within the Maritime Centre Vellamo. It contains permanent exhibits on the history of shipbuilding, marine archeology and winter shipping.
Address: Maritime Museum of Finland, Tornatorintie 99, SF-48100 Kotka, Finland
Hours:
March 1 to April 30: 10am-3pm; Closed: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
May 2 to September 30: 11am-5pm; Closed: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
To the south of the Kotka market square is the Municipal Park (Kaupunginpuisto), with the Orthodox church (1795), the only building to survive a British bombardment of the town in 1855.
From Kotka's old water-tower (alt. 62m/203ft) and the Norska Berg to the southeast there are fine views of the offshore islands. There are boat trips to the skerries. On some of the islands there are old fortifications.
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