Overview
Kotka is a small city in south-eastern Finland, on the Gulf of Finland. Central part of city is located on the Kotkansaari Island. The city is located near (approximately seven kilometers) from the highway E18, which is joining Helsinki and Saint Petersburg.
The city was founded in 1878. The population of the Kotka city is about 55 thousand people. The city is very compact, clean and comfortable. Residents of metropolises would be nice to just walk around the city (especially in summer). There are many very beautiful places, such as park “Sapokan Vesipuisto”, Maretarium, a beautiful church, a sculpture park. Shopping fans can visit the shopping stores.
Kotka city is also known for its seaport, through which large number of goods flow to Russia from around the world. Kotka offers many opportunities for fishing enthusiasts. Distance from Kotka to St. Petersburg is about 280 km, to Helsinki 130 km.
Statistics
- Year of foundation – 1878.
- Population - 55000 people.
- Total area - 750 km2.
- Land area - 272 km2.
- Water surface area - 478 km2.
History information
The Kotka city was founded in Kymi River delta in the late 19th century. In those days there was a persistent struggle between Sweden and Russia for supremacy on the sea. Then, by order of Empress Catherine the Great, began building a series of fortifications on the Baltic coast. At the same time in the Ruotsinsalmi bay had been built several fortifications. The location of the city on the border of the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Sweden had an impact on the development of the city. For military purposes were built Kyuminlinna fortress (construction was begun under the leadership of Suvorov in 1790): Fort "Slava", Catherine fort, Fort Elizabeth and other fortifications. In 1809 the whole territory of Finland passed to Russia, and the fortresses lost their military significance. Kotka got city status in 1878.
The city has also become a hub for timber transportation. Along the Kymi River wood raft to the beach, where it is processed or forwarded on. For timber transportation the city port was built. There were jobs growing and the city grew.
Now Kotka is a major port, industrial and cultural center of Finland. The city visits a lot of tourists from Russia and other countries.
Visit Kotka
To get to Kotka is most conveniently by car from Helsinki, Turku or from St. Petersburg. You can arrive to Kotka also by sea. Many yacht owners come to Kotka each summer. If you need to book a hotel in Kotka, it is easy to do online using the Internet.