Hamina Fredrikshamn | |
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Town | |
| Haminan kaupunki Fredrikshamns stad | |
 Clockwise from top-left: St. Mary's Church, theReserve Officer School, the countryside ofHusula neighbourhood, a view from the Sailor Pavilion towards Tervasaari and the historical Town Hall. | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Location of Hamina in Finland | |
| Coordinates:60°34′N027°12′E / 60.567°N 27.200°E /60.567; 27.200 | |
| Country |  Finland |
| Region | Kymenlaakso |
| Sub-region | Kotka-Hamina |
| Charter | 1653 |
| Named after | Frederick I of Sweden |
| Government | |
| • Town manager | Ilari Soosalu |
| Area (2018-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 1,155.14 km2 (446.00 sq mi) |
| • Land | 609.89 km2 (235.48 sq mi) |
| • Water | 545.66 km2 (210.68 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 138th largest in Finland |
| Population (2024-12-31)[2] | |
• Total | 19,316 |
| • Rank | 61st largest in Finland |
| • Density | 31.67/km2 (82.0/sq mi) |
| Population by native language | |
| • Finnish | 91.7% (official) |
| • Swedish | 0.3% |
| • Others | 8% |
| Population by age | |
| • 0 to 14 | 12.8% |
| • 15 to 64 | 57.2% |
| • 65 or older | 30% |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
| Climate | Dfb |
| Website | www |
Hamina (Finnish pronunciation:[ˈhɑminɑ];Swedish:Fredrikshamn,Finland Swedish:[freːdriksˈhɑmn]ⓘ,SwedenSwedish:[freːdrɪksˈhamːn]) is atown and amunicipality ofFinland. It is located approximately 145 km (90 mi) east of the country's capitalHelsinki, in theKymenlaaksoregion, and formerly theprovince ofSouthern Finland. The municipality's population is 19,316 (as of 31 December 2024)[6] 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.[1] Thepopulation density is31.67 inhabitants per square kilometre (82.0/sq mi). The population of the central town is approximately 10,000. The municipal language of Hamina isFinnish.
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, thePort of Hamina-Kotka. The port specializes inforest products and the transit of cargo toRussia. One ofGoogle's five European data centers is situated in Hamina.[7]
Vehkalahti was as a municipality first mentioned in 1336. At the proposal of CountPer 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 inSwedish, "The New Town of Vehkalahti"). The town was later destroyed during theGreat Northern War in 1712.[8]
As the commercially vibrant city ofVyborg was lost to Russia in 1721, Fredrikshamn (named in 1723 in the honor of KingFrederick I of Sweden) was dedicated to replace it.[9] 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. Thestar-shaped fortress and the circular town plan, designed byAxel Löwen, were based on Central European andItalianRenaissance concepts from the 16th century.[8] Fortress towns with a circular street plan like this are quite rare; one example isPalmanova in Italy.[10]
In 1743, Hamina was surrendered to Russia, after theRusso–Swedish War, 1741–1743, and the town ofLoviisa was the next Swedish candidate for an Eastern-Finnish trade center. Hamina became a Russian frontier town, for which a fortress was desirable.
TheTreaty of Fredrikshamn (1809), by which Sweden ceded Finland, including parts of the province ofLappland andÅland, was signed in Hamina. Thus Sweden was split, and the eastern half was formed into theGrand Duchy of Finland, anautonomous part of theRussian Empire. In 1812, the previously conquered territories known asOld Finland (including Hamina) were joined to the Grand Duchy.
Hamina Cadet School was founded in 1819 and was in operation until 1903. In 1920 theReserve 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.[11]
Results of the2021 Finnish municipal elections, resulted inThe Finns Party being the largest group on Hamina council, in Hamina.[12]
Thepesäpallo clubHaminan Palloilijat fields teams in both the men's and women'sSuperpesis national league, playing atRampart Field.
Places adjacent to Hamina | |
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| Former municipalities | ||
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