Kuninkaanportti

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Kuninkaanportti, or Kungsporten, means “the king’s gate” and is the main entrance to the Suomenlinna fortress near Helsinki. It sits on the southernmost island, facing the Kustaanmiekka strait, and is seen as the fortress’s main symbol. It was built in 1753–1754 at the spot where King Adolf Frederick of Sweden anchored his ship while inspecting the fortress, which is why it is called the king’s gate. The gate is a typical fortress gate with cannon openings and wide steps up to it. In front is a drawbridge with a wide ditch on both sides to stop climbing into the fortress. The gate appeared on the 1000 Finnish mark note from 1986 to 2001. On the sides are four stone tablets carved by the designer Augustin Ehrensvärd, with Swedish inscriptions about the first and last stones laid by kings and a note about Sveaborg’s position by sea and land, plus lines about how desolate islands were turned into Suomenlinna and a reminder to stand on one’s own foundation.