Kotka city willing to manage Finland’s historic Kyminlinna fortress under right conditions
A new owner is being sought for the state-owned historical Kyminlinna fortress in Kotka, Finland. The city of Kotka has expressed willingness to take over the management of the fortress, provided a price can be agreed upon. For over 200 years, Kyminlinna has been a vast military fortress located near the city centre of Kotka. The current owner, the state-owned company Senaatti-kiinteistöt, is seeking a new owner for the site. In recent years, the fortress has been vacant and locked.
The Mayor of Kotka, Esa Sirviö, argues that the city should be interested in owning a place of value like Kyminlinna. However, he sends a stern, albeit playful message to the seller, Senaatti-kiinteistöt. He suggests that the terms “selling” and “buying” should be avoided when discussing the transfer of a property in such poor condition to the city’s control.
The permission to sell Kyminlinna was granted to Senaatti-kiinteistöt by the Parliament in June. The city of Kotka was quickly considered a potential buyer. The city, however, does not want to take on the entire financial responsibility. Sirviö emphasizes that the city alone cannot make the substantial investments required for the restoration and maintenance of the fortress area. Therefore, he prefers to talk about long-term solutions involving other actors alongside the city.
The current maintenance of Kyminlinna costs the state about 200,000 euros per year. According to the Ministry of Finance, refurbishing the area would require up to 18 million euros.
The fortress has not yet been officially put up for sale. Mikko Järvinen, head of business at Senaatti-kiinteistöt, states that they hope to find a future owner who can commit to long-term development of the area and has the financial resources to do so.
Many who have followed the history of Kyminlinna share the common goal of opening the fortress’s locked gates. They envision the area as an open destination for summer outings or Sunday walks.