Homepage First World War fortifications in Espoo Why were the fortifications built? Ideas about fortifying the Gulf of Finland were first put forward as early as 1907... The structure of the fortifications Under the report submitted by the Fortification Committee in 1913... What did the fortifications consist of? The trenches were usually quarried out of rock and reinforced either with concrete or stone masonry...The gun positions The gun positions were dug into the ground or quarried out of the rock... Weaponry The arms carried by the infantrymen included, as a personal weapon, ...

The coastal fortifications in Espoo The fortifications on the coastal front were positioned in the Espoo area on the islands of Miessaari and nearby Pyöräsaari... Who dug the moats? The work on the fortifications called for a very large labour force... The fortification work - a bane for the local people The fortification work was a nuisance for the locals... The fortification work as part of the everyday life of Espoo folk The fortification work also had its benefits... The fortifications in use - for the first and only time The work on the earthworks continued even after the revolution in Russia in March 1917...

The grave of a German soldier Vuonna 1918 tapahtumiin liittyy myös Muistokujan varrella oleva saksalaisen sotilaan hauta... The fortifications fall into disrepair After the war, there was no use for the land fortification and it passed into the control of the military spoils office... The position of the fortifications 80 years on In 1971, the National Board of Antiquities and Historical Monuments decided that the land and coastal fortifications are sites which are to be protected under the Antiquities Act... Espoo City Museum Glimpses of history

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