HARPARSKOG-LINE

- Hundred pictures that I consider the best ones among thousands and thousands of pictures. Pictures have been taken during the years 2005 and 2006.

JUSSARÖ

- The island of Jussarö is located 35 kilometers east from Hanko. Distance to Tammisaari which is located north-west from Jussarö is about 18 kilometers. The island was an important observation position during the existence of Hanko rental area. One of the first grenades of the war landed to the island of Jussarö on 25th of June 1941. The island wasn't opened to civilians until in 2005. No clear traces from the Hanko Front is visible in the island, but still it is an interesting place to visit in the former area of Hanko Front. Pictures have been taken on 16th of July 2005.

PALDISKI & PAKRI CAPE

- Paldiski and Pakri Cape are located 80 kilometers south-east from Hanko. The area guarded the southern end of the so-called closure of Gulf of Finland. The naval base of Hanko guarded the northern end of the closure. The idea of this closure was to prevent naval traffic into the Gulf of Finland and to the area where Leningrad was situated. This idea is an old one and during the First World War, Russians carried out this idea, by building the Naval Fortress of Peter the Great. The area of Paldiski and Pakri Cape wasn't opened for civilians until after Estonia regained its independency and Russian military units left the area. The last Russian warship left from Paldiski harbour in August 1994. There is a huge amount of ruins in the area, which relate to the military history. The sheer amount of military ruins, makes it difficult sometimes to see what ruin belongs to what period of time. The first fortifications in the area were started to construct in 1718. Pictures have been taken on 3rd of December to 4th of December 2005.

OSMUSSAAR

- Osmussaar is located 65 kilometers south-east from Hanko. The distance from Osmussaar to Russarö, which is located close to Hanko, is about 60 kilometers. Osmussaar together with the area of Paldiski and Pakri Cape were the most important areas to guard the southern end of the so-called closure of Gulf of Finland. After Soviet Union occupied Estonia in 1940, the coastal gun positions were quickly built to the island. The 314th Coast Artillery Battalion was stationed in the island. The coast artillery battalion positions can be still found from the island. The main armament for the coast artillery battalion was two 180mm MB-2 guns. These guns could fire to the distance of 36 kilometers. Additionally there has been also smaller coastal gun position in the island, for example for 130mm guns. The remains of these positions are still visible. Also the command bunker for 314th Coast Artillery Battalion can be found from the area in the condition in which the Russians left the bunker in December 1941, meaning that it is full of water. The crew of the coast artillery battalion was evacuated to Hanko in December 1941 from where the journey continued nearly immediately to Gogland (Suursaari) and to Leningrad. Pictures have been taken on 16th of July 2003 and on 17th of June to 18th of June 2006.

GOGLAND (SUURSAARI)

- Gogland (Suursaari) is located 230 kilometers east from Hanko. The island was an intermediate stopping point for the evacuation fleet while sailing to Hanko or away from Hanko towards Leningrad. There is a huge amount of ruins, which relate to the military history. In practice visiting the island feels like that the time has stopped to the year 1944, when the Finnish defenders of the island left. The Spanish rider's are still in the forests and rusted barbed wire obstacles from 1940's surround the whole island. There are also a huge number of bunkers and gun positions in Gogland (Suursaari), which are mostly build by the Finnish forces, during the Continuation War and some are obviously build by the Russians after the Winter War. The island was fought for two times. In March 1942 Finnish forces captured the island from the Russian defenders and in September 1944, the German forces tried to capture the island from the Finnish defenders. Finland had to give Gogland (Suursaari) to Soviet Union after the Continuation War. Pictures have been taken on 12th of May to 14th of May 2006.