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.