CANCELLED! Guided Bus Tour: "Border to Border - Porkkala 1944–1956"
Sat, 26 Oct
|Espoo
THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED. See details for group bookings 2025. Thank you! 80 years ago, the Porkkala area was evacuated and became a Soviet naval base near Finland's capital, Helsinki. This guided tour takes you to key sites and offers insights into the events and their significance today.
Time & Location
26 Oct 2024, 10:30 – 15:00
Espoo, Hansatie 3, 02780 Espoo, Finland
About
Porkkala lease period 1944 - 1956
Following the end of the second world war, the USSR imposed various conditions, including one significant demand: the evacuation of all inhabitants from areas west of Helsinki, which were to be leased to the USSR for 50 years to establish a naval base. Finland reluctantly complied, evacuating over 7000 people, along with more than 8000 animals, food, and supplies, within a matter of days. Contrary to expectations, the USSR returned the territory in 1956, citing geopolitical shifts and high upkeep costs.
Guided tour through the area
Despite nearly 70 years having passed, remnants of the lease agreement linger within the historical layers of the area, as our tour guide reveals bunkers, trenches, cultural and administrative centres, sports stadiums, railway tracks, airfields - and shares memories of locals. The tour starts and ends at the parking lot of Kauklahti Railway Station, where parking is fre…