The Bomarsund Fortress Ruins

The Bomarsund fortress ruins, spread along a peaceful shore in the east of Åland's main island, are among the archipelago's most atmospheric historic sites. In the early nineteenth century a vast fortress was begun here to guard the Baltic, a great complex of stone barracks and round defensive towers, but it was only partly finished when it was besieged and destroyed in 1854 during the Crimean War, before it could ever be completed. Today its dramatic ruins, tumbled walls, foundations and the shattered remains of round towers, stand evocatively amid grass and trees beside the water, dotted with information and a small museum. Tranquil yet steeped in dramatic history, Bomarsund is a moving and picturesque place to explore.

What you actually see

• The main fortress ruins - the tumbled walls and foundations.
• The round towers - the shattered remains of the defensive towers.
• The shore setting - the ruins beside the peaceful water.
• The visitor centre - the museum telling the fortress story.

When to go

May to September, the mild summer, is the best time to explore the open ruins beside the water, when the grass and trees are green and the visitor facilities open; the site is quiet and exposed in the colder months. Long summer days suit a leisurely wander among the ruins.

Honest expectations

Bomarsund is a set of open ruins rather than an intact fortress, its story one of a great fortification never completed and soon destroyed, so its appeal lies in atmosphere, history and setting more than grand standing walls. As evocative fortress ruins beside a peaceful shore, steeped in dramatic Baltic history, though, Bomarsund is a genuinely moving and picturesque site.

Nearby

Kastelholm Castle and the eastern islands of Åland lie nearby.