Hämeenlinna means Häme Castle, so it’s no surprise that this bulky twin-towered red-brick fortress is the town’s pride and most significant attraction. Construction was begun in the 1260s by the Swedes, who wanted to establish a military redoubt against the power of Novgorod. It was originally built on an island, but, the lake receded and necessitated the building of new walls. It never saw serious military action and, after the Russian takeover of 1809, was converted into a jail.
The interior has a modern exhibition annexe, displaying period costumes and furniture, tacked on to the original bare-roomed building. Multilingual guided tours are on offer – book them ahead outside of summer.
