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I first referred to this city as 'Haminlinna.' . However, a YouTube video mentioned that it should be pronounced adiffferently.
Since my sister's daughter, Pavani, lives in that city, we traveled there by train on September 9th last year (2025), which was our third day after arriving in Finland. Hämeenlinna is the capital of the Kanta-Häme region and is situated near the large Lake Vanajavesi in southern Finland.
As I wrote before, the word Linna means 'castle' or 'fortress.' Häme refers to the large medieval castle located in this city.
I mentioned earlier that Finland belonged to the Russian Empire from 1809 to 1917. Following the Russian Revolution, the Finnish Civil War took place until 1918. The city of Hämeenlinna was initially captured by the Soviet-backed Red Army (Red Guards).
However, in that same year, the White Army—with the support of German forces—recaptured the city. More than two thousand Red Guard soldiers died within the brutal prison conditions of the Poltinaho barracks.
(Google search gave these details)***************
The Poltinaho Barracks: The prison camp in Hämeenlinna was one of the largest and most notorious after the war. History records show that nearly 2,500 prisoners died there, mostly due to disease (like the Spanish flu) and starvation, rather than direct execution.
The Transition: It’s a powerful contrast to see how a peaceful city today has such a heavy history from just over a century ago.
The Russian Era in a Nutshell (1809–1917)
While it was a time of foreign rule, it was also the period when the modern Finnish identity was born:
Autonomy: Unlike other parts of the Russian Empire, Finland was a "Grand Duchy." This meant it kept its own laws, religion, and eventually even its own currency (the markka).
A New Capital: Russia moved the capital from Turku to Helsinki in 1812 to keep it further away from Swedish influence and closer to St. Petersburg.
The "Years of Oppression": Toward the end (1899–1917), Russia tried to "Russify" Finland by forcing the Russian language and laws on the people, which led to the strong desire for independence that they finally achieved in 1917.
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Trains in Finland are white and green. Many of them are similar to certain German trains and likewise feature two floors (double-deckers). The train stations we saw while traveling to Hämeenlinna took me back to the past; some of them are designed in a way that reminds me of the railway stations I have seen in Soviet Russia. The Finnish state railway (VR) transitioned from red and white to this green and white color scheme about 10 years ago to symbolize their commitment to being environmentally friendly. The Finnish state railway (VR) transitioned from red and white to this green and white color scheme about 10 years ago to symbolize their commitment to being environmentally friendly.
I also noticed that the regions we passed through in Finland are geographically flat and possess climate characteristics similar to those of Russia and Poland.Geographically, Finland sits on the same Baltic Shield as parts of Russia. Since there are no high mountain ranges, it shares that vast, flat, forest-and-lake look you’d find in the Russian northwest or the Polish plains.
Short videos from the train trip are available on my YouTube channel.
Häme Castle is located near Lake Vanajavesi. I was able to capture a beautiful video of a train traveling past it.
The history of this city dates back to the Viking Age. This castle was built in the 13th century by a Swedish statesman named Birger Jarl. Birger Jarl was actually a "Jarl" (which is like a Duke or a high-ranking chieftain). He was the "power behind the throne" and is also famously credited with founding Stockholm. Since the castle was closed on the day we visited, we weren't able to go inside and explore. I have included several photos taken around the area in the slideshow.
The next day, we traveled to Oulu, which is located in central Finland. I plan to write about that separately. After returning to Hämeenlinna from Oulu, we spent the following day in a forested area slightly outside the city called Aulanko. This is a very famous nature reserve in Hämeenlinna. It is known for its beautiful "English-style" park and lookout towers.
While taking photos of some flowering trees in a Finnish village setting, I came across a structure that looked just like a traditional resting hall called Ambalama from back in the day in Sri Lanka. The lake here is called Metsälampi, which means 'Forest Lake.' The area where the Ambalama is located is known as Ruskeasuo.
Afterward, we went to a place named Aulangonvuori. In Finnish, vuori means mountain or hill. Because of the fort built on its summit nearly a thousand years ago, it was possible to spot enemy invasions well in advance. A tower standing 33 meters tall, resembling a lighthouse, has been built there. You can reach the very top by climbing the 215 steps inside. It is said to have inspired the composer Jean Sibelius. You can see photos of the interior and the lake below, as well as several pictures taken inside the tower, in the slideshow.
As we descended from the other side of the tower, we came across a large statue of a bear family. Although bears used to live in this area, they disappeared with the arrival of humans. That famous bronze statue was made by the sculptor Robert Stigell in 1906. It is a very popular spot for photos in Aulanko. While bears are rare near cities now, Finland still has a large population of brown bears in the deeper northern and eastern forests.
In the forest, we saw various colorful but poisonous types of mushrooms.Finland has many beautiful mushrooms, like the bright red Fly Agaric (Puna-kärpässieni), which looks like it's out of a fairytale but is indeed toxic.
On our way down from the tower, we stopped at a small cafe to have some tea. It's called the Aulanko Tower Cafe. I enjoyed a delicious slice of homemade cake filled with a fruit similar to Madan (Java Plum could be Bilberry), soaking in the surrounding silence. (Bilberry pie is one of Finland's most famous traditional treats.) Although there was a light drizzle, there were still quite a few people out walking and exploring the area.
Before we returned to Helsinki, Pavani took us to a special restaurant. Knowing that my wife and I have had a keen interest in Japanese food since our trip to Japan last month, she took us to a place in the city center called Ajito (Ajito Sushi & Ravintola). The food there was served in a buffet style. Almost every dish was prepared or finished exquisitely. As we tasted every variety, we felt that all the sushi was prepared exactly like the authentic flavors we experienced in Japan.
The most important point was learning that the sushi chef here, Chamila Jayasinghe, is a young Sri Lankan. When I spoke with him, I found out that he had lived in Japan for a long time to learn the art of cooking, lived in England for a period, and is now living in Finland. We wished him well and left the place happily.
If you are visiting Hämeenlinna, don't forget to stop by this restaurant. You will get a delicious Japanese and Chinese meal that is well worth the price
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