Kotka Things to Do

I think this was my favourite place in Kotka. A water park build by the sea is a great place for leisure with the kids, walk around, having an ice cream, people & bird watching and most of all, a place to relax.

Kotka is rather small city, I mean the centre part of it, you can just walk around, take a break in a coffee shop or a pub and relax in this nice park in the city centre. As long as the weather is good of course.

This is the Orthodox Church of Kotka, known also as St. Nicolas church. It is located in a small park, short walk from the city centre to the south, actually between the city centre and the sea in the south side.

On the western edge of Kotkansaari stands the Haukkavuori observation tower, a former water tower. The tower has a cafe, and stairs go uo to an observation platform, from where you can admire magnificent seascape and the city of Kotka itself. This jugend-style building was built in 1915. The top rising up to 70 meters above the sea level. The old water reservoir has also been converted into a unique art gallery where changing art exhibitions, lighting and acoustic space create a unique atmosphere. The tower is open in summer Mon-Fri 10am-7pm and Sat-Sun 12pm-8pm. Ticket up to tower 2 euros.

The Provincial Museum of Kymenlaakso is a museum maintained by the City of Kotka. However, the operating area of the museum is the whole Kymi Valley. The museum obtains funds from the State for its regional work. The main emphasis of the work of the museum lies on pre-history, marine history, and architecture. The Provincial Museum of Kymenlaakso also contains Museum Ships, Stevedoring Museum and the residence of a handworker.

The museum has visual art dating back many thousand years; a life-sized copy of the largest rock painting in the Kymenlaakso area can be seen in the prehistory department of the museum. Alongside the many Stone Age artefacts, there are also many authentic objects representing the Iron Age.

Objects ranging from a telescope to a coil of rope, raised from the wreck of the Russian frigate St. Nicholas, which was sunk at the Battle of Ruotsinsalmi, fought off Kotka in 1790, are on show. Weapons, ammunition, coins and dishes provide an introduction into ife onboard the warship, some two hundred years ago.

In the permanent exhibition of the museum the visitor gets to know what life has been like in the Archipelago of the Eastern Gulf of Finland. Other themes of the exhibition are the history of Kotka and ”home in Kotka” showing e.g. the living room of a wealthy merchant in Kotka dating back to 1905.

Also temporary exhibitions!

The museum is open Tue-Fri 12 noon -6 p.m., Sat-Sun 12 noon -4 p.m.

Personnel
Archaeology
Maritime archaeology
Publications
Museum Ships

SAPOKKA WATER PARK
Expert juries in the fields of environmental construction and illumination have chosen Sapokka Water Park as the best of its kind in Finland for 1993, 1994 and 1996 Sapokka Water Park in Finland´s most higly acclaimed area of park land.

Come and see why!

An oasis right next to the city centre

Water, rocks, vegetation and light converge in a unique way in the recently completed Sapokka Water Park.
A silted-up, partly overgrown bay has been transformed into an oasis for every age group to enjoy. An ugly ducling has turned into a swan.
A park for people

You can take the weight off your feet for a while in the romantic gazebo,watch the waterfall from the arched bridge as it thunders down below or sit beside the forest pool listening to the babbling brook.
You can bring a picnic, feed the ducs or study the flora around you. Many plants are labelled with name tags. In addition to the natural flora, more than 20,000 ornamentalplants and tens of thousands of bulbs have been planted in the park.
The flora changes as spring and summer advance so that each week you will find that something else has burst into flower. The splendid autumn colours of the varied flora will also delight the eye. In winter, once the frosts begin to bite, the park takes on an entirely different look, especially when illuminated in the evenings.
The lights of Sapokka
Every evening throughont the year Sapokka's lights come on and the water park takes on a new appearance. It is transformed into an enchanted fairy-tale forest in which light and shade create an atmosphere of excitement. Come and see how beautiful the night can be.

A salute to Finnish rock

The rock parkhas been built of the most common Finnish rock types, both in their original form and fashioned in different ways. As a natural material, rock is always stylish. And its so durable it literally lasts for ever. The rock park is situated by the waterfall. Here you will find 'Kiviset Kotkat', or 'Stone Eagles', guarding their territory and at the same time introducing you to various fashioning techniques and the natural beauty of Finnish stone.

The rose terrare

The latest attraction is the park's most sophisticated area - the Rose Terrare. At the centre of the terrare is a water lily pool with some 3000 cultivated flowering roses growing around it. You can sense the magnificence of this sea of roses even with your eyes closed.
Recently developed - Music and Song Island
In Summer time Sapokka’s water park plays other music than just the sounds of running water. Summer concerts have already taken place at the park’s Song Island facilities. If you have your own musical group you could play here too. If you are interested in having an excursion trip to Kotka, please contact the city’s Office of Culture.

Langinkoski is on the lower reaches of the Kymijoki river quite close to the sea. On the upper reaches, around 5 km away, is the Kymijoki fishing and rapids tourism centre. There you will have the chance to try your luck at fishing and rapids shooting. It has a restaurant offering delicious Finnish salmon soup and smoked salmon. On the journey to the rapids tourism centre you will pass the historical fortifications of Kyminlinna castle.

St Nicholas Orthodox Church

From here it is a short walk to Sapokka, the boating marina, with its magnificent parks of water and stone.

From Sapokka harbour you can continue around Puistola point along a beautiful pedestrian pathway. On a summer tour you can swim in Mansikkalahti bay or sit and cool off in the Meriniemi restaurant. On your journey you will see the wooden houses of the Puistola district.

At Sapokka harbour you can board a boat and set off on a sea cruise around Kotkansaari. In summer, boats also go daily to the historical island of Varissaari, and to Haapasaari island, Kotka's most distant city district, some 25 km away, near the eastern frontier. From Sapokka it is also possible to reach many other maritime destinations in the archipelago, such as the Kukouri island fortress, dating from the time of the Battle of Ruotsinsalmi.