Kotka is a city in the southern part of the Kymenlaakso province on the Gulf of Finland. Kotka is a major port and industrial city and also a diverse school and cultural city, which was formerly part of the old Kymi parish. It is the 19th largest city in terms of population as a single city, but the 12th largest city of Finland in terms of population as an urban area.

Kotka is located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland at the mouth of Kymi River and it is part of the Kymenlaakso region in southern Finland. The city center is located on an island surrounded by the sea called Kotkansaari (“Island of Kotka”). The Port of Kotka is a major Finnish sea port that serves both the foreign trade of Finland and Russia. The municipality is officially unilingually Finnish, with 89.8% being native Finnish speakers, 1% Swedish, and 9.3% speaking some other language.

Culture 

The second main concert hall of the Kymi Sinfonietta Symphony Orchestra in Kymenlaakso is the Kotka Concert Hall . Well-known Kotka light and rock music bands include Harmony Sisters , Sten’s Stoned , Sydänmaa and Ypö-Viis . Since 1946, the Kotka Region Music College has been responsible for basic music education, and in addition to Kotka, it operates in four neighboring municipalities.

The history of the Kotka City Theater begins with the founding of the Kotka Workers’ Theater in 1908. Notable museums include the Finnish Maritime Museum and the Kymenlaakso Museum , which moved to the Maritime Center Vellamo in Kotka’s Main Harbor in July 2008 .

Events 

• The Kotka Maritime Days have been held since 1962. The maritime event will be held on the last weekend of July. It is currently the third largest festival event in Finland in terms of audience.
• Kotka Organ Week is an annual event with organ playing lessons and concerts. The organizers are the Kotka Parish, the City of Kotka and the Sibelius Academy .
• The Kotka International Organ Competition is a competition for young organists organized by the Kotka Cultural Affairs Center, the Kotka Parish and the Department of Church Music of the Sibelius Academy about every five years.
• Kymijoki Salmon Play , a five-day music event focusing on classical music in June.
• Kotka fish market , a twice-yearly market event on the shores of Sapoka.

Attractions 

The Maritime Center Vellamo in Kantasatama and its pier, Museum Icebreaker Tarmo , are located on Kotkansaari . The most famous of the parks is Sapoka Water Park , which is an award-winning green space. There is also the Maretarium on the shores of Sapokanlahti , which is an aquarium house for Finnish fish completed in 2002. The newest of the parks is Catherine Marine Park . The Kotka Sculpture Promenade is a collection of works by contemporary sculptors, most of which are located on Keskuskatu’s linden boulevard, but the collection has also expanded to the surrounding parks and streets. New works have been acquired for the sculpture promenade almost every year.

The churches on Kotkansaari are the Church of Kotka , the neo-Gothic red brick church completed in 1898 and the Church of St. Nicholas , which is the church of the Kotka Orthodox Parish and the oldest stone building in Kotka. Haukkavuori observation tower was originally a water tower .

Kymi Church is the oldest Lutheran church in the Kotka region, completed in 1850. 

Industrial history and related architecture are represented by A. Ahlström Oy’s Karhula Industrial Park in Karhula , which is one of Finland’s most significant industrial and construction historical environments nationwide, as well as Sunila’s sulphate pulp mill and residential area in Sunila ( Alvar Aalto ).

Ports 

In 2011, the Port of Kotka merged with the Port of Hamina to become the Port of Hamina-Kotka , which is the largest public port in Finland. Even before its merger, the Port of Kotka was Finland’s largest export port.

HaminaKotka Ports belonging to the Port Limited Liability Company in the Kotka region:

• Port of Mussalo . The port of Mussalo has bulk, liquid and container terminals as well as an extensive logistics area.
• Kantasatama. The main port is a multi-purpose port that is mainly focused on lolo-type traffic. The port is divided into a commercial and a cultural port. The Vellamo Maritime Center is located in the main port , where the Finnish Maritime Museum and the Kymenlaakso Museum operate . Next to the marine center Vellamo is the icebreaker Tarmo on the pier . The Finnish Wooden Boat Center is also located in the main port area .
• Hietanen . Hietanen has focused on ro-ro traffic. The importance of the port of Hietanen in Kotka has increased sharply with the growth of passenger car transit traffic to Russia .
• Hietanen South (Polish pier)

Kotka also has ports other than those belonging to HaminaKotka Satama Limited Liability Company:

• The Port of Sunila is a port jointly owned by Sunila Oy and HaminaKotka Satama Oy
• The Port of Halla is a port owned by UPM-Kymmene Corporation on the island of Halla
• Pohjolan Voima Oy ‘s port in Mussalo
• Kuusinen harbor on Kuusinen island. Kotka archipelago connection ship traffic, fishing port and fairway port
• Sapokka. Connecting vessel traffic in the Kotka archipelago. Guest harbor.

The area of ​​the former Puistola oil port now houses the Catherine Marine Park .

Food culture

Kotka pitäjäruoiksi was named in the 1980s hailiserpa , silakkaserpa , salmon soup , punsa , lanttujyrköt and ryynipiirakka . Deep- fried monk pigs , or pigs, are also considered to be traditional eagles.