The Era of Swedish Rule in Sveaborg 1748-1808

Photo: Esko Jämsä SLHK

When residential buildings were completed in Sveaborg, officers serving in the fortress brought their families from Sweden to Finland. Bachelor officers often found a wife from the upper classes of Helsinki. By the late 18th century, the fortress dwellers led a fashionable and vivid social life. No-one needed to be bored or miss the motherland Sweden, since parties, balls, sleigh rides and picnics were in abundance. The Sveaborg society followed the habits accustomed to in the Stockholm court: people used the French language and followed French manners. Guests would only leave a big dinner after breakfast. In addition to officers and soldiers, Sveaborg was inhabited by officials, merchants, publicans, craftsmen, maids and hired men. The largest group of civilians consisted of the crews of the garrison and the fleet together with their families. When the construction works began to slow down at the end of the 18th century, officers set up gardens in addition to patches of herbs and other useful plants, according to the ideas of the time. For example, potato spread to Finland through the plantations of Sveaborg's officers. An English-style Piper's park with its ponds and hills was also established in the fortress, where officers and their families could stroll about and go picnicking. On the highest point of the park there was a small bower. Construction works continued throughout the era of Swedish rule, and they were never thoroughly completed. France, Sweden's alley, supported the building of the fortress with 90 barrels of gold. This, however, did not suffice to cover for the enormous expenses, and the commandant of the fortress, Augustin Ehrensvärd, was constantly troubled with financial problems. Ehrensvärd gained glory and reputation all over the kingdom, but more than titles he needed money to finally finish off the fortress like he had it planned