Even those who have never been to Finland and have not wandered through the ancient streets of Helsinki have probably heard about the legendary medieval Fortress of Suomenlinna. However, few people know the name of its creator, the Swedish Field marshal Augustin Ehrensvard. Meanwhile, Count Ehrensvard was a heavyweight in the country's defense. In the middle of the 18th century, he was entrusted with the construction of the main sea fortress, which still adorns the historic center of the Finnish capital.

Unfortunately, the founder of the fortress was not destined to supervise its construction. Fate led Ehrensvard to the distant lands of Pomerania. So the construction was reassigned to the architect Thunberg. The count had repeatedly returned to his brainchild, improving the fortifications, until the great stone Suomenlinna became one of the most impregnable fortresses in the Baltic. This was in 1770, a couple of years before Augustin Ehrensvard's death.

He was buried within Suomenlinna. The tombstone was made by the Swedish sculptor Johan Tobias Sergel. And the former commandant's mansion was occupied by the Ehrensvard Museum. At first, the house, located in the central square of the fortress, belonged to the count. But even after his death, the house remained inhabited until 1855.

The museum was founded in 1927. Since then, the old building has kept the original interiors of the second half of the 18th century almost intact. The museum displays an impressive collection of weapons and authentic artworks, which includes many portraits of prominent medieval people. The most noteworthy exhibits are the models of warships.

After getting acquainted with the life of the creator of this famous fortress, it is best to take a walk in Suomenlinna itself. There are 5 more museums that are equally stunning: from the Suomenlinna Museum and the Manege Military Museum to the Toy Museum and the WWII military submarine "Vesikko".