Hauensuoli

Description

The island of Gaddtarmen (Hauensuoli, The Pike´s Gut) off Hanko forms a natural harbour on a sailing route in the east-west direction. Sailors have made more than 600 carvings on the rocks while awaiting favourable winds. The oldest drawings date from the 15th and 16th centuries. Most of the carvings decpict coats of arms of Swedish and Finnish gentry. Probably the most famous carving was made in 1754 by Field Marshal Augustin Ehrensvärd, the originator of Suomenlinna sea fortress.

The site is a unique document relating to the history of the Baltic Sea. It’s added to the tentative list of Unesco World Heritage Site by the National Board of Antiquities.