Hanko
Hanko – Hangö
Municipality and town
Hangon kaupunki
Hangö stad
Eastern Harbour coastline
Eastern Harbour coastline
Coat of arms of Hanko
Coat of arms
Nickname: 
The Riviera of Finland[1][2]
Location of Hanko in Finland
Location of Hanko in Finland
Coordinates: 59°49′42″N 22°57′57″E / 59.82833°N 22.96583°E / 59.82833; 22.96583
Country Finland
RegionUusimaa
Sub-regionRaseborg sub-region
Charter1874
Government
 • Town managerDenis Strandell
Area
 (2018-01-01)[3]
 • Total799.99 km2 (308.88 sq mi)
 • Land117.44 km2 (45.34 sq mi)
 • Water683.26 km2 (263.81 sq mi)
 • Rank292nd largest in Finland
Population
 (2023-09-30)[4]
 • Total7,779
 • Rank121st largest in Finland
 • Density66.24/km2 (171.6/sq mi)
Population by native language
[5]
 • Finnish52.6% (official)
 • Swedish42.8% (official)
 • Others4.6%
Population by age
[6]
 • 0 to 1411.9%
 • 15 to 6455.1%
 • 65 or older33%
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)
ClimateDfb
Websitewww.hanko.fi

Hanko (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈhɑŋko]; Swedish: Hangö) is a port town and municipality on the south coast of Finland, located 130 kilometres (80 mi) west of Helsinki and 35 kilometres (22 mi) southwest of Ekenäs, the town centre of Raseborg. Its current population is 7,779 (30 September 2023).[4] The town is bilingual, with a majority being Finnish speakers and a strong minority being Swedish speakers (43%).[5]

The skyline of Hanko is dominated by the church and the water tower. Both of them received their current appearance after World War II, as their predecessors were either damaged or destroyed by the Soviet Armed Forces.

Geography

The Hanko Peninsula, on which the city is located, is the southernmost tip of continental Finland. The soil is a sandy moraine, and vegetation consists mainly of pine and low shrubs, mostly Calluna. Hanko is known for its beautiful archipelago.

The town has a coastline of approximately 130 km (80 mi), of which 30 km (20 mi) are sandy beaches. There are also over 90 small islands and islets within the city limits.

A scrollable panorama shot from the water tower shows the typical small-town architecture, with mostly wooden buildings. Some of the archipelago is also visible. The view is, left to right, from east to southwest. The photo was taken at noon, so the sun is due south.

Climate

Hanko has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb), similar to other locations in southern Finland with long, cold winters and short, mild summers with cool nights. Precipitation is very high and common year round.

Climate data for Hanko Tvärminne 1981-2010 normals, records 1963-present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 9.3
(48.7)		 9.1
(48.4)		 14.4
(57.9)		 22.4
(72.3)		 29.6
(85.3)		 31.4
(88.5)		 32.3
(90.1)		 30.3
(86.5)		 25.8
(78.4)		 17.6
(63.7)		 14.6
(58.3)		 11.8
(53.2)		 32.3
(90.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −0.6
(30.9)		 −1.5
(29.3)		 1.3
(34.3)		 6.3
(43.3)		 12.8
(55.0)		 17.4
(63.3)		 20.7
(69.3)		 19.4
(66.9)		 14.5
(58.1)		 9.3
(48.7)		 4.3
(39.7)		 1.3
(34.3)		 8.8
(47.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) −2.8
(27.0)		 −4
(25)		 −1.3
(29.7)		 3.2
(37.8)		 9.0
(48.2)		 13.7
(56.7)		 17.2
(63.0)		 16.3
(61.3)		 11.9
(53.4)		 7.2
(45.0)		 2.5
(36.5)		 −0.8
(30.6)		 6.0
(42.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −5.4
(22.3)		 −6.6
(20.1)		 −4.1
(24.6)		 0.4
(32.7)		 5.6
(42.1)		 10.3
(50.5)		 13.9
(57.0)		 13.4
(56.1)		 9.3
(48.7)		 5.0
(41.0)		 0.5
(32.9)		 −3.2
(26.2)		 3.3
(37.9)
Record low °C (°F) −33.9
(−29.0)		 −35.2
(−31.4)		 −22.8
(−9.0)		 −16
(3)		 −3.4
(25.9)		 2.5
(36.5)		 4.6
(40.3)		 4.5
(40.1)		 −2.4
(27.7)		 −9.2
(15.4)		 −14.9
(5.2)		 −31.3
(−24.3)		 −35.2
(−31.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 55
(2.2)		 36
(1.4)		 39
(1.5)		 30
(1.2)		 35
(1.4)		 45
(1.8)		 51
(2.0)		 79
(3.1)		 55
(2.2)		 75
(3.0)		 72
(2.8)		 62
(2.4)		 634
(25.0)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) 18 14 14 11 10 11 11 14 14 17 17 18 169
Source: FMI[7]
Climate data for Hanko Tulliniemi (1991-2020 normals, extremes 1993-present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 7.1
(44.8)		 8.4
(47.1)		 11.4
(52.5)		 18.1
(64.6)		 24.6
(76.3)		 27.9
(82.2)		 28.9
(84.0)		 27.6
(81.7)		 22.5
(72.5)		 16.5
(61.7)		 12.9
(55.2)		 8.9
(48.0)		 28.9
(84.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 0.1
(32.2)		 −0.9
(30.4)		 1.3
(34.3)		 5.9
(42.6)		 11.5
(52.7)		 16.2
(61.2)		 20.1
(68.2)		 19.5
(67.1)		 15.1
(59.2)		 9.7
(49.5)		 5.4
(41.7)		 2.4
(36.3)		 8.9
(48.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.5
(29.3)		 −2.7
(27.1)		 −0.5
(31.1)		 3.3
(37.9)		 8.5
(47.3)		 13.5
(56.3)		 17.4
(63.3)		 17.2
(63.0)		 13.2
(55.8)		 8.0
(46.4)		 3.8
(38.8)		 1.0
(33.8)		 6.8
(44.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −3.9
(25.0)		 −4.9
(23.2)		 −3.0
(26.6)		 1.3
(34.3)		 6.2
(43.2)		 11.5
(52.7)		 15.4
(59.7)		 15.3
(59.5)		 11.4
(52.5)		 6.4
(43.5)		 2.2
(36.0)		 −1.1
(30.0)		 4.7
(40.5)
Record low °C (°F) −25.4
(−13.7)		 −22.7
(−8.9)		 −17.2
(1.0)		 −8.9
(16.0)		 −1.4
(29.5)		 4.8
(40.6)		 9.9
(49.8)		 7.9
(46.2)		 2.8
(37.0)		 −5.0
(23.0)		 −13.1
(8.4)		 −22.3
(−8.1)		 −25.4
(−13.7)
Source 1: FMI normals 1991-2020[8]
Source 2: Record highs and lows[9]

History

This Russian cast-iron mortar was captured at Hanko by the Royal Navy during the Crimean War
The emigrants' memorial statue.

The site was already known by sailors in the 15th century. Petroglyphs from that time are carved into the rock at the Hauensuoli (Swedish: Gäddtarmen, English: Pike's Gut) island.

Hanko has a long history of wars and battles. The Battle of Gangut between Swedish and Russian navies was fought in 1714 in the archipelago north of the peninsula. The battle was the first-ever victory of the Russian regular fleet.

The fortification works on the Hanko Peninsula had already been started by the end of the 18th century, when the Swedish constructed three separate forts on the outlying islands. The forts were taken over by Russia in 1809, and were later bombarded by the Royal Navy during the Crimean War and were eventually blown up during the hostilities by their own defenders.

The city was founded in 1874,[10] soon after the Hanko-Hyvinkää railway was inaugurated in 1872. The Imperial Charter for the city was granted by Emperor Alexander II.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Hanko was the port of choice for emigrants leaving Finland for a new life in North America. A memorial statue, showing birds in flight, commemorates this.

In the late 19th century, while Finland was still a Grand Duchy under Russia, Hanko was a popular spa resort for the Russian nobility. Some of the buildings from that period survive, notably the Hanko Casino (which is not a gambling establishment, but a former banquet hall of the spa). It is currently a restaurant. The Hotel Continental (1901) (now the Hotel Regatta) was designed by architect Lars Sonck in the notable Jugendstil style of the time; after falling into disrepair, the hotel was restored to its former glory in 2013.

Field Marshal C. G. Mannerheim owned a café, De fyra vindarnas hus (Finnish: Neljän Tuulen Tupa, English: The House of the Four Winds), which is still popular among tourists and residents alike.

The Bengtskär lighthouse, situated 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Hanko, is the tallest (52 m or 171 ft) in the Nordic countries. It was built in 1906 and was the first lighthouse museum in Finland.

Soviet naval base

Långsanda, one of the several beaches in Hanko.

In the Moscow Peace Treaty that ended the Winter War on 13 March 1940, Hanko was leased to the Soviet Union as a naval base for a period of 30 years. During the Continuation War, Soviet troops were forced to evacuate Hanko in early December 1941. The Soviet Union renounced the lease formally in the Paris peace treaty of 1947. As a curiosity, it can be noted that the short Russo-Finnish front across the base of the peninsula on the Finnish side was held in part by volunteer troops from Sweden. A museum has been established at this location, among the trenches and other remnants of the war.

The role of the Hanko naval base was replaced by Porkkala in the armistice between Finland and the Soviet Union of 19 September 1944. Porkkala was returned to Finland in January 1956.

Events

Restaurants by the marina in the busy summer tourist season.

The Hangon Regatta is a traditional fixture on the Finnish social scene, and is the town's main summer event. Sailing enthusiasts attend to compete, but there are also others, mostly young people, with little or no interest in sailing, who attend only in order to party and drink. The latter constitute the so-called "Regatta tail", which is not appreciated by most of the town's residents.

Other traditional summer activities are the "Tennis Week", the "Sea Horse" riding competitions, the "Summer Theatre" and Hanko Music Festival[11] events.

Several sandy beaches and a multitude of leisure harbors attract tourists during the summer months. It is precisely because of these factors that Hanko has also been called the "Riviera of Finland".[1][2][12]

Politics

Results of the 2011 Finnish parliamentary election in Hanko:

Sports

The Hangö IK sports club, founded in 1903, is located in Hanko. The club was It is best known for its football team which has played one season in the Finnish premier division Mestaruussarja, in 1962, and a number of seasons in the second tier Ykkönen. Their home ground is located at the Rukki Arena. The club also has activities in handball, athletics, table tennis and powerlifting.

Notable people

  • Tapio Wirkkala (1915–1985), designer and sculptor, was born in Hanko

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Hanko is twinned with:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Värri, Taina (4 August 2018). "Viileän tyylikäs Hanko pitkine hiekkarantoineen on Suomen Riviera". Etelä-Suomen Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  2. 1 2 Värri, Taina (5 August 2018). "Tämä ei ole Solsidan vaan Suomen Riviera, Hanko – kaupunki, jossa matkailija osoitetaan aina rannan suuntaan". Keskisuomalainen (in Finnish). Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  3. ↑ "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Preliminary population statistics 2023, September". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Demographic Structure by area as of 31 December 2022". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  6. ↑ "Population according to age (1-year) and sex by area and the regional division of each statistical reference year, 2003–2020". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  7. ↑ "FMI open data". Finnish Meteorological Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  8. ↑ "FMI normals 1991-2020". fmi.fi. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  9. ↑ "FMI open data". FMI. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  10. ↑ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Hangö" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 12 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 918.
  11. ↑ Hanko Music Festival.
  12. ↑ Salonen, Heljä (29 June 2021). "Suomen Bretagne, Nizza ja Riviera! 12 loistavaa syytä käydä Hangossa". Iltalehti (in Finnish). Retrieved 3 July 2023.
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