The city center of Kotka is located on Kotkansaari, surrounded by the sea. Kotkansaari is the most urban of the districts, with a lively core formed by large town houses with shops and cultural services.
There are dozens if not hundreds of different ways to spend your free time in Kotka. There are various events almost every day of the year, and outdoor and sports opportunities near the sea, river or in the most beautiful parks in Finland.
History of Kotka:
The city of Kotka originated in the mid-19th century, when the ruins of the fortress city of Ruotsinsalmi began to grow into a lively community that made its living from the wood processing industry. Numerous sawmills rose on the shores and nearby islands, crumbling the wood transported by the Kymijoki River. Sawn timber was loaded on ships in a port built on the northern tip of Kotkansaari.
There is still a multidisciplinary wood processing plant in the Kantasatama area and part of the Port of Kotka. However, the look of the area has changed with the rise of the maritime center Vellamo and the Finnish Wooden Boat Center.
Kotka's life culture is characterized by a strong presence of history, the sea and the harbor. Life on the island is framed by the ruins of the fortress town of Ruotsinsalmi, maritime residential areas and, of course, magnificent internationally awarded parks.