A visit to the Langinkoski Imperial Fishing Lodge will appeal to all tourists, and it is not without reason that it is considered one of the main attractions of Kotka. Those who are interested in history will be pleased to visit the exhibition halls and listen to the guide’s stories, while those who like a quiet holiday in nature can stroll around the cottage, enjoying the beauty of Finnish nature. The history of this place goes back to the time of Paul I, when the monks of the Valaam Monastery received the right to fish for trout in the river Kymijoki. A small orthodox chapel, built in 1797, has remained on the shore ever since. In 1880 cesarevitch Alexander, being an avid fisherman, visited these places, was delighted with them and promised to return here one day. In 1889, under his order and supervision, Finnish architects built a summer house on the Langinkoski waterfall.
It is estimated that the emperor spent a total of seven months in Finland during his short reign. Alexander III with his wife Maria Feodorovna and children arrived in Langinkoski on a yacht, mooring at the place, which is now called Tsar’s Harbor. The family spent the summertime fishing, taking walks in the woods, picking berries and mushrooms, and the empress was able and loved to cook in the kitchen herself. After the Emperor’s death in 1894, Maria Feodorovna did not visit the summer house in Finland, which gradually fell into decay and dilapidation, especially in the post-revolutionary years. Historical household items, furniture and other property were taken out of the estate, and much of it was found only decades later. In 1933 the museum department initiated the organization of a museum, and a quarter of a century later it became a full-fledged nature reserve. As a result of restorations, careful handling, and the collection of lost items, the house and its decorations now appear as the royal couple saw it.
Langinkoski buildings
The Emperor’s Fisherman’s Hut is a two-storey log house. On the first floor there is a hall with a lounge, the Empress’s checkroom, a study and utility rooms. The second floor was occupied by the Emperor’s bedroom, children’s rooms, rooms for the guards and storerooms. The finishing of the walls is in the form of polished logs. The exquisite fireplace in the main room, designed in an original Finnish style, is a real eye-catcher. There is an interesting story behind the furniture in the bedroom of the imperial couple: after Finland gained independence the beds were taken to the summer presidential residence where they served as accommodation for guests. When the hut acquired the status of a museum, the beds were recovered and returned to their former location, along with other items of the emperors, including the silverware.
The Orthodox chapel, built by monks of the Valaam Monastery at the end of the 18th century, is considered to be the oldest building of the estate. In the summertime, divine services and prayers are held here.
The imperial memorial stone in the form of a plate fixed on a large boulder was unveiled in Langinkoski two years after the tsar’s death. In 1918 the monument was shelled, there were even attempts to blow up the slab. Traces of this patriotic vandalism have been preserved as a historical memory of this stage of Finland’s development.
The small fishermen’s hut appeared in Langinkoski in 1892. It was built by order of the emperor and was intended for three fishermen who came at the beginning of the fishing season. They spent the entire season fishing and returned home in the fall.
In addition to the active museum, the Langinkoski area attracts many visitors due to its status as a nature reserve. Its territory includes a waterfall with rapids, an arboretum with various species of trees, along which there are walking paths and bridges. All year round the entrance to the reserve is free, but to fish it is necessary to buy a license.