A year ago tomorrow, I visited Suomenlinna, a former fortress on an island off the Helsinki coastline.
The island I visited, most commonly referred to as Suomenlinna individually, is part of a district of islands of the same name. The district includes Lonna Island, which seems more a place of bars and saunas than an historical monument.
Previously ruled by Sweden and now by Finland, with a little Russian rule in between, the island's Finnish name means 'Fortress of Finland', but it is also known as Sveaborg, 'Fortress of Sweden'.
I started editing photos I took of a segment of the island that still has a more military appearance in November last year, but I'm still working through those photos.
So, I thought I would share a single photograph I took through a building managed by Pohjoismainen kulttuuripiste (Nordic Culture Point), showing the contrast between the fortress and military buildings and nature.
While the island's natural elements may also appear unwelcoming, in this photograph, they feel welcoming and refreshing, like a light at the end of a tunnel.