Examing the Vesikko submarine from outside and its neighbor, old Saarinen’s boatyard in Suomenlinna.

The Finnish submarine Vesikko, used in the Second World War, is one of the most popular attractions in the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress in Helsinki. Vesikko is also globally a significant memorial to naval warfare. Vesikko is the last surviving German Type II submarine in the world.

The word "vesikko" is the Finnish name for the European mink.

By visiting the restored Vesikko submarine, you can see the cramped interior environment where the approximately 20-member crew worked dozens of meters below the surface of the sea:

   • Finnish Vesikko Submarine - Last Germ...  

Vesikko (CV-707) was a submarine of the Finnish Navy in World War II: in the Winter War 1939-1940 and the Continuation War 1941-1944 between Finland and the Soviet Union. It served as a direct prototype for German Type II U-boats. Vesikko was one of five submarines to serve the Finnish Navy. The other four were the three larger Vetehinen-class boats Vetehinen, Vesihiisi, Iku-Turso and the small Saukko (”otter” in Finnish).

The submarine was built in Turku and launched in 1933. It was designed by Dutch Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw den Haag (I.v.S) and built in 1933 by the Crichton-Vulcan shipyard in Turku, Finland. It was part of the secret rebuilding of the German Navy. After its construction, CV 707 became one of the most advanced submarine designs of its time. 

Between 1933 - 1934 the German Navy carried out trials with the submarine in the Turku Archipelago. In 1936, the Finnish Navy bought it and named it as Vesikko.

Vesikko belonged to the Finnish Navy as one of five submarines in the 1930s and 1940s and undertook patrols in the Gulf of Finland during the Winter and Continuation Wars (1939–1944). The base for Finnish submarines was in the dock area of Suomenlinna.

As the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947 forbade Finland from having submarines, the Finnish submarines were scrapped, with the exception of Vesikko. She was lying as a wreck for years. It was eventually put up for sale for anyone willing to buy it. Fortunately former crew members of the submarine managed to rescue and restore it with the aid of donations from business firms. Vesikko was restored as a museum, showcasing the cramped working and living conditions of its wartime crew and opened to the public on the Finnish Navy's anniversary July 9, 1973.

The submarine lies on the island of Suomenlinna. It serves as a museum during the summers as a part of the Military Museum of Finland.

Suomenlinna is the biggest sea fortress in the world. Suomenlinna is situated on a group of small islands off the coast of Helsinki. Suomenlinna (originally Sveaborg in Swedish or Viapori in Finnish) was built during the Swedish era as a maritime fortress and a base for the Archipelago Fleet by Augustin Ehrensvärd. Work on Suomenlinna began in 1748.

Suomenlinna was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1991. During the Finnish era, the fortress has developed into one of the most popular tourist attractions in Finland. In addition, Suomenlinna is one of Helsinki’s districts, a home to approximately 800 residents and a workplace for about 400 people.

Suomenlinna is accessible only by water. A ferry service runs from the Helsinki Market Square (Kauppatori) to Suomenlinna throughout the year.

There has long been a dock on Susisaari (Wolf island) in Suomenlinna at the mouth of Tykistölahti (Artillery bay). Its construction year is unknown, but it is marked on the 1899 map as a repair yard. The shipyard has been known as Saarinen's boatyard (Venetelakka Keijo Saarinen) since 1968.

Saarinen's boatyard is a towing dock, as old docks used to be. The trolley and the boat trestle placed on top of it are lowered along the rails under the boat. The boat is floated onto the trestle and the wagon is pulled up with a winch. The boat is moved with the trestle along the rafters to its right place

Toiseen maailman­sotaan osallistunut sukellusvene Vesikko on Suomenlinnan suosituimpia nähtävyyksiä. Talvi- ja jatkosotien aikana Vesikko toimi Suomenlahdella saattue-, varmistus- ja partiointitehtävissä. Suomen sukellus­veneiden tukikohta oli Suomenlinnan telakka-alueella.

Vuoden 1947 Pariisin rauhan­sopimuksessa Suomelta kiellettiin sukellusveneet, ja Vesikkoa lukuun ottamatta muut suomalaiset sukellusveneet romutettiin. Vesikko entisöitiin museoksi ja avattiin yleisölle 1973.

Suomenlinnan Susisaaressa Tykistölahden suulla on ollut kauan telakka. Sen rakentamisen vuotta ei tiedetä, mutta se on merkitty vuoden 1899 karttaan korjaustelakkana. Telakka on tunnettu Saarisen telakkana (Venetelakka Keijo Saarinen) vuodesta 1968 lähtien.

Saarisen telakka on vetotelakka, niin kuin vanhat telakat tapasivat olla.. Telivaunu ja sen päälle asetettava venepukki lasketaan kiskoja pitkin veneen alle. Vene uitetaan pukille ja vaunu vedetään vinsillä ylös. Vene siirretään pukkeineen parruja pitkin oikealle paikalleen.