DickandDot drop off: GC680ND
Finally I left this little traveler at Kirkkonummi on the western edge of the Helsinki metropolitan area. The geocaching event was at Kirkkonummi municipal hall to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the return of Porkkala naval base area to Finland. Dictated by Stalin to be leased to the USSR for 50 years in September 1944, the base was returned after only 11½ years. Fortunately. A unique piece in Finnish history, now very interesting, at the time very threatening. One of the main goals for the Soviets was to be able to close the Gulf of Finland by artillery fire from Porkkala and the Mäkiluoto fortifications outside it, and from the Naissaar fortifications in Estonia, after the occupation of that country. The other one was to put political pressure on the Finnish government after the signing of armistice to end the Continuation War (1941–44) – besides the shipping lanes, also central Helsinki was within the range of the huge guns of Mäkiluoto.
The base was returned in advance due to fast development in missile technology, rendering the base relatively obsolete and useless, and also to show a sign of goodwill towards Finland in the eyes of other Western countries in the warmer spell of the Cold War after the death of Stalin. Residents could return to the area – all older ones had already said farewell to their homes, but got to move back to them again. Most buildings were found severely damaged but were quickly renovated and rebuilt. Therefore the signs of this unique era are not that visible nowadays.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porkkala