page_title: Battle of Suomenlinna
section_title: Battle
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Suomenlinna / Battle
caption_attribution_description: English: A map of the positions of the attacking fleet during the Battle of Suomenlinna
context_page_description: The Battle of Suomenlinna was fought on 7–8 August 1855 between Russian defenders and a joint British/French fleet. It was a part of the Crimean War.
context_section_description: British and French naval forces consisting of 77 ships arrayed for the long-expected battle on 6 August 1855. They formed into a battle line more than 3 km off shore beyond the range of the defenders' obsolete artillery. Three days later the bombardment commenced. It continued for 47–48 hours all the while the attacker sat beyond the range of the defenders' guns. The British and French bombarded only the fortress of Viapori and avoided firing at the town of Helsinki directly. While the bombardment caused damage to the structures above ground, including to several gunpowder magazines which exploded, the bulk of the defending forces survived unscathed with their weaponry intact leading to a stalemate with the attackers guns being unable to defeat the defender and defenders guns being unable to reach the attacker. Once the guns had become silenced the ships remained in the same offshore position leading to growing fears of a landing. However British and French forces landed troops neither at Viapori nor Helsinki, and eventually withdrew.
caption: A map of the positions of the attacking ships
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