Kotka Sculpture Promenade

The Kotka Sculpture Promenade is the largest outdoor art gallery in Finland. Stretching over four kilometres from coast to coast across the heart of Kotka Island, this unique route is a paradise for lovers of art, architecture and urban nature.

A curated procession of high-quality sculptures forms a figure-eight route, guiding visitors from Kotka’s Kantasatama (the historic harbour) all the way to the famous Sapokka Water Garden. Sapokka’s sculpture collection features more than a dozen bronze animal figures by acclaimed Finnish sculptor Hannele Kylänpää. Keep your eyes open – remarkable works of sculpture art may appear in the most unexpected places along the way.

The heart of the Sculpture Promenade is Lehmus Esplanade, an 800-metre-long, tree-lined avenue along Keskuskatu. Here, works by some of Finland’s most distinguished sculptors create a continuous and harmonious experience. Linden trees have framed the esplanade since the 19th century. The promenade’s first artworks – Aurinkoon katsoja (The One Who Looks at the Sun) by Tapio Junno and Kiertolainen (The Wanderer), an eight-metre-high willow sculpture by Jaakko Pernu – were unveiled in 2001.

Even if you have experienced Lehmus Esplanade in summer, it is well worth returning in winter. As the colder season approaches, illuminated giant himmeli installations are suspended from the linden trees, transforming the route into an atmospheric winter art experience.

Explore the route and discover all the artworks of the award-winning Kotka Sculpture Promenade on the interactive route map.