The fortress and harbour combine cultural history with geology. Swedish fortification began in the 1720s, and most buildings date from the Russian period in the 18th and 19th centuries. The old building housing the South Karelia Museum was built almost entirely of limestone boulders from Ihala quarry, with visible wollastonite stripes.
The area includes museums, an Orthodox church and craft workshops. A nature and culture trail of about 1.8 km has 11 boards on building history, culture and vegetation. Mobile tours are available from the museums. The site belongs to the geopark's geosite network.
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