Hamina considers dismantling 100-metre flagpole due to structural flaws and high costs

The city of Hamina in southeastern Finland is weighing the removal of its landmark 100-metre flagpole after a technical inspection revealed critical manufacturing defects and estimated repair costs of over €500,000, Yle reports. A final decision will be made by the city development committee on 22 April.

A recent assessment by consulting firm Sitowise found that the steel structure contains an unusually high phosphorus content, causing the protective zinc coating to become brittle and crack. Moisture penetrating these fissures has led to corrosion, with rust staining the flag fabric—a problem first observed in autumn 2025.

City officials warn that flaking metal particles pose safety risks to the surrounding area. Full surface treatment would require dismantling the pole, constructing an on-site coating facility, and upgrading the hoisting mechanism, with total costs approaching €480,000 for repairs plus €40,000 for mechanical updates. Reinstallation would also demand a new building permit.

Given Hamina’s strained finances, authorities propose dismantling and recycling the pole as scrap metal for an estimated €120,000. The flagpole, once billed as the world’s tallest for Finland’s centennial in 2017, has faced repeated setbacks: construction costs nearly tripled to €700,000, and structural recalculations delayed its opening by a year due to non-compliance with Finnish design standards.