future Blekinge kustbana, linking Kristianstad to Karlskrona, was built. Maritime transport There is a regular ferry service from Karlskrona to Gdynia in Poland, operated by Stena Line, with an average of two return trips per day. This line carries nearly 500,000 people a year. The port of Karlskrona also serves the archipelago of Blekinge. Air transport The nearest airport to the city is Ronneby Airport, near Ronneby, with scheduled flights to Stockholm (Bromma and Arlanda). 191,168 people transited through this airport in 2009. Religion There are three important churches in Karlskrona. Fredrikskyrkan (The Frederick church) was designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, who was influenced by Italian architecture. The foundation of that church was laid in 1720, and it was inaugurated in 1744. It differs from usual Swedish churches in its orange color, adornment and its two towers despite not being a bishop's church. Trefaldighetskyrkan (Church of Holy Trinity), also called The German Church, was built between 1697–1709, following Tessin's drawings. It is likewise located at the market square in the centre core. The dome-shaped roof also takes its influence from Italian architecture and is rarely seen on Swedish churches. Karlskrona Admiralty Church (Amiralitetskyrkan) was built in 1685 in red-painted wood and is one of Sweden's largest wooden churches. Outside the church there is a well-known statue called Rosenbom. Parishes Karlskrona City Parish (from 10 August 1680) Karlskrona German Parish (from 10 August 1680 to 1 November 1846) Karlskrona Prisoner's Parish (from 1808 to 4 July 1866) The Mosaic Parish in Karlskrona (1785 to 1994) Royal Karlskrona Admiralty Parish (from 1681, a non-territorial parish) There is also a Catholic Church, Our Lady of Fatima, at Södra Kungsgatan 1, 371 30 Karlskrona Education The city is the main campus of Blekinge tekniska högskola, an Institute of Technology founded in 1989, which is one of the few högskolor (university colleges) in Sweden with the right to issue a doctorate, thus having a status quite similar to that of a real university. The institute employs about 600 people and hosts about 8,000 students. Sports The following sports clubs are located in Karlskrona: Karlskrona HK FK Karlskrona Hästö IF Pillagers HC FBC Karlskrona In literature In The Surgeon's Mate by Patrick O'Brian, Karlskrona is the base for the British Baltic fleet, approximately 1813, when the two nations were at peace with each other and allied against Napoleon. Captain Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin start