© Michal Pise, Michal.Pise · CC BY 2.0SuomenlinnaHelsinkiSuomenlinna is a sea fortress made up of eight islands just four kilometres south-east of Helsinki. Six of the islands carry fortifications built across rocky ground. Bridges and a sandbar link five of the islands, while three remain separate. The largest cluster of defences stands on Gustavssvärd, once renamed from… read moreOpen place
© Hans Hillewaert · CC BY-SA 3.0Helsinki CathedralHelsinkiHelsinki Cathedral stands on Senate Square in the heart of Helsinki, its tall green dome rising above four smaller domes. Designed by Carl Ludvig Engel, the building is a neoclassical masterpiece with a Greek cross plan. The cathedral was completed in 1852 as a tribute to Emperor Nicholas I of Russia, originally named… read moreOpen place
© Joneikifi · CC BY-SA 4.0Helsinki Olympic StadiumHelsinkiThe Helsinki Olympic Stadium stands in the Töölö district, two and a half kilometres north-west of the city centre. Built in the 1930s, it was intended for the 1940 Summer Olympics before those games were cancelled by war. Instead it hosted the 1952 Summer Olympics, where it staged athletics, show jumping and the… read moreOpen place
© Lasse Keskinen · CC BY-SA 4.0Helsinki HalliHelsinkiA large indoor arena stands in Helsinki’s Pasila district, next to the city’s second busiest railway station. It is an elliptical building, 153 metres long and 123 metres wide, with a practice rink thirty-seven metres below ground. A multi-storey car park beside the arena holds over fourteen hundred vehicles. The main… read moreOpen place
© Finnish National Gallery · CC BY-SA 4.0AteneumHelsinkiAteneum is an art museum in central Helsinki, next to Rautatientori square and the main railway station. It forms part of the Finnish National Gallery alongside two other museums. The building houses Finland’s largest collection of classical art. Until 1991 it also served as home to the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts… read moreOpen place
© Virtual-Pano · CC BY-SA 4.0Bank of FinlandHelsinkiThe Bank of Finland stands in central Helsinki, a grand 19th-century building designed by Ludwig Bohnstedt. It occupies a site near the Senate Square, close to other symbols of Finnish governance. The neoclassical structure was completed in 1883 after years of planning and construction. Its stone façade and tall… read moreOpen place
© · CC BY-SA 2.5National Museum of FinlandHelsinkiThe National Museum of Finland stands in central Helsinki, its Finnish National Romantic building designed by Gesellius, Lindgren and Saarinen. The structure recalls medieval churches and castles, blending national romanticism outside with Art Nouveau inside. Built between 1905 and 1910, it opened to the public in… read moreOpen place
© Thermos · CC BY 2.5Finlandia HallHelsinkiThe Finlandia Hall stands on the edge of Töölönlahti Bay in central Helsinki. Designed by Alvar Aalto, it was completed in 1971 as a congress and event venue. The building’s tower-like section with its sloping roof was shaped to improve acoustics, inspired by the deep echoes of church towers. Aalto chose Italian… read moreOpen place
© Photographed by Jonik. · CC BY-SA 2.0Senate SquareHelsinkiSenate Square lies at the heart of Helsinki, where Carl Ludvig Engel’s neoclassical buildings frame an open granite plaza. The square sits on land that once held a church and graveyard in the 17th and 18th centuries. Engel designed the square in the early 19th century as part of Johan Albrecht Ehrenström’s plan for… read moreOpen place
© Pertsaboy · CC BY-SA 3.0Temppeliaukio ChurchHelsinkiTemppeliaukio Church stands in Helsinki’s Töölö district, built entirely into solid rock. The Lutheran church, designed by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen, opened in 1969 after decades of planning. Earlier competitions had stalled, but the brothers’ design won in 1961 and was completed despite budget cuts. Half a million… read moreOpen place
