Often referred to as the Daughter of the Baltic, Helsinki,
established in 1550, is a natural seaport on the Baltic Sea at the southern tip
of Finland. A fountain at the waterfront square portrays this image. The city
spreads out onto islands, peninsulas, and along coves where boats of all
descriptions navigate. The sea is an integral part of the city. The city grew up
around the natural harbor.
The
city has wide streets and many squares and parks. One of the worlds’ first
planned municipalities, it is noted for its 19th century
neoclassical architecture. Finland’s busiest port
city has the largest urban concentration in
the country, with a combined population of about a million. With no
medieval past, the city was built to supply the fortress. Today, the city is
the center of Finnish politics, economics and culture.
Helsinki is a low rise-city, but the
buildings although only 4--5 stories high are enormous. The last major fire was
in 1808. Brick buildings were constructed after 1920. We found the city very
clean; there was no litter anywhere. Sidewalks were often granite slab, but
many of the streets and squares are cobbled.
Although smaller than other Scandinavian
capitals, Helsinki is Finland’s largest city but still maintains a distinctive
small-town ambiance. Instead of the ornate and grandiose buildings of many
Baltic and Scandinavian cities it is city of understated functional
architectural design with the tallest building reaching only 12 stories. The
stone pastel yellow and blue buildings frequently have white trim and columns.
The architecture traces the domination of neighboring Sweden and Russia, but
reflects a reverence for nature. It is the world’s second most northern
capital, after Reykjavik. Finns have perfected living with nature and exult in
their unspoiled land.
Summer in Helsinki begins in May
and lasts until mid-September. The average summer temperature for day and night
is around 60 degrees. On hot days the temperature can rise to the high 80s.
Warmest in July, it is slightly cooler off the coast. The Helsinki summer is
bright white. During the summer equinox in late-June there are no less than 19
hours of daylight between sunrise and sunset. Temperatures cool significantly
towards the end of September, and the days grow noticeably shorter with the
impending arrival of winter.
Throughout its 450-year history,
Helsinki has existed in the crosscurrents of the East and West. The colorful
layers of history can be seen everywhere.
Walking or biking is the best way to
appreciate the city’s cafés, parks, market and islands. The city is very
pedestrian friendly, but the drivers are not! Each morning wooden stands with
colorful awnings spring to life at the bustling Market Square. Many Finns have
country cottages and go there in summer. In winter the city buzzes with
theater, political institutes and 20,000 university students.
One of the main attractions in
Helsinki is Suomenlinna, the mammoth fortress, built in 1748, by the Swedes.
See post 6-10-12 Suomenlinna and more history
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