Cold November in Helsinki

Helsinki has quite a few things to offer for tourists. I explored the city for two full days, and I can tell that Helsinki was not a big city, so it is possible to see everything within a day.

I was there and visiting two Chinese friends that I met when they were travelling in Oslo in September. They are exchange students living in Helsinki for one school term, and they will travel back to China after Christmas. It was nice to see them again after not seeing them for two months, and we explored Helsinki together. Here's what we did:

1. Suomenlinna

A 15 minutes ferry took us to Suomenlinna for 5 euros. I enjoyed the scenery and photographed Helsinki from the sea.

Suomenlinna, (also called Sveaborg in Swedish), consists of six small islands that has a history of being a fortress to protect the Swedish people from Russians throughout the 18th century. In the beginning of the 19th century, the fortress was taken over by the Russians in the battle, and Suomenlinna (then called Viapori), acted as a military base under Russian administration. During the First War (1914-1918), Viapori was designed to protect the capital Saint Petersburg.

In 1918, the Finnish had taken over Viapori and renamed Suomenlinna (Castle of Finnland), to reflect Finland's independence.

In 1972 Suomenlinna was turned into civilian administration, and the buildings were overhauled for residential use. Today, it's a home for 800 residents and a workplace for 400 people.

Suomenlinna was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1991.

The fortress seen from the sea

Suomenlinna, also called Sveaborg in Swedish

My Chinese friend, Evelyn

2. Helsinki Cathedral

Located in the centre, this cathedral was pleasant to take photos of. The church was built from 1830 to 1852 as a tribute to the Grand Duke of Finland. It is today one of the biggest landmarks of Helsinki. Even though it is for sure the most significant site on the whole Senate Square, you won't be able to walk inside to see the classics of architecture. However, I enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the cathedral from the outside, and took lots of photos. Here are some of them.

3. Senate Square

The Senate Square is just right where the Helsinki Cathedral lies. It presents the oldest parts of Helsinki, and the architecture was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel.

Me and my friend Garment

4. Market Square

When I was at the Market Square, it was nothing but empty at the square. You will see that this square is next to the harbour, where you can take the boat to Suomenlinna. There were very few shops open, and they sold some souvenirs, where you can make bargains. I don't have any photos of the Market Square, because it was too boring to take photos of that place. But I think that in the summer, the Market Square is a more joyful place to visit.

5. Kamppi Chapel of Silence

This chapel is a place where you can calm down and have a moment of silence from the busy Helsinki. Located in the centre, at Simonkatu address, the chapel is open from 8am to 8pm.

6. Ateneum Art Museum

Ateneum is an art museum in Helsinki, and one of the three museums forming the Finnish National Gallery. It is located next to Central Railway station, and consists one of the biggest collections of classical art in Finland.

7. Temppeliaukion Church

This church built in 1969 has a special architect, made up from stones, it is also famous by its name Rock Church. The church has about half a million visitors annually, and you can visit it for free every Friday between 3 and 5pm.

8. Sibelius Monument

The monument is located at the Sibelius Park, only 20 minutes walking distance from the Temppeliaukion Church. It is dedicated to the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Consisting of 600 pipes, it has a very special architecture in a wave-like pattern.