Finland Travel Guide
Helsinki
Helsinki usurped Turku as the nations capital in 1812 although as a town it had been in existence since1550. It has suffered, as most other major European towns have, its fair share of fire, plague and conquest. It burnt down in 1808 but the Tsar (Alexander), who had raised it to the level of capital city, commissioned a major rebuilding plan. This explains why Helsinki resembles many other Eastern European cities. However, architecture is one of the areas in which the Finns have sought to assert their independence and national identity.
Helsinki is an important place for Finland, 20% of the nations population live and work here. Although it is a very modern city, an air of provincialism still hangs about the place, therein lies its charm. The streets are abuzz with a zestful activity and the modern office blocks tell of a busy commercial centre. Yet, as can be seen from the varying expressions of national independence, this once isolated is city still coming to terms with itself in the 21st Century.
For the visitor Helsinki is easy to get around; all the worthwhile sights are in close proximity to each other.
Tove Jansson
Finland's best selling writer gets a mention here for no other reason than that I used to love those Moomintroll books as a kid. It meant nothing to me that Helsinki-born Tove was a lady or that she wrote in Swedish not her native language. All the books I read were in English. That's all.
National Museum
This is worth visiting if only for the building that houses it. The design came out of a competition and was provided by three of Finland's finest architects in 1902. With the move towards nationalism at its height they used heavy, historical symbolism from Finland's past in their design.
Bearing in mind that Finland has not formerly existed for very long there wasn't much to put in a 'National Museum'. Most of the good stuff had been carried off to Moscow or Stockholm. As a result, this museum reinforces the sense of a nation awakening. The interior ceilings depict scenes from the Kalevala for instance. The museum aims to show Finnish history from the Stone Age to the modern day. What it more effectively shows is a people struggling towards nationhood.
The building is in stark contrast to the nearby Parliament Building; this construction would not have looked out of place (as it does here) in Albert Speer's Berlin, circa 1935.
Sibelius
Mooomintrolls aside, the composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) is one of Finland's biggest cultural icons. Taking Finnish nationalism, the Kalevala particularly, as his inspiration he achieved fame in the latter part of the 19th century. Although there is a Sibelius Museum in Turku, the house in which he ended his days, Ainola, is not far north of Helsinki. The house and its environs are tranquil but not much by way of details on his life are on view.
Sibelius' life is also celebrated in Helsinki with a huge bronze statue set in Sibelius Park.
Architecture
One of the areas in which Finland has punched above its weight on the international stage is in architecture. Almost every building in Finland is less than 200 hundred years old. Wooden buildings - indeed whole towns - were burnt down and only very few stone buildings survived years of conflict and hardship. But the idea of design and innovation came at the same time as the idea of independence. The Tsar, on making Helsinki the capital, commissioned C.L Engel to design the new city. The splendour of his Senate Square is still worth admiring. At the turn of the 20th century, 3 young Finns began to make a name for themselves globally. Saarinen, Lindgren and Gesellius were their names and between them they were responsible for a number of stunning buildings. The National Museum was theirs as is the Hvittrask at Espoo just outside Helsinki. Saarinen was also responsible for the city's main train station.
These three were followed later by Siren - designer of the Parliament Building - and yet later by Alvo Aalto. Designer of buildings the world over one of his last creations was Helsinki's Finlandia Hall. The sum total of all this is to say that although the architecture of the city is modern it is no less fascinating or high quality for all that. For further information, visit the Museum of Finnish Architecture.
The Art Museum of the Ateneum
With its small number of 'foreign masters', this is very much a Finnish museum. Chief amongst the collection is a section from the mid-nineteenth century, a time of rising nationalism and... Well by now, you know the rest.
Elsewhere in Helsinki there is the small Mannerheim Museum celebrating the life of one of the most influential characters in early 20th century Finnish history. Helsinki also boasts a Postal Museum (not as awful as it sounds) and the Museum of Applied Arts.
The latter of these two further reflects the Finnish love of the design ideal. Fans of things martial may find some interest in the Military museum. The actual exhibits may not be very inspiring but the photos and explanations that accompany them are excellent. It will help to explain the almost bizarre and impossible position the Soviets and the Nazis put Finland in during the war. Another insight into recent Finnish history is provided at the Urho Kekkonen Museum. This building has been the official residence of Finnish leaders since 1940. Kekkonen was the premier who through negotiation and force of personality managed to keep the Soviets from invading on more than one occasion.
Food, Drink and a Place to Sleep
Helsinki is a youthful, lively place and recent government relaxation's regarding the sale of alcohol have added to this. Do not run away with the idea that this makes it a boozers paradise, it doesn't. Alcohol is still very expensive by anyone's standards bar the Scandinavians. Having said that the Finns do like a drink, they are very proud of their Vodka and wild berry liqueurs. For true local moonshine, try the schnapps or koskenkorva. Helsinki has many café/bar/restaurant type places, so a small libation is never far away.
Alcohol aside, the Finns are Europe's biggest consumers of coffee and to service this demand there are very reasonably priced cafes everywhere.
The Finns love live music of all sorts and there are venues aplenty. A rock band singing in Finnish is a memorable experience to say the least. Helsinki also has a vibrant and surprisingly happening club scene.
There are numerous restaurants offering cuisine's from all over the globe in Helsinki. For more local fare the seafood, especially trout, salmon and herring are sublime. Reindeer is very popular as are other game meats (elk steak mmm). There is a slight tendency towards the stodgyness of diet inherited from their neighbours to the east but the many high quality Finnish eateries belie this fact.
Helsinki is well served with accommodation to suit all budgets. No matter what price you pay you will get clean and efficiently run establishments.
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