Helsinki, Finland’s southern capital, sits on a peninsula in the Gulf of Finland. Its central avenue, Mannerheimintie, is flanked by institutions including the National Museum, tracing Finnish history from the Stone Age to the present. Also on Mannerheimintie are the imposing Parliament House and Kiasma, a contemporary art museum. Ornate red-brick Uspenski Cathedral overlooks a harbor.
1 Uspensky Russian Orthodox Cathedral - an eye-catcher, a brick building whose multiple towers and spires are topped by 13 gold cupolas. The interior is equally impressive, filled with altars, icons, and crosses, the intricate patterns on its arches set against block marble and a preponderance of gold embellishments.
2 Uspenski Cathedral (inside)
3 Helsinki Cathedral in the distance from the steps of the Uspensky Cathedral.
4 Ice in a canal between the Uspensky Catherdal and Senate Square.
5 A statue of Alexander II (1894) stands in the middle of the Senate Square. Helsinki . The Senate Square and its surroundings form a unique and cohesive example of Neoclassical architecture. The square is dominated by four buildings designed by Carl Ludvig Engel (1778-1840): Helsinki Cathedral, the Government Palace, the main building of the University of Helsinki and the National Library of Finland.
6 Helsinki Cathedral - is the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran cathedral located in the centre of Helsinki, Finland. The church was originally built from 1830-1852 as a tribute to the Grand Duke of Finland, Tsar Nicholas I of Russia. It was also known as St Nicholas' Church until the independence of Finland in 1917.
7 Helsinki Catherdal (inside)
8 Senate Square - and its surroundings make up the oldest part of central Helsinki. Landmarks and famous buildings surrounding the square are the Helsinki Cathedral, the Government Palace, main building of the University of Helsinki, and Sederholm House, the oldest building of central Helsinki dating from 1757.
9 Kamppi Chapel - is a place for meeting people and appreciating peace and quiet in the centre of Helsinki.
10 Kamppi Chapel - The chapel is 11.5 metres tall and it is made of three different types of wood. The external walls of the chapel are made of spruce. The external walls are coated in a special type of wax that uses nanotechnolog.
11 Sibeilius Park and Monument - Designed by Eila Hiltunen, the monument to the great Finnish composer was unveiled in 1967 and raised immediate controversy and not a little criticism. The original monument was formed by a collection of large metal pipes that creates music as the breezes blow through them.Designed by Eila Hiltunen, the monument to the great Finnish composer was unveiled in 1967 and raised immediate controversy and not a little criticism. The original monument was formed by a collection of large metal pipes that creates music as the breezes blow through them.
12 Sibeilius Park and Monument - This more traditional statue of Sibelius was added later, in response to the complaints about the original concept. The monument is part of a beautiful park, one of many in the Finnish capital.
13 Temppeliaukio Church (inside) - designed by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen in the late 1960s. The underground interior of the church was carved out of and built directly into the ancient solid rock of the Helsinki peninsula.
14 Temppeliaukio Church (inside) -The inside is bathed in a glorious natural light that enters through the glazed dome. It has a shallow circular dome (13 meters high) of copper sheeting and glass borne on concrete ribs.
15 Organ at the Temppeliaukio Church
16 Temppeliaukio Church - The church is also used as a concert hall due to its excellent acoustics created by the rough, unworked rock surfaces of the interior.
17 Temppeliaukio Church (exterior)
18 Helsinki's Main Train Station - Helsinki's strikingly original Art Nouveau railway station was designed by Eliel Saarinen and is especially notable for American tourists because its 48-meter-high clock tower was the first of several designs that finally resulted in Saarinen's 1922 Chicago Tribune Tower - America's first skyscraper.
