| Page Views: 998 Last Visit to Helsinki: August, 2004 | Helsinki -a city on the sea by magor65 - last update: Oct 21, 2004 |
Helsinki grew out of a small settlement founded in 1550 by Swedish king Gustav Vasa. It became the capital of Finland only in 1812, after Finland had been taken over by Russia. Only then the development of the city started. No wonder that Russian influences are so visible in the architecture of the place. Although Helsinki is quite a big city, it has kept the atmosphere of a middle-size town. There are no skyscrapers, most buildings have just a few floors. Kauppatori with its open air market in the city centre makes you forget that you are in the capital. Helsinki is not only the mainland. There are above 300 islands belonging to it - some of them are uninhabited, others have a population of several thousand. On our way to Suomenlinna and then to Tallin we saw a lot of tiny islands with just one house and we wondered how their inhabitants can survive big storms there. |
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| Pros: | "doesn't overwhelm you with its size and traffic" | | Cons: | "perhaps a bit monotonous architecture" | | In A Nutshell: | "a capital which is like a middle-size town" |
magor65's Helsinki Travel Tips
| Overview | Things to Do Tips: 6 - Photos: 6 | | | | Restaurants | Hotels & Accommodations | | | | Nightlife | Off The Beaten Path | | | | Tourist Traps | Warnings Or Dangers | | | | Transportation | Local Customs | | | | Packing Lists | Shopping | | | | Sports Travel | General Tips Tips: 2 - Photos: 2 |
Comments for magor65 about Helsinki | | | | |
olja1234 Fri Aug 24, 2007 16:54 UTC Lovely page, indeed. It brings back nice memories. | Bwana_Brown Sat Mar 17, 2007 20:16 UTC A nice little page on Helsinki and some of its attractions! Personally, I liked the looks of the Lutheran Cathedral - something a bit different from the 'average' one! As for the Sibelius Monument, my vote would go for an Organ look-alike! | HORSCHECK Sat Nov 25, 2006 09:45 UTC Nice little page with brilliant photos. I especially like the picture of Uspenski Cathedral. Ehmm, where exactly is the Tsarina's stone located? I am not sure if I have seen it ... | matcrazy1 Fri Nov 10, 2006 23:08 UTC Great tips. I didn't see this church in a rock :-(. Well, at least I know what to visit next time. |
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