| Page Views: 1,184 Last Visit to Helsinki: March, 2000 | The Queen of the Baltic by Bjorgvin - last update: Jul 25, 2007 |
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The town of Helsinki was founded by the Swedish King Gustav Vasa as a new trading post in southern Finland and intended as a competitor to the Hansa city Tallinn in Estonia. The King ordered the burghers of four other towns to move to Helsinki, the date, 12th of June 1550. Growth was slow, but Helsinki was nevertheless a strategic military centre due to the wars in Russia, the Baltic countries and Germany. In 1640 a decision was made to move the city further south because the current site proved unfavourable. In the 18th century Sweden lost its status as a superpower but the influence of Russia grew. Sweden decided to fortify Helsinki. In 1748, construction of the sea-fortress of Suomenlinna (Sveaborg), built on an outlying island, was begun. The building of Suomenlinna marked a turning point in the history of Helsinki, bringing prosperity to the town. In 1808 Sweden was forced to declare war on Russia as a result of the power politics of Napoleon and tsar Alexander I. Helsinki was occupied in the early days of the war. Finland was annexed to Russia as an Autonomous Grand Duchy in 1809. Helsinki was then proclaimed the Finnish capital in 1812 and Finland's only university, which had been founded in Turku in 1640, was transferred to Helsinki in 1812. Devastated by fire, the town was completely rebuilt. Placed in charge of the project were Johan Albrecht Ehrenström, a native of Helsinki, and the German-born architect Carl Ludwig Engel, who together gave the city its monumental Empire-style centre. The most conspicuous building in the Empire centre is the Cathedral, completed in 1852.
Picture: Havis Amanda (The mermaid rising from the sea) the symbol of Helsinki.
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Bjorgvin's Helsinki Travel Tips
 Comments for Bjorgvin about Helsinki | | | | |
magor65 Tue Dec 21, 2004 12:13 UTC
Beautiful picture of Uspenski Cathedral. The rest also impressive | Sharrie Tue Jul 9, 2002 16:01 UTC
Will check out your tips when I`m here next month. Thanks! | Anya_D Mon Jul 8, 2002 18:31 UTC
Just back from there... Nice city! | Hotboy_san Fri Jun 21, 2002 12:35 UTC
Cool pics and story!!! |
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