Helsinki (pronounced with the stress on the first syllable in Finnish: ['helsiŋki]), Helsingfors in Swedish (listen (help·info)) or Helsset in Sámi, also called "Stadi" in local slang, is the capital of Finland. It is located in the southern part of Finland on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, at 60°10′N 24°56′E. The population of Helsinki is about 560,000. Helsinki forms a conurbation with three other cities, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen, which are together called the capital area. This area has about 975,000 citizens. The Greater Helsinki area contains many more municipalities and has a total population of 1,232,741 (2004).
Etymology
Helsingfors is the original name of the modern city of Helsinki, and is still the official Swedish name for the city, even if the Finnish name, Helsinki, has been dominant also in other languages for decades. The Swedish name Helsingfors comes from the name of the surrounding parish, Helsinge (source for Finnish Helsinki) and the rapids (in Swedish: fors), which flowed through the original town. The name of Helsinge is thought to be coming, according to folklore, from the Swedish dwellers who came from the Swedish province of Hälsingland.
History
- Main article: History of Helsinki
Founded in 1550 as a rival to the Hanseatic city of Reval (today: Tallinn) by the King Gustav I of Sweden, the town of Helsingfors struggled in its infancy. The fledging settlement was plagued by poverty, wars and diseases. For a long time it remained as a small low-key coastal town, overshadowed by the more thriving trade centers in the Baltic region. Construction of the Sveaborg (today also: Suomenlinna) sea fortress helped to improve its status, but it was not until Russia defeated Sweden in the Finnish War and annexed Finland as autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland in 1809 that Helsinki began to truly change.
To help reduce the Swedish influence, tsar Alexander I of Russia had the capital moved from Turku (also Åbo) to Helsingfors. Academy of Åbo, the only university in the country, was also relocated to Helsingfors in 1827, eventually becoming the University of Helsinki. This move consolidated the city's new role and the following decades saw unprecedented growth and development for the city, creating the prerequisites for the birth of a modern world class capital in the 20th century. This transformation is highly apparent in the downtown core, which was rebuilt in neoclassical style to resemble St. Petersburg. Like elsewhere, technological advancements such as railroads and industrialization were a key factor behind the growth.
Although much of the first half of the 20th century was a violent period for Helsinki, it continued to steadily develop. Modern postwar urbanization of the 1970s, which occurred relatively late in European context, tripled the population in the metropolitan area, making the Helsinki metropolitan area one of the fastest growing urban centers in the European Union in 1990s.
Services
Historical downtown Helsinki skyline from the sea
Rooftops of the southern inner city districts
The Senaatintori square on a winter morning
Education
Helsinki has 190 comprehensive schools, upper secondary schools and 15 vocational institutes. Half of the 41 upper secondary schools are private or state-owned. Higher level education is given in eight universities (see the section "Universities" below) and four polytechnics.
Institutions of higher education
Universitites
Main article: Universities in Finland
Polytechnics
Traffic
- Main article: Public transport in Helsinki
In Helsinki, public transport is mostly managed by Helsinki City Transport. The diverse public transport system consists of trams, VR lähiliikenne commuter trains, the Helsinki Metro and bus lines. The Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council manages traffic to the surrounding municipalities of Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen.
Today, Helsinki is the only city in Finland to have trams or metro trains. There used to be two other cities in Finland with tram traffic: Turku and Viipuri (Vyborg). However, Turku abandoned trams in 1972 and Viipuri (at that time part of the Soviet Union) abandoned them in 1957.
The metro line, opened in 1982, was the first, and so far the only, metro line in all of Finland. For the first 16 years of its existence, the line was topologically only one straight line, but in 1998 a fork was added at Itäkeskus metro station, dividing the remainder of the line into two branches with three stations each. Metro is an especially important method of transportation for commuters in the growing suburbs of Eastern Helsinki, and there are also plans to further expand the system to Espoo (see Länsimetro), but lack of agreement over financing has caused delays to the project. If the plans for automation in the system are approved, the Helsinki Metro will operate without drivers in 2010.
Air traffic is handled from the international Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and Malmi Airport. Ferry connections to Tallinn and Stockholm are serviced by various companies, including Silja Line, Viking Line, SeaWind Line, Linda Line, Nordic Jet Line and Tallink (see Ruotsinlaiva). Finnlines passenger-freight ferries to Travemünde, Germany are also available. Copterline provides fast helicopter flights to Tallinn.
Other services
The largest hospitals of Finland are located in Helsinki, for example HYKS and many private hospitals. Also police and fire departments serve citizens.
Politics
- Main article: Politics of Helsinki
Geography
- Main article: Geography of Helsinki
Helsinki spreads around a number of bays and peninsulas and over a number of islands. Some of the most important islands include Seurasaari, Lauttasaari and Korkeasaari – which is also the country's biggest zoo – as well as the fortress island of Suomenlinna (Sveaborg) and the military island of Santahamina.
Architecture
Carl Ludvig Engel (1778-1840) designed several neo-classical buildings in Helsinki. He was kept in Helsinki by a unique assignment, as he was elected to plan a new centrum all on his own, which later on was also referred to as The White City Of The North. The city became shallow and wide at the time when most buildings had only two or three floors. The central point of Engel's city is the Senate Square, surrounded by the Government's Palace, the main building of the University, and the enormous Cathedral, which was finished in 1852, twelve years after C. L. Engel's death.
The
Helsinki Cathedral (Fin.
Helsingin tuomiokirkko, Swe.
Helsingfors domkyrka). The cathedral is often seen as one of the most prominent symbols for the city of Helsinki.
Helsinki is, however, perhaps even more famous for its numerous Art Nouveau (Jugend in Finnish) buildings, designed in the early 1900s and strongly influenced by the Kalevala, which is a very popular theme in the national romantic art of that era. Helsinki's Art Nouveau style is also featured in large residential areas such as Katajanokka and Ullanlinna. The master of the Finnish Art Nouveau was Eliel Saarinen (1873-1950), whose architectural masterpiece was the Helsinki central railway station.
Helsinki also features several buildings by the world-renowned Finnish architect Alvar Aalto (1898-1976), attributed as one of the pioneers in functionalism. Many of Aalto's works are either loved or hated. Aalto's buildings, such as the headquarters of the paper company Enso and the concert and congress house Finlandia Hall, have sparked much debate amongst Helsinki's inhabitants.
Culture
Helsinki can also be considered Finland's culture-capital. Helsinki's two main museums are the Ateneum and the Kiasma, the later displaying contemporary art, while the former being well-known for its classical art exhibitions.
Helsinki's main musical venues are the Finlandia concert-hall and the Finnish National Opera. Bigger concerts and events are usually held at one of the city's two big hockey-stadiums the Hartwall Areena or the Helsingin jäähalli. Helsinki also has a big fair centre.
Helsinki is also known for its active ICT and digital cultures scene in Greater Helsinki.
Some widely renowned bands originate from Helsinki, including Stratovarius, HIM, The Rasmus, and The 69 Eyes.
Events
- Valon Voimat "Forces of Light" is an annual winter arts festival.
- Helsingin Juhlaviikot is an annual arts and culture festival, which takes place every August.
- Vappu "Vappu" is an annual carnival for students and workers.
Tourism
See also: Tourism in Finland, List of sites in Helsinki
Helsinki is small and intimate; lively but not bustling. Its size makes it easy to walk around and cafés, markets, and the nearby islands are its summer delights.
Hietaniemi Beach, commonly called
Hietsu
Because Helsinki is located at the coast of the Baltic Sea and has many kilometres of coastline, most of its central districts are near the seaside. Helsinki is a very maritime city and is popularly called the daughter of the Baltic.
Helsinki's coastal position makes it ideal to experience in the summertime from one of the many sightseeing ferries leaving from the port of Helsinki. Many of Helsinki's main attractions are also related to the sea, the Suomenlinna sea-fortress built in the 18th century to defend the city and the Seurasaari Island with its parks and open-air museum, the former being a UNESCO World Heritage site. Locals often spend sunny days at the Hietaniemi Beach (often simply called Hietsu), Helsinki's main beach in the district of Töölö.
In the winter-time Helsinki's northern position makes it dark for most of the day, thus making it a cosy town with much interesting lighting, such as the classic Aleksanterikatu's Christmas street (Joulukatu). During very cold periods it is very common for Helsinkians to go for walks on the frozen sea, although much caution must be taken.
Air travel to Helsinki is via the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. Helsinki also has popular ferry links with Stockholm, Sweden and Tallinn, Estonia. Silja, Viking and Tallink are the biggest ferry operators.
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The Uspenski Orthodox cathedral
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Entrance of Temppelinaukio Church that is built underground.
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Notable natives
Olympics
Helsinki was the host of the 1952 Summer Olympics.
Trivia
The asteroid 1495 Helsinki was named after the city by its discoverer, the Finnish astronomer Yrjö Väisälä.
See also
External links
The content of this page is retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helsinki under GFDL
