Helsinki is one of those cities which is beautiful, compact, lively and pleasant to visit. During our short stay there, we managed to see most of the sights.
Uspenski Cathedral towers over the other buildings near the harbour. Its gold cupolas and redbrick facade invite you to visit. It is the largest orthodox church in Western Europe and is quite impressive both on the inside and the outside. I have always been fascinated with the Russian Orthodox Church which comes across as mysterious. This one clearly is a symbol of the Russian influence in Finland.
On the other hand, you can find Helsinki's most prominent building - the Lutheran Cathedral - at the Senate Square. The Senate Square and surrounding buildings form a unique and cohesive example of Neo-Classicism. The Cathedral is Finland’s most photographed and recognisable building. It celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2002. It is impressive on the outside and quite stark on the inside which in itself lends to the beauty of the building.
There was a political rally taking place the day we visited.
We even managed to take a cruise to the Suomenlinna maritime fortress which is one of the world's largest. Built on six islands off Helsinki in the 1700s, the garrison town is one of the most popular sights in Finland. Suomenlinna has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. It is a charming place, ideal for a day trip with museums, cafes and restaurants. We came across ammunition warehouses that looked like houses from Hobbiton.
These iron chains were handmade and they are part of the old anchors.
The Cathedral
The Hobbit's houses
Helsinki has some beautiful buildings and one could walk around the city just admiring them. The city’s architecture is typified by Nordic minimalism and refinement. Modernism, functionalism and the largest concentration of Art Nouveau buildings in Northern Europe make Helsinki a major city of architecture.
We visited the market place near the harbour where there were many food stalls selling local delicacies. Fresh salmon, crayfish, shrimp and smoked fish were quite popular.
Helsinki is the World Design Capital for 2012.
We passed a garden where all the tree trunks were covered in lace.
Wonder what is the story behind it.
Definitely made for a colourful picture.
The Finnish Archipelago is also very beautiful.
Overall, the trip was a success and I am glad that I went with the flow.
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