Finland and Norway share many qualities. Both have a low population density, both are relatively young, independent nations that have struggled with their Nordic neighbors, both sit isolated up in the northern stretches of Europe, but both do not share familiar topography. Finland can often be referred to as a country of 'forests and lakes', with more than 180,000 large lakes, numerous wetlands and a tree coverage of nearly 70% in the entire country, the world's highest concentration. Rather than the sharp jagged rocks of the Norwegian fjord regions, Finland is informed by the smooth organic coastlines of their lake regions and the expansive, colorful horizon of wide skies and woodlands. The country's general area is considered a flat expanse of territory with a small topographical change compared to mountainous Norway, but that does not change the Finns' general, deep respect and understanding for nature that has always been trodden lightly with urban expansion.
Helsinki Senate Square with Tuomiokirkko Cathedral
View of Katajanokka island with Uspenski Cathedral and Aalto's Enso-Gutzeit HQ building
Eliel Saarinen's Helsinki Central Railway Station, Finland's most visited building
Considered one of the world's great survivors, Finland has had to contend with a harsh northern climate and a hostile Nordic-European world, trapped between the aggressive ambitions of two historical heavyweights: Sweden and Russia. In the 12th century, the area of Finland was considered a fully consolidated part of the Swedish empire, an unruly battleground between the east and west empires for Northern European dominance. King Gustav Vasa of Sweden established Helsinki in 1550 on the northern coast of the Gulf of Finland as a competitor to the Russian city of Reval (now Tallinn, Estonia), a flourishing center of trade on the opposite shore. The small coastal town would never prove to be a successful port city and was devastated by ongoing wars and fires, until Helsinki was revitalized by the construction of a giant island fortress, Suomenlinna, in the 18th century as a defensive shield against Russian attack. However, after the Finnish War in 1809, the fortress would prove to not be enough as Sweden was forced to cede the territory of Finland to Russia. Once the Russians were in control of Finland, Tsar Alexander I guaranteed Finland's autonomy, but required the primary city of the Finnish territory to be closer to Saint Petersburg, designating Helsinki as the new capital. By the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian Revolution enabled the Finnish senate to declare independence from Russian rule and emerge as a self-confident, modern nation.
The Esplanadi, a wide avenue and park in the heart of Helsinki
Eiranranta, Helsinki's new high-end property development in Merisatama Bay
Eiranranta, Helsinki's new high-end property development in Merisatama Bay
Apart from the city's turbulent geopolitical past, the current condition of Helsinki remains as modern as any other European urban center, yet it is counterbalanced by the expansive nature of the Finnish landscape. Occuping a peninsula, surrounded by an archipelago of islands, the capital city seems to meld with the Baltic Sea as half of the city appears to be water with a number of bays and inlets along the complex coastline. Closer to the urban center, the architectural language becomes a reflection of the city's historic struggle with eastern and western ideologies. The central area around Senate Square, designed by Carl Ludvig Engel, are a neoclassical imperial reference to Russian rule, while residential areas throughout the city express an art nouveau, or Jugend, mentality that is inspired by Finnish culture and traditions. In the bitter WWII postwar years, Helsinki's industrial and business life began to grow rapidly, expanding the urban core significantly, with the 1952 Olympic Games symbolizing the city’s gradual revival. Finnish architects, led by Alvar Aalto, would take pride in the young country's rapid economic growth and industrialization by emphasizing the importance of nationalism and geography in their work, fusing the naturalism of Finnish romanticism from the previous century with modernist ideals. By the new millennium, Helsinki has become one of the most progressive and prosperous cities in the Scandinavian region, if not the world, on the back of a booming technology sector and a highly-regarded design and manufacturing industry, producing a great standard of living and education for the entire region.
Helsinki Olympic Stadium for 1952 Summer Olympics
Keskuskatu (Centre Street), one of Helsinki's main pedestrian shopping streets
The new Helsinki Music Centre, across the street from the Parliament of Finland