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city
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Southern Finland
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Uusimaa
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Helsinki
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Jussi Pajunen
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Finnish , Swedish
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342nd
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18532
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18447
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1st
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January 1 2006
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559,046
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- 01
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3,0321
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999
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89
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(pronounced with the stress on the first syllable in () 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 . 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).
''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 come, according to
Folklore , from the Swedish dwellers who came from the Swedish province of
Hälsingland .
See Also: History of Helsinki
Founded in 1550 as a rival to the Hanseatic city of and annexed Finland as the 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. The
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 . As 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 the 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 the 1990s.
Helsinki has 190 comprehensive schools, 41 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.
''Main article:
Universities In Finland ''
See Also: Public transport in Helsinki
In Helsinki,
Public Transport is mostly managed by
Helsinki City Transport . The diverse
Public Transport System consists of
Tram s, ''
VR Lähiliikenne ''
Commuter Train s, 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. The 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.
The largest hospitals of Finland are located in Helsinki, for example
HYKS and many private hospitals. Also
Police and
Fire Departments serve citizens.
See Also: Politics of Helsinki
See Also: 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 .
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.
(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.
Helsinki can also be considered Finland's culture-capital. Helsinki's two main museums are the
Ateneum and the
Kiasma , the latter displaying contemporary art, while the former being well-known for its classical art exhibitions.
Helsinki's main musical venues are the 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
HIM ,
The Rasmus ,
The 69 Eyes and
Stratovarius .
- 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.
''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
Café s,
Market s, and the nearby islands are its summer delights.
Because Helsinki is located on 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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"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Helsinki_Olympic_Stadium" class="copylinks">Helsinki Olympic Stadium Tower, offers a good view over Helsinki
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"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Finnish_National_Theatre" class="copylinks">Finnish National Theatre
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"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Helsinki_Central_railway_station" class="copylinks">Helsinki Central Railway Station
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"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Helsinki_Cathedral" class="copylinks">Helsinki Cathedral
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"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Esplanadi" class="copylinks">Esplanadi Park in central Helsinki
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"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Stockmann" class="copylinks">Stockmann department store along the Aleksanterinkatu 's Christmas street
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