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Helsinki
The southern coast of Finland is the most populated, industrialized
and richest part of the country, with the densest concentration, not
surprisingly, around the capital, HELSINKI . A city of half a million
people, Helsinki is quite different from the other Scandinavian capitals,
closer both in mood and looks to the major cities of eastern Europe. For
years an outpost of the Russian Empire, its very shape and form is
derived from its powerful neighbour. Yet through the twentieth century
the city has become a showcase of independent Finland, much of its
impressive architecture drawing inspiration from the dawning of Finnish
nationalism and the rise of the republic. The streets have a youthful
buzz, the short summer acknowledged by crowds strolling the boulevards
and socializing in the outdoor cafés and restaurants. At night the pace
picks up, with a great selection of pubs and clubs, free rock concerts
in the numerous parks, and an impressive quota of fringe events.
The City
Following a devastating fire and the city's appointment as Finland's
capital in 1812, Helsinki was totally rebuilt in a style befitting its
new status: a grid of wide streets and Neoclassical brick buildings
modelled on the then Russian capital, St Petersburg. It's a tribute to
the vision of planner Johan Ehrenström and architect Carl Engel that
from Senate Square to Esplanadi the grandeur has endured, often quite
dramatically. The square itself is dominated by the exquisite form of
the recently renovated Tuomiokirkko (Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 12noon-6pm),
designed, like most of the other buildings on the square, by Engel, and
completed after his death in 1852. After the elegance of the exterior,
the spartan Lutheran interior comes as a disappointment; better is the
gloomily atmospheric crypt (same times as cathedral; entrance on
Kirkkokatu), now often used for exhibitions. Walking east, the square at
the end of Aleksanterinkatu is overlooked by the onion domes of the
Russian Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral (Mon-Fri 9.30am-6pm, Sat 9am-2pm,
Sun 12noon-3pm, closed Mon Oct-April; tram #3). Inside, a rich display
of icons glitters while incense mingles with the sound of Slavonic
choirs. Beyond it is Katajanokka, a wedge of land extending between the
harbours, where a dockland development programme is converting the old
warehouses into pricey new restaurants and apartments for Helsinki's
yuppies. Just a block south of Senate Square, the new City Museum at
Sofiankatu 4 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun 11am-5pm; ¬4.20) offers a hi-tech
record of Helsinki life in an impressive permanent exhibition called
"Time".
Across a mishmash of tramlines from South Harbour is Esplanadi . At the
height of the mid-nineteenth-century language conflict, Finns would walk
on the south side and Swedes on the north of this neat boulevard.
Nowadays it's dominated at lunchtime by office workers, later in the
afternoon by buskers, and at night by couples strolling hand-in-hand
along the central pathway to free musical accompaniment from the
bandstand in the middle. Close by, on the corner of Aleksanterinkatu and
Mannerheimintie, is the Constructivist brick exterior of the Stockmann
Department Store . Europe's largest, it sells everything from bubble gum
to Persian rugs. Further along Mannerheimintie, steps head down to the
Tunneli shopping complex which leads to one of the city's most enjoyable
structures, Helsinki train station . This solid yet graceful 1914
building is often thought of as architect Eliel Saarinen's finest work.
Beside the station is the imposing granite National Theatre , home of
Finnish drama since 1872. Directly opposite the bus station is the Art
Museum of the Ateneum, Kaivokatu 2 (Tues & Fri 9am-6pm, Wed & Thurs
9am-8pm, Sat & Sun 11am-5pm; ¬4.20, ¬7.60 for special exhibitions). Its
stirring selection of late-nineteenth-century works - including Akseli
Gallén-Kallela and Albert Edelfelt's scenes from the Finnish epic, the
Kalevala , and Juho Rissanen's moody studies of peasant life - recalls a
time when the spirit of nationalism was surging through the country.
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Lake Region
About a third of Finland is consumed by the Lake Region , a huge area
of bays, inlets and islands, interspersed with dense forests. Despite
holding much of Finland's industry, it's a tranquil, verdant region, and
even Tampere , Finland's major industrial city, enjoys a peaceful
lakeside setting, as well as being easily accessible from Helsinki by
train. The eastern part of the Lake Region is the most atmospheric,
slender ridges furred with conifers linking the few sizeable landmasses,
reached from Tampere via Jyväskylä , whose wealth of buildings by Alvar
Aalto make it a worthwhile break. Direct from Helsinki, the route goes
via dull Lahti to the lakes' regional centre, Savonlinna , which
stretches delectably across several islands and boasts a superb medieval
castle. Further north, Kuopio , where many displaced Karelians settled
after World War II, makes a decent break on the way up to Kajaani.
• Northern Finland
The three northern regions of Ostrobothnia, Kainuu and Lapland take
up by far the largest portion of Finland. Unlike the populous south or
more industrialized sections of the Lake Region, they're predominantly
rural, their small communities separated by long distances. The coast of
Ostrobothnia is fairly affluent due to the flat and fertile farmlands;
the busy and expanding Oulu is the region's major city as well as a
centre of high-tech expertise, though it maintains a pleasing small town
atmosphere. Further north, Lapland is a poor, remote territory,
excitingly unexplored, whose wide open spaces are home to several
thousand Sami, who have lived in harmony with this special, harsh
environment for millennia. Here the long, harsh winters are eerily dark
and the summers plagued by mosquitoes, making the splendid early Arctic
autumn (Aug-Sept) the most popular time to explore. Moving around is
fairly easy as there is an extensive bus service and regular flights to
Helsinki. As well as enjoying the scenery, make sure you try the Lappish
cuisine, with fresh cloudberries, cold-smoked reindeer and wild salmon
being highlights. Rovaniemi is the rather bland gateway to the Arctic
North; from here a road leads onwards towards Sodankylä and Inari , both
convenient bases for further exploration.
• Southwest Finland
The area immediately west of Helsinki is probably the blandest
section of the country, endless forests interrupted only by modest-sized
patches of water and virtually identical villages and small towns. The
far southwestern corner, however, is more interesting, with islands and
inlets around a jagged shoreline and some of the country's distinctive
Finnish-Swedish coastal communities. The country's former capital, Turku
, is the main target, historically and visually one of Finland's most
enticing cities.
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