Things to do in Helsinki
If you have any spare time either side of the symposium, there is a whole host of beautiful architecture, landmarks and things to see and do in Helsinki. Here are just a few suggestions of what's on offer:
The Fortress of Sveaborg & the Suomenlinna Islands: Board the 20-minute ferry from Kauppatori to Suomenlinna; The fortress of Sveaborg itself - which, literally translates as "Swedish Castle" - dominates the island. It was put up by the Swedes in the mid-1800s to defend their eastern territories, but Helsinki was overrun by the Russians at the start of the 19th century. This small baroque settlement is still home to 1000 people.
Helsinki Cathedral: this whitewashed neoclassical cathedral was built it in the mid-19th century and was called St. Nicholas’ Cathedral, in honour of the Russian Tsar Nicholas I who was also Grand Duke of Finland. After Finnish independence in 1917 it simply became Helsinki Cathedral.
Temppeliaukio Church: Temppeliaukio was the result of a post-war design competition, won by Suomalainen Brothers and was inaugurated in 1969. The building is partly underground and has been hewn from the bedrock, which forms the interior walls. Around the central dome is a circular skylight, through which sunlight floods into the main chamber during the day.
The Market Square and Old Market Hall: The Market Square (Kauppatori) is the main planned and paved square in central Helsinki and is one of the best-known outdoor markets in northern Europe. Open all day, Monday to Saturday, the Old Market Hall is a byzantine revival building near the water in Eteläranta which has been around since 1889, with stalls selling fresh produce including meat, fish, fruit and veg, but also Finnish cakes and cheeses.
Linnanmäki: This amusement park has been open for more than 65 years and includes the highest and fastest rides in the country, alongside some original rides dating back to the 1950s.
Helsinki design: The Design District is just below the Esplanadi; across just a few city blocks are around 200 design-orientated shops, galleries, buildings, and attractions. The Design Museum is here and documents Finnish architecture and design over the last 150 years.
Museum of Contemporary Art (Kiasma): Along with its collections of post-1960 Finnish art, the museum has a theater dedicated to experimental drama, music, and dance. A café and shop are located on the premises. Visitors also have the option to take a public or private guided tour of the museum that includes information on the works, the artists, and the museum building.
National Museum of Finland: The National Museum of Finland (Kansallismuseo) was built in 1912 in a National Romantic style, Finland's own take on the Art Nouveau movement, and collects and interprets material on the culture and ethnography of Finland.
Helsinki’s winter garden: Helsinki’s Winter Garden is a greenhouse filled with over 200 different plants.
Tvärminne Zoological Station is not far from Hanko, a beautiful seaside town 130 kilometers west of Helsinki. Hanko is a bilingual beach-blessed port town of about 10,000 people. Because of its location, Hanko has been contested for more than a thousand years. The Swedes and the Russians fought several battles here in the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1809, the Russians took over several Swedish forts.The town itself wasn't officially founded until the 1870s and later served as a key transit point for Finns leaving for the United States during the starvation times. The Finns and the Russians fought a very bloody battle here in 1941. The architecture of the town speaks to its history with a mix of Swedish and Russian styles. It's full of excellent cafés and restaurants.