Helsinki - the capital of which country? Everyone who asks this question should definitely read our article. Here we will talk not only about where the city is, but also about the history and tourist attractions of this northern capital of Europe.
Capital Helsinki - Country Finland
The main city of Finland is located in an extremely unfavorable, from a geographical point of view, location - on 315 islands. Sometimes, in order to get from one district of the capital to another, it is necessary to overcome a dozen bridges or even cross one of the straits by ferry. This city is full of the smell of the sea and the roar of arriving and departing ships.
Helsinki - the capital is far from small. The city covers an area of 1140 square kilometers. Moreover, 30% of this territory is city parks, squares and undeveloped plots. In other words, in Helsinki, the traveler feels rather light and spacious. In addition, the bulk of the attractions and tourist attractions are compactly concentrated within one peninsula.
A brief history of the city
The modern capital of Finland - Helsinki - appeared on the map of Europe in the middle of the XVI century. In 1550, the city was founded by the Swedish king Gustav I.
Helsinki is a capital with a rich and interesting rich history. The city was created with a single goal: to create real competition for another major port in the Baltic region - Tallinn. Of course, the first inhabitants of Helsinki had a hard time: poverty, disease, and constant wars knocked out many. The situation has changed for the better after the construction of a powerful fortress here. But essentially the city was transformed at the beginning of the 19th century, when it was annexed to Russia (as a result of the latter’s victory in the Finnish war).
By order of the Russian Tsar Alexander I, the capital of the Duchy was transferred to Helsinki. The only university in Finland, the Abo Academy, soon moved here. The Russian Trail is visible in Helsinki and in the business center of the capital, where all the buildings were built in a strictly classical style. This part of the city is very reminiscent of old Petersburg.
The first half of the twentieth century brought a lot of troubles and misfortunes to Helsinki. Nevertheless, the city continued to develop rapidly: already in the 70s, its population had tripled. And today, the capital of Finland is among the fastest growing in Europe.
How and when to travel to Helsinki: travel tips
The country with the capital Helsinki is located in Northern Europe, on the Scandinavian Peninsula. You can get here in a variety of ways: by land, by sea, by air.
Travelers arriving in Helsinki by plane are served by Vanta Airport, which is located twenty kilometers from the center of the capital. From the airport you can easily and quickly get anywhere in the city by taxi, or by municipal bus.
The location of the train station in the center of Helsinki is also very convenient. In addition, the station building is connected by underground passages directly to the city metro. Regular bus services connect the Finnish capital with many cities of Russia, Sweden, and Norway.
Tourists are advised to visit Helsinki (and Finland as a whole) in the summer, from mid-June to mid-August. And of course, a huge number of foreign guests come here for the New Year and Christmas holidays. The springs in Finland are beautiful, but very short: summer here can change winter in almost one week.
Helsinki - the capital of happy holidays
Harsh natural conditions (in particular, long autumn and winter nights) taught the Finns to have fun in good quality. In this they are really great masters!
Perhaps the most interesting and noisiest holiday in Finland is celebrated on the night of May 1st. This is Wappu, or the celebration of the meeting of spring. This night, the city of Helsinki turns into one huge open-air party.
The Grand Art Festival is held in Helsinki annually in early autumn. Dancing, street plays and theater performances, art exhibitions, classical and modern music - all this is included in his program. Tens of thousands of guests gather these days in the Finnish capital in order to enjoy various types of art.
Well, gastronomic tourists and just people who love to eat well, Helsinki invites you to the annual Baltic herring fair. It has been held in this city for more than two hundred years! Few visiting tourists can guess how many delicious and tasty dishes can be prepared from ordinary herring - the main product of the Baltic region.
City of Christmas Lights
Helsinki is the capital where thousands of tourists come precisely for Christmas. As a rule (exceptions are extremely rare), snow is already falling in the city these days, and the legendary Christmas market of St. Thomas begins to work in the center of the capital.
Fragrant mulled wine, bright festive illumination on the streets and cosily decorated restaurants are indispensable attributes of Christmas in the Finnish capital. Without a doubt, this is one of the best places on the planet where you can celebrate the New Year!
Finally...
Now you know where the city of Helsinki is and whose capital it is. Here you can have a wonderful and wonderful time, both in summer and in winter. Especially many tourists prefer to come to the fabulous city of Helsinki for Christmas and New Year holidays.