Helsinki (in Swedish Helsingfors ) is the Capitale of the Finland, commercial port open on the Golfe of Finland.

History

Helsinki is founded in 1550 by Gustave Vasa, king of Sweden. The first village of Helsinki was located then in the current district of Vanhakaupunki (Old city), a commemorative plaque indicating the site of the first church and the first cemetery. The recent urbanization results in particular in the importance of the district and place names related to characteristics natural and geographical, like Koskela (the Torrent), Katajanokka (Peninsula of Genévrier), etc Following the defeat of the Sweden in its war against the Russia of 1808 - 1809, the Finland is annexed to the Russian Empire.

Helsinki then became the capital of a autonomous Grand Duchy (1812), in the place of Turku, then judged too near geographically and sentimentally to Suède.

In 1917, with the independence of Finland, Helsinki becomes the capital of the new republic.

The Place of the Senate ( Senaatintori ) in the center of the city still testifies to these bonds with the Russia with a statue of the Tsar Alexandre II in front of the cathedral and the resemblance of the buildings to the town of Saint-Pétersbourg. During the Cold war the city was often used for turnings of Cinéma in order to represent the old imperial capital, in particular in James Bond, because of this resemblance.

Demographic trends

1810: 4  070 habitants
1830: 11  100
1850: 20  700
1880: 43  300
1900: 93  600
1925: 209  800
2003: 559  716

Town planning

Built on a peninsula surrounded by a great number of islands, the city is strongly characterized by the presence of water. The increase of the grounds due to the phenomenon of Eustatisme makes that certain places formerly occupied by the sea are urbanized today, like old bay of the district of Kluuvi. The center town, in particular the district of Katajanokka, is punctuated many buildings Art nouveau built at the beginning of the 20th century, the such building of the telco or the central station, as well as the statue of Havis Amanda. The modern Architecte Alvar Aalto carried out there certain universally famous works, with the image of the Palais Finlandia ( Finlandiatalo ) (1971), built at the edge of bay of Töölö and where were signed in 1975 the agreements of Helsinki.

Helsinki is equipped with lines of partially air subway separating in two branches at the station Itäkeskus and with a network from bus and tram.

Its principal room indoor is the Hartwall Areena which was useful has to accommodate many events like the Concours Eurovision of the song 2007, in the concerts and the spectacles with great budgets and the sports events.

Tourism

Tourism in Helsinki is largely dominated by the culture. The city counts good number of museums such as the National museum ( Kansallismuseo ), the Museum of Contemporary art ( Kiasma ), the Museum of classic art ( Ateneum ) or the Musée of natural history. Moreover, like everywhere in the Scandinavian Countries, architecture and the design is of great importance. The classicism gave face to the center town such as for example with the cathedral and the Université of Helsinki. (cf paragraph on town planning) Compared to its rich history, it is necessary to visit the small islands of Suomenlinna (Swedish Sveaborg), old fortification in the port of the city having been built by the Swedish to defend the city and Finland, in particular against the Russian .

Sports

Twinnings

Helsinki does not have twin towns strictly speaking. It makes in the place left the network European metropolises METREX. It also has cooperation agreements de with several Scandinavian capitals and the Baltic zone , like with Moscow and Beijing.

See too

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