Helsinki is the capital of which country? Anyone who asks this question should definitely read our article. Here we will talk not only about where the city is located, but also about the history and tourist attractions of this northern capital of Europe.
The capital of Helsinki is the country of Finland
The main city of Finland is located in an extremely unfavorable, from a geographical point of view, place - on 315 islands. Sometimes, in order to get from one district of the capital to another, you need to overcome a dozen bridges or even cross one of the straits by ferry. This city is all saturated with the smell of the sea and the roar of arriving and departing ships.
Helsinki is far from being a small capital. The city covers an area of 1140 square kilometers. Moreover, 30% of this territory is city parks, squares and undeveloped areas. In other words, in Helsinki the traveler feels quite light and spacious. In addition, most of the interesting and tourist attractions are compactly concentrated within one peninsula.
A Brief Historycities
The modern capital of Finland - Helsinki - appeared on the map of Europe in the middle of the 16th 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 B altic region - Tallinn. Of course, the first inhabitants of Helsinki had a hard time: poverty, disease and constant wars crippled many. The situation changed somewhat for the better after the construction of a powerful fortress here. Well, the city changed significantly 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 moved to Helsinki. Soon the only university in Finland, the Abo Academy, also moved here. The "Russian trace" is noticeable 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.
Many troubles and misfortunes were brought to Helsinki by the first half of the 20th century. Nevertheless, the city continued to develop rapidly: already in the 70s, its population tripled. And today, the capital of Finland is one of the fastest growing in Europe.
How and when to go 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.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 to 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 with the city subway. Regular bus services connect the Finnish capital with many cities in Russia, Sweden, Norway.
Tourists are advised to visit Helsinki (and Finland in general) 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. Springs in Finland are beautiful, but very short: summer here can change winter in almost one week.
Helsinki - capital of happy holidays
Severe natural conditions (in particular, long autumn and winter nights) taught the Finns to have good and high-quality fun. They are really great at this!
Perhaps the most interesting and noisy holiday in Finland is celebrated on the night of the first of May. This is Vappu, or the celebration of the meeting of spring. Tonight, the city of Helsinki turns into one huge open-air party.
The Grand Arts Festival takes place in Helsinki every year in early autumn. Dances, street plays andtheatrical performances, art exhibitions, classical and contemporary music - all this is included in its program. Tens of thousands of guests are coming to the Finnish capital these days to enjoy various types of art.
Well, gastronomic tourists and just people who love to eat well, Helsinki invites to the annual B altic herring fair. It has been held in this city for more than two hundred years! Few of the visiting tourists realize how many delicious and delicious dishes can be prepared from ordinary herring - the main product of the B altic region.
City of Christmas Lights
Helsinki - the capital, which is visited by thousands of tourists for Christmas. As a rule (exceptions are extremely rare), these days it is already snowing in the city, and the legendary St. Thomas Christmas market begins its work in the center of the capital.
Fragrant mulled wine, bright festive illumination on the streets and cozy restaurants - these are the 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!
In conclusion…
Now you know where the city of Helsinki is located 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 the Christmas and New Year holidays.
