Category: See

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Uspenskin Katedraali

Uspenksi Cathedral – Uspenskin Katedraali

What is Uspenski Cathedral?

Uspenski Cathedral is second of the two iconic Cathedrals that define the Helsinki skyline. The other one being the white, Helsinki Cathedral, facing each other just a few hundred meters apart. Uspenski is an Eastern Orthodox Cathedral, dedicated to  Dormition of the Theotokos (the Virgin Mary). The location of the Cathedral is very pleasant. It sits on a hill in Katajanokka-district, overlooking at the sea and market square, giving visitors spectaculars views of the city and other historic buildings.

 

 

Uspenski Cathedral in a Nutshell

  • Consecrated 1868
  • Designed by Aleksey Gornostayev, who died before the cathedral was built
  • Commissioned by Emperor Alexander II
  • It took 9 years to build the cathedral
  • The dome rises to 33 meters height
  • Over 500 000 people visit the cathedral every year
  • Free entrance
  • Closed on mondays

How To Get To Uspenski Cathedral

Address: Pormestarinrinne 1, Helsinki
09 85 646 200

From downtown Helsinki:

  1. Located in Katajanokka, best way to reach it is by trams 4 and  5, that stops right by it. Stop: Tove Janssonin Puisto
  2. If you are nearby such as Kauppatori  or Helsinki Cathedral, it is just a short walk away
  3. Bus number 17  stops at Ritarihuone, short walk away
  4. Tram line 7 to Senaatintori, if you are coming from Kamppi or Länsisatama

What to do at Uspenski Cathedral

Inside the cathedral:

The Orthodox cathderal is full of icons and beauatiful paintings. Entrance is free, so take your time to take pictures and awe at history and culture of the Orthodox religion. There are service and masses everyday, so come join and see the orthodox way. Just outside the cathedral, there is also a chapel devoted for peace, which is worth visiting.

Outside the cathedral:

Get your camera ready to take some landscape photos. Uspenski cathedral is surrounded by sea in 3 sides and the side that is not sea, is downtown Helsinki and silhouette of the beautiful white Helsinki Cathedral. Take your time to walk around the seaside and maybe visit Kauppatori to enjoy some local delicacies.

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Kiasma Museum of Modern Arts

Kiasma – Museum of Modern Arts

What is Kiasma Museum?

Fans of modern and contemporary art will find them wanting to go Kiasma, located perfectly downtown Helsinki and easily reached from anywhere in the city center. Many of the exhibitions presented here are quite controversial and sure to stimulate the guest's mind and senses. Since it is so easily accessible, it is a perfect place to fill in time in your itinerary or to just admire the architecture and take pictures of the magnificent building.

"Kiasma is a contemporary art museum located in Helsinki, Finland. Kiasma is part of the Finnish National Gallery. One of the leading museums of contemporary art in the Nordic region, Kiasma delights and provokes, impresses, surprises and entertains.

The museum showcases and collects art of our time. It seeks to make contemporary art accessible to as large an audience as possible and thereby to offer people new experiences and new perspectives on life. Kiasma is the perfect place to enjoy and experience art.

What does Kiasma mean?

Kiasma is Finnish for chiasma, a term that describes the crossing of nerves or tendons or the intertwining of two chromatids, the thread-like strands of a chromosome. The name is a fitting symbol for a museum of contemporary art: Kiasma is a place of encounters. It is an arena for the exchange of opinions and the redefinition of art and culture."

-Kiasma.fi

Kiasma Museum of Modern Arts in a Nutshell

  • Completed 1998
  • about 300 00 visitors in a year
  • Main venue for the Ars-art exhibitions (every 5-12 years)
  • Kiasma collection of art consists of over 8000 pieces of art
  • Hosts temporary exhibitions, collection exhibitions as well as performances
  • The building was designed by Steven Holl
  • Free admission every first friday of the month

How To Get To Kiasma Museum?

Address: Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Mannerheiminaukio 2, Helsinki
www.kiasma.fi
kiasmacafe.fi

From around Helsinki:

  1. Easily reached by walking from anywhere downtown Helsinki
  2. Get to Central Railway Station, Elielinaukio, Rautatientori or Kamppi stations and walk from there.
  3. The closest subway station is Central Railway Station
  4. Trams 2, 4, 7, 10 pass just by Kiasma Museum

What to do at Kiasma Museum?

Start by admiring the architecture of the four-floor building designed by American Steven Holl. The building is best viewed from the street side of Mannerheimintie, across the Eduskuntatalo - Parliament House. Take pictures and see how the big windows of this beautiful building take in the natural light of Finland and reflect the city and life of Helsinki.

Inside you can pay to get into the current exhibition. Prices are 14€ per person, 12€ for elderly and free for guests under the age of 18. The exhibitions are contemporary and often challenges the mind and opinion of the viewer. Sometimes Kiasma's ever-growing collection of art will be presented at the exhibition. See the exhibitions here: https://kiasma.fi/en/exhibitions/

If you plan ahead, you can find a performance to see when you visit, great chance to experience some live modern art. See upcoming performances here: https://kiasma.fi/en/performances-events/

If you are in need of a break or wish to visit without entering the exhibitions, it is a great idea to visit the downstairs cafe which offers lunch, ala-carte dinner alongside coffee, desserts, and snacks. http://kiasmacafe.fi/

 

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Viva Helsinki Cathedral

Helsinki Cathedral – Helsingin Tuomiokirkko

What is Helsinki Cathedral

The most iconic attraction in Helsinki. This cathedral defines the Helsinki Skyline and is the star of all postcards. Very easily accessible and free to enter, it is a must-see for all visitors to Helsinki. Finish off by seeing the statues in Senate Square just below the cathedral and have a snack sitting on the high stairs leading to the attraction.

-Visit Helsinki

"A distinctive landmark in the Helsinki cityscape, with its tall, green dome surrounded by four smaller domes, the building is in the neoclassical style. It was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel as the climax of his Senate Square layout: it is surrounded by other, smaller buildings designed by him. The church's plan is a Greek cross (a square centre and four equilateral arms), symmetrical in each of the four cardinal directions, with each arm's façade featuring a colonnade and pediment. Engel originally intended to place a further row of columns on the western end to mark the main entrance opposite the eastern altar, but this was never built."

- Helsinki Cathedral @ Wikipedia

Helsinki Cathedral @ Youtube

Helsinki Cathedral in a Nutshell

  • Completed 1852
  • Seats 1300 people
  • 62 meters high
  • Designed by Carl Ludvig Engel
  • 500 000 visitors in a year

How To Get To Helsinki Cathedral?

Address: Unioninkatu 29, 00170 Helsinki

From Downtown Helsinki:

  1. Hop On Hop Off - Private Tourist Bus Operator
  2. Tram lines 2, 4, 5 and 7. Stay off at Senaatintori-stop
  3. Walk from city center. It is 15 minutes walk from Kamppi and 10 minutes walk from the Centrail Railway Station

What to do at Helsinki Cathedral?

Get your cameras out and start shooting! The wide senate's square just below the cathedral makes it a perfect spot to take some beautiful sightseeing photos. Get your family on the stairs just before the cathedral and have yourself a new social media profile picture. The cathedral is being used as a church and such its main purpose is to hold religious events. If you're lucky during a weekend, you might catch a Finnish couple getting married!

Popular as a picnic spot or a quick break location to gather one's thoughts, the chairs offer a beautiful view of the surrounding are and the skyline that defines Helsinki. Sit a for a while, listen to the sounds of the sea and seagulls and take a walk around the cathedral, admiring its architechture.

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Kansallismuseo – National Museum of Finland

What is Suomen Kansallismuseo?

The National Museum of Finland presents Finnish history from the Stone Age to the present day, through objects and cultural history. The Finnish National Romantic style building is located in central Helsinki and is a part of the National Board of Antiquities, under the Ministry of Culture and Educatio

-National Museum of Finland @ Wikipedia.com

This beautiful, castle-like building located just next to the house of parliament in downtown Helsinki, is the place to learn about the history of Finland.  Easily accessible and boasting temporary and permanent exhibitions, it is a great institution to visit while in Helsinki.

How to Get to Kansallismuseo - National Museum of Finland?

Address: Mannerheimintie 34, 00100 Helsinki

From Downtown Helsinki:

  1. Easily accessible by walking from anywhere in downtown Helsinki
  2. Next to trams and buses going north along Mannerheimintie
  3. Reachable by yellow citybike

Contact information:

Phone: +358 295 33 6000

email: kansallismuseo@kansallismuseo.fi

What to do at Kansallismuseo - National Museum of Finland?

Inside Kansallismuseo

Three main reasons to visit Kansallismuseo:

  1. Visit the permanent exhibition to learn about Finnish history and culture
  2. See and learn about the traditional Finnish lifestyle and household items.
  3. Temporary exhibitions have interesting themes that vary

Nearby Kansallismuseo

Kansallismuseo is in Töölö-district, which has many interesting shops and old buildings. Helsinki Rock Church is just a short walk away. Good restaurants nearby for lunch and some popular places to have drinks in the evening.

 

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Ateneum Art Museum Helsinki

Ateneum Art Museum Helsinki

What is Ateneum?

Ateneum is an art museum in Helsinki, Finland and one of the three museums forming the Finnish National Gallery. It is located in the centre of Helsinki on the south side of Rautatientori square close to Helsinki Central railway station. It has the biggest collections of classical art in Finland. Previously the Ateneum building also housed the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts and University of Art and Design Helsinki, but has solely been a museums since 1991. The Ateneum building is owned by Senate Properties (Finnish: Senaatti-kiinteistöt), the government real estate provider.

-Ateneum @ Wikipedia.com

Ateneum is a jewel in the heart of the Helsinki for classic art lovers. Permanent Finnish art exhibition is complimented by world class rotating art exhibitions. Easy to access and truly appetite-pleasing for art lovers who visit Helsinki

How to Get to Ateneum Art Museum?

Address: Kaivokatu 2, 00100 Helsinki

From Downtown Helsinki:

  1. Opposite of Central Railway station, walk across
  2. Easy to walk to from Kamppi Center
  3. Reachable by citybike
  4. Central Railway Station is just moments away from Ateneum
  5. Busses heading to Elielinaukio or Rautatientori are very close to Ateneum
  6. Trams 1-7 and 9 all stop at Rautatieasema tram station

Contact information:

Phone: +358(0)29 4500401

email: ainfo@ateneum.fi

What to do at Ateneum Art Museum?

Inside Ateneum Art Museum

Three main reasons to visit Ateneum:

  1. Visit the permanent exhibition to see classic Finnish paintings and art pieces
  2. See current rotating exhibition. To know what is currently on, see: https://ateneum.fi/nayttelyt-nyt/?lang=en
  3. The gift shop has many good ideas for souvenirs and things you can not find elsewhere.

Nearby Ateneum

During summertime, there are many terraces to enjoy alcohol while taking in the sun. Ateneum is literally in the heart of the city, so heading to dinner or lunch afterwards gives you full of choices. Short distance walk to Kauppatori or Tuomiokirkko, maybe even go and take a ferry to Suomenlinna.

 

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Sibelius Monument

Sibelius Monument – Sibelius Monumentti

What is Sibelius Monument?

In the Sibelius park is the world famous composer Jean Sibelius' (1865-1957) monument by Eila Hiltunen. It was unveiled 7 September 1967. The Sibelius Monument, resembling organ pipes, is made of welded steel with over 600 pipes and with the bust of the composer on one side. The monument is one of Helsinki's most popular statues and one of the most well-known tourist attractions.

-Visit Helsinki

How To Get To Sibelius Monument?

Address: Sibeliuksen puisto/Sibelius Park

From Downtown Helsinki:

  1. Hop On Hop Off - Private Tourist Bus Operator
  2. Tram lines 2, 4 and 10.  Stay off at Töölön Halli-station and walk west 1 km until you reach the park. Route Map
  3. Bus route 24. Rajasaarentie-bus stop. Least walking.
  4. Bus routes 39, 41, 42 and 69 from Kamppi Bus Station. Stay off at Linnakoskenkatu-bus stop.
  5. Fastest and easiest way is with a bicycle. Take the yellow "Kaupunkipyörä" Citybike. Read more.

What to do at Sibelius Monument?

The monument itself is beautiful, take your time looking at the art and learn about the greatest composer of Finland. In the summer, there are fresh juice vendors, handicraft vendors and an ice cream stall open as well as a gift shop. 

It is a good idea to head west from the monument and walk along the seaside to admire Finnish nature. If you want to make a longer walk, you walk south along the seaside and get to Hietalahti Beach, good for swimming and sunbathing in the summer.

Toilets are available west of the monument, under the hill next to the ice cream stand.

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