24-02-2014
Helsinki was proclaimed the Finnish capital in 1812 and later the city was devastated by a fire, the town was completely rebuilt in a style worthy of a capital. The most conspicuous building in the Empire centre is the Cathedral, completed in 1852.
Helsinki soon became an administrative, university and garrison town, and the biggest industrial city in the land. By the beginning of the 20th century it had a population of over 100,000.
Finland became a member of the European Union in 1995, once again marking the start of a new era for the capital. Helsinki was one of the nine European Cities of Culture for the year 2000. In that year Helsinki celebrated its 450th anniversary, too.
Helsinki is the largest city in Finland and the metropolitan area is the home of 1.4 million people. When you look at a map, Helsinki is in the northernmost corner of the Europe but it is an easy hub to reach with fast flight connections from East to West. Helsinki can be reached from St. Petersburg, Estonia and Sweden via the Baltic Sea. In fact, the sea is one of the most characterizing elements of the city. The Helsinki Archipelago consists of over 300 mesmerizing islands. The rhythm of Helsinki is laid-back and the city is easily approachable, literally. The public transportation system is one of the best in the world – with that one beautiful metro line – and it is also easy to walk and bike everywhere.
