Very unique church with excellent acoustics and 360 degree lighting from the slit windows in the…read moreceiling. We happened to arrive when a contemporary concern was in process. The artists used historical instruments combined with classical base and piano for a fascinating performant that reminded me of a forest walk in the rain.

This place looks beautiful and interesting from the inside but they do charge you an admission fee…read moreto go inside. There's not a lot to do inside honestly since it's a functioning church. You can soak in the atmosphere for like 10 minutes and then you should be good to go. The walk to the church was quite steep at parts so keep that in mind, especially during the winter season when there's snow and rocks on the ground.

Great landmark of the city. Took the train from the airport to the city and it is located right in…read morethe downtown. Easy and clean station. Spacious and very well architecturally. Walking distances to hotels, places in downtown. Wishing the station, plenty of quick bite/drink places as well as sit down dinning. Also there are stores and shops too. This is the main station so plenty of destinations to choose. For me, easy place to go and get to. Enjoyed it a lot.

Came into the Helsinki main train station the other week and it was a quick and easy experience…read more The train took me directly from HEL directly into town in ~40 minutes with numerous stops. There are a few eateries inside the main train station. The metro is a couple blocks away and the tram is merely outside the front doors.

I love the old Buildings and architecture! This was an…read moreawesome find! The architecture and design was gorgeous. I just popped in to look, and it was lovely. It's one of my favorite pastimes when on vacation.

Helsinki Cathedral is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and is the main church of…read morethe Diocese of Helsinki. The cathedral is an active parish with members and services, but visitors may go inside for tours during certain times. Currently, admission tickets cost 8-10 € for adults (depending on the month) and 0 € for children. I viewed only the exterior of this cathedral. I could see its beautiful architecture, including towers, domes, pillars, statues of apostles, and crosses.

If anybody remembers me doing a review on the mannequin pis and Brussels, you know that this is my…read moretype of humor! It was hilarious to see this type of statue in Finland. As you can see from the pictures, it's bad, bad boy taking a whiz. The European sure do love their toilet humor!

While on our tour bus, we literally drove by this tall and interesting statue. Would have been…read morecool to stop and take pictures of this bad boy peeing. Seriously, this Bad Bad Boy was peeing!! As I write this review, I have no idea about the origin or story of this statue. I suspect that some folks aren't too pleased with this piece of art. Personally, I am a fan! I mean.....who hasn't been a bad bad boy in real life. I know that I can relate!

Beautiful park in the city center of Helsinki. Great for people watching and also eating ice cream…read morefrom one of the many kiosks. Many benches but they are full at peak times.

Great park to walk thru to get to the center of the city…read more Barely a block wide but about five blocks long, I was dropped off at the west end and walked thru it to the central market area just across from the Havis Amanda fountain. The central walkway is wide and lined with beautiful mature trees. In the center of the park is a statue of Johan Ludwig Runeberg. On my return walk back to the ship there was a musician playing a violin for tips in front of the statue. A beautiful sound with a fabulous setting. Near the east end is the Kappeli restaurant, opened in 1867. Across from the restaurant is a large outdoor stage, disappointed neither was open at the early time I came thru the park. Both looked wonderful. Across from the park on the north side are several shops, cafes and hotels to wander about while near the park. A very clean area to spend the day in.

Beautiful church in a gorgeous part of Helsinki. One of the most beautiful places in Helsinki.read more

This is one of the most beautiful Lutheran churches in my books. While growing up in Helsinki…read moreand living in Kaivopuisto (part of Helsinki) I used to walk past this church several times a week. The wood carved seats, stain glass windows and the high sealing just created a royal feeling when entering this God's house. Had my first wine and bread there and I wanted to get married in this church but I got married in another country. Still to this day when I return to Helsinki, I always go in, sit there a moment and say a prayer. Visiting Johanneksenkirkko is my pilgrimage and I can highly recommend paying a visit to this beautiful architectural building.

Helsinki's Senate Square (Senaatintori) are part of the oldest part of the city of Helsinki…read more Surrounding this large plaza are the Helsinki Cathedral, the Government Palace, the University of Helsinki and the Sederholm House which is the oldest building in the city center. You'll also find the Statue of Alexander II here, who re-established the Diet of Finland and worked towards Finland's independence from Russia. Senaatintori is where the big things happen, including concerts and exhibits. There is plenty to see here and nearby. [Review 10086 overall, 1672 of 2018.]

Senate Square is the main public square in Helsinki. It contains the Cathedral, the Government…read morePalace, the University Main Building, the National Library, and a statue of Tsar Alexander II. I spent some time in this square to view the buildings, which had some beautiful architecture. I felt interested in how the Finnish people liked Alexander II for solidifying the use of the Finnish language. Please note, though, that pickpocketing can occur in this square. A pickpocketer stole a wallet from a man in my tour group. If you visit here, be careful to watch your belongings!

We only visited the outside of this lovely theatre and statue. The architecture is unique and…read morebeautifully designed. The structure was built in 1902

Lovely old theatre at downtown Helsinki. Wonderful…read moreatmosphere. Excellent shows. Totally worth visiting.

These three blacksmiths are hammering away and I'm wondering why they're so close together and why…read morenone of them are wearing any clothing. One piece of hot metal on your johnson and you're gonna know about it. Safety first, people! The upper part of the statue has the text around the lip, "monumentum - ponendum - curavit - legatum - j. tallbergianum - pro helsingfors ad mcmxxxii" which means I don't know what other than 1932. Great meeting spot, it's hard to miss! [Review 10088 overall, 1674 of 2018.]

Hammer Time! This statue, called The Three Smiths was…read moresculpted by Felix Nylundin, the Finnish artist. The statue depicts three naked guys hammering an anvil. You'd think that experienced blacksmiths would know to wear pants, especially in Finland. The statue is located at the intersection of Aleksanterinkatu and Mannerheimintie, just a block from the Central Train Station. The statue is old- dating back to 1932. At the base of the statue, it reads, "monumentum - ponendum - curavit - legatum - j. tallbergianum - pro helsingfors ad mcmxxxii" It's a great meeting spot- just out from of the Virgin Olive Oil Co., and prominently placed in the center of the square. The statue is larger than life, and can be spotted from several blocks away. It's bronze and huge. I wouldn't go out of my way to see this statue, but it's a nice addition to Helsinki.

Helsinki is not even remotely loud to begin with when compared to Southern Europe. However, the…read moreChapel of Silence in Kampii is meant to allow for more reflection and quiet right in the middle of the city. The chapel is located between the main train station and Kampii's indoor shopping mall and transit hub, so exactly one Metro station apart. There are four major churches in Helsinki that are noted in most of the tourist literature. The more traditional ones - a Lutheran cathedral and a Russian Orthodox cathedral - are in the dogleg of the city that hems in the harbor and houses the government buildings. On the other hand, the two others - the Rock Church and the Chapel of Silence - are modernist buildings to the north and the west of the main train station, respectively. The Chapel of Silence is run by an association of city and area parishes together with the city administration. While it is most likely Lutheran in its backing, it is maintained as a nondenominational space. The interior has the pews and an area which might be considered an altar, but it's all understated and devoid of specific religious references. Even if traveling between the train station and Kampii on foot, you can't miss this small shrine. It's shaped like a bowl or cup, but it's not perfectly spherical or symmetrical, so it looks different from every angle. The exterior is cladded in siding of local forest growth and it's curved, but they handled the seams and the spacing very cleanly. The color of the wood is the color of the entire building! As such, it is the exact opposite of, say, the pyramidal entry to the Louvre, which is perfectly symmetrical and transparent as a result of its glazing. The interior is much the same, except that around the upper perimeter is a continuous ribbon of windows to bring in light. I can't guarantee you'll reflect or pray since you might also find yourself analyzing this unique space. However, if you want to pray or reflect, you can do so even when the outdoor elements are not cooperating. The Chapel of Silence was designed in 2010 and opened in 2012. It has won design awards. There is staff on hand who can answer questions for you and they have some leaflets about the chapel in various languages. I don't believe that a donation is required, but you should leave something since you did visit and so they can operate this innovative and soothing spiritual place.

An interesting and unique bit of architectural design, the chapel provides a respite from the busy…read morecity outside its doors and encourages quiet reflection from those that visit. I'm not a religious person, but I enjoyed checking out the chapel and taking in the silence while admiring the interesting architecture. I only stayed a few minutes, but the chapel is worth checking out if you're in the area.