A city of islands
Helsinki is Finland’s capital, founded in 1550 by King Gustav Vasa of Sweden, and for much of its history the city was under either Swedish or Russian rule until Finland finally gained independence in 1917. Today, Helsinki is a blend of its various Eastern and Western influences, and it pulls off the trick of looking like an international metropolis while still feeling like a small town.
Its wide avenues are lined with buildings that echo centuries of architectural excellence from Gothic to Art Deco and cutting-edge contemporary design, and even the locals have their own unique sense of style. Not surprisingly, Helsinki was chosen as World Design Capital for 2012. Yet among all this urban modernity are abundant green spaces and parks scattered throughout the city.
Geographically, the city is spread across a cluster of promontories and peninsulas. The city centre is on the southern peninsula at the end of the city's main road Mannerheimintie, and the busy shopping streets of Aleksanterinkatu and Esplanadi both lead to Senate Square, the historical heart of the city.
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