Ben and I in Helsinki |
I arrived in Helsinki late Thursday afternoon and we spent the rest of the day wandering around the city. The days in Helsinki are getting longer so the sun doesn't set until around 10:30pm and rises at around 4:30am. It definitely took some getting used to as I never realized how late or early it actually was. We had a late dinner and then began to walk around the water. The city of Helsinki includes many small islands so the majority of the city is surrounded by water, allowing for many great walks and views. Thursday night we stopped at Cafe Regatta, to have some dessert by a fire pit overlooking the water. The cafe is a small and cozy red cabin well known for their Finnish pastries and coffee.
Sunset in Helsinki around 10:30pm! |
We ended our night at the Sibelius Monument. Jean Sibelius was a Finish Composer during the twentieth century. His monument was designed by Eila Hiltunen in 1967 and is an abstract piece. Consisting of more than 600 tubes in varying sizes, it is meant to showcase the flow of music.
Sibelius Monument at night |
Friday, with Ben at work, I set out to explore the city on a route that was planned out for me the night before. I started at the Helsinki Cathedral, or Tuomiokirkko, but most well known as the White Church. The Lutheran Cathedral was completed in 1852 and was originally built as a tribute for the Grand Duke of Finland, a Russian Tsar. The Cathedral is a distinctive landmark that can be seen throughout the city. It is in the shape of a Greek Cross and is well known for its five green domes that pierce the skyline. I then headed down the street to the city market, where stands sold everything from Finnish Sweaters, fresh fish, handicrafts, food and most importantly all things reindeer!
The White Church |
From the market I jumped on a 15 minute boat ride and headed to Suomenlinna, a sea fortress built on six islands off the coast of Helsinki. It was built in the mid 1700s during the Swedish reign as a way to protect the mainland from invaders. While there I was able to visit the Military Museum and wander around the fortress, which now houses many little cafes and parks. However, my favorite part of Suomenlinna was the boat ride as it allowed me great views of Helsinki and the tiny islands that dot the sea!
En Route to Suomenlinna, a small Island |
Once back on the mainland I headed over to the Uspenski Cathedral, the Russian Orthodox Church. Built in the late 1800s it was modeled after a church just outside of Moscow. The outside consists of 13 onion shaped domes and although more modest looking the inside is spectacular! It was very ornate, with chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceilings, every inch of the walls covered and many lavishly decorated icons were on display throughout.
The Uspenski Cathedral |
After a quick lunch, I made my way to the Rock Church, a Lutheran church that was opened in 1969. The church was built by excavating the bedrock. The oval shaped church's walls are natural rock and the ceiling is a copper dome, with windows separating the two to let in enough sun in to light up the Church naturally.
Inside the Rock Church |
Having filled my day, I headed back to meet Ben. We were able to enjoy the nice weather and sit outside for a little. After dinner we joined some of his friends, who were watching the Finland vs. Austria Ice Hockey Game. While I was in Helsinki the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship was going on. Therefore, Helsinki was teeming with Ice Hockey fans, especially those from Russia, as Russia and Finland have quite the rivalry.
Saturday Ben and I headed to Seurasaari, an open air museum on one of the islands. The museum, situated in a park, consists of over 80 different houses and buildings. Every region of Finland is there allowing for a good representation of their countryside life from the 17-1900s. To get there we took the scenic route and island hopped by foot. Before we left we picked up some traditional Finnish pastries, with cardamon and cream to enjoy on the way. In the afternoon we hopped on the bus and returned to the city center to explore some more. That night we headed to a traditional Finnish restaurant where I tried sauteed reindeer, mashed potatoes and lingonberries.
On our walk to Seurassari |
An old church in Seurassari |
Sunday morning I had an 8am flight to return to Lugano to take on my last week as an graduate student! Being able to meet up with Ben was great, as we haven't been able to see each other in a while. It was so nice to catch up, see where he calls home and explore the beautiful city of Helsinki!
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