Helsinki, Finland: ITiCSE 2000 Conference
Havis Amanda, sculptured by Ville Wallgren, is the sensual symbol of
the Daughter of the Baltic Sea.
The Senate Square, close to the Market Square, was designed by the German-born
Carl Ludvig Engel. The buildings, in the neoclassical style, around this
square still bears faithful witness to the rebuilding project of the days
when Helsinki was chosen as capital in 1812. Helsinki's most prominent landmark is
St. Nicholas' Cathedral, aka Helsinki Cathedral, is on the northern side
overlooking the whole square. The eastern side is Finland's Government House,
the western side is University of Helsinki, and the southern side has the oldest
building in the square, the Sederholm Residence (1755-1757), which was
preserved during the rebuilding of Helsinki. In the middle of the square
is the monument of Czar Alexander II. When I was there, Helsinki is
celebrating its 450 year (1550-2000). The flags in the southern side
show this very well.
The Lutheran Cathedral of St Nicholas is also a project of Carl Ludwig Engel
and was completed in 1852.
The Uspenski Cathedral, which as designed by the Russian architect
A. M. Gornostayev and built in 1868, is located in an elevated position
on the little island of Katajanokka.
The Sibelius Monument, a work of Eila Hiltunen, is located north of
the Töölö quarter. The metal sculpture resembles organ
pipes, although Sibelius never composed any organ music.
Located in the Töölö quarter, this church was built in 1969
based on a design by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. This Lutheran church
is built in the bedrock, mostly underground. The walls are made of bedrock
and the ceiling is a copper disk, framed in an aura of daylight filtering
through from outside.
The white Olympic Stadium was built for the 1952 Olympics.
The central station was designed by Eliel Saarinen and completed in 1914.
The sides of the main entrance are four monumental torch-bearers, the work of
Emil Wikström.
This renowned white marble-clad Finlandia Hall was built to a design
of Alvar Aalto, 1962-1971.
Paavo Nurmi won nine Olympic gold medals and set 20 world records.
Suomenlinna, "the Gibraltar of the North," was the mightiest fortress in the
Baltic. Now, Suomenlinna is the name of a small group of small islands on
which the Swedes built a number of fortifications, bastions and small
harbors in 1747. Swedish called this place Sveaborg (i.e., The
Swedish Fort), and it was intended to serve as a protection for the
Swedish empire against attacks from the Russians. These islands were the
scene of many battles, both during the Russo-Swedish conflict and during
the Crimean War, when they were bombarded by the British. When Finland
gained its independence in 1917, they took the name of Suomenlinna, which
means The Fortress of Finland. In 1991, UNESCO included the
fortified complex of Suomenlinna in its list of the World's Historical
Heritage.
Here is a brief history of Suomenlinna:
| 1748 |
Construction begins under the command of
Augustin Ehrenvärd. The fortress is
given the name Sveaborg (in Swedish) and
Viapori (in Finish).
|
| 1808 |
The Finish war begins. The fortress surrenders to
the Russian army with almost no resistance.
|
| 1809 |
Treaty of Hamina. Sweden cedes Finland to Russia.
|
| 1855 |
Crimean War and bombardment of the fortress.
Anglo-French fleet bombards the fortress, which is
badly damaged.
|
| 1917 |
Russian revolution. Finland declares independence on
December 6, 1917.
|
| 1918 |
Fortress is given the name Suomenlinna. After the
civil war the fortress is a prison camp.
|
| 1919 |
Suomenlinna becomes a Finish garrison.
|
| 1973 |
Military period of the fortress ends. Suomenlinna is
handed over to civilian administration.
|
| 1991 |
UNESCO admits Suomenlinna to the World Heritage List.
|
| 1998 |
250th anniversary of Suomenlinna
|
Due to weather condition as can be seen in these images, my visit to
Suomenlinna was cut short. As a result, I missed many important sites
such as the tome of Commander Ehrenvärd and the museum that bears
his name.
Suomenlinna Church was formerly the Alexander Neveski Cathedral, built in
the Russian period 1849-1854, and gained its Lutheran appearance in the
1920s.
The Cutty Sark Tall Ship race was held on July 14 to July 17. More than
100,000 young sailors took part of this race. The race is unique.
The only condition is that half of the crew must be 15-25 years old,
and the grand prize, the Cutty Sark Trophy, will be won not by the fastest
ship but the ship whose crew has most contributed to cooperative spirit
and mutual understanding during the race. Other cities participating in
the race include Gdansk, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Flensburg.
Helsinki saw previous races in 1972 and 1988.
Turku is the oldest city of Finland and was officially founded in 1229.
Standing at the mouth of the Aura River, Turku has close links with Sweden,
and about 10% of its population are Swedish-speaking. Turku was Finland's
first capital, the seat of its bishop, and the city in which the first
Finnish-speaking university was founded.
The construction of Turku Castle was begun in 1280 when Finland was
subjected to administrative control by Sweden and the Governor of Finland was
Karl Gustav.
Turku's Cathedral is the city's oldest building. It dates back
from 1287, and has been restored and extended several times. The church has
a high tower rebuilt by the architect Engel after the destructive fire of
1827. Turku Cathedral celebrated its 700th anniversary on Saturday,
June 17, 2000.
This is the present chancel, formerly the apse Chapel of all Saints, was
constructed during the 1480s. It contains a number of tombs, including
those of the important late medieval bishop, Magnus Särkilahti
(d. 1500), and Knut Posse, Constable of Viipuri (Vyborg) castle, who died
the same year. The chancel acquired its present appearance in the
restoration after the Great Fire of Turku in 1827. The altarpiece, depicting
the Saviour on the Mount of Transfiguration, is the work of the Swedish
Court Painter F. Westin (1834); the frescos was painted by R. W. Ekman in
1850-1854; and, the silver baptismal font was installed 1986.
The Kankainen Chapel was built in 1655-1657 as the funeral vault for the
Horn and Kurki families from Kankainen. In 1867, the balsamized body of
Queen Karin Månsdotter, wife of King Erik XIV, was brought to the
chapel and placed in a new black marble sarcophagus. A few years later,
the stained-glass windows, the work of the Russian-born artist Wladimir
Swertschkoff, was installed.
The Tott Chapel, or Chapel of St Laurence, was built in the 16th century
under Bishop Lauri (Laurence) Suurpää, but was taken over after
the Reformation as the family vault of the Tott family. It now houses the
monument to Field Marshal Åke Tott and his wife Christina Brahe,
carved from white and black marble in 1678 by Peter Schutz. The paintings
decorating the chapel date from the 19th century.
Michael's Church was designed by Professor Lars Sonck. When he won the
design competition in 1894, Sonck was only a 23-year-old architectural
students. The church was consecrated in 1905. Michael's Church is older
than Michael's parish. The parish only dates back to 1921.
Jean Sibelius wore this when he was accepting Yale University's honor
PhD in music in 1914.
Suomen Joutsen is a training frigate.
Located just behind Suomen Joutsen is Klara. It had participated in the
landing of Normandy and now serves as a charter vessel.
Föri is Turku's speciality. It "sails" back and forth across the Aura
River from early morning to late at night. Free of charge, of course!
Located about 30+ miles north-east of Helsinki, Porvoo is the second oldest
city of Finland. The Porvoo river received its name in the 14th century
from the ground fortress built on Linnamäki, and it later became the
name of the town. The name Porvoo comes from Swedish word
Borgå (borg = castle, å = river). The fortress no longer
exists, however.
Porvoo is supposed to have been founded in 1346, but the exact year of
foundation is not know with certainty. However, it is known that Porvoo
is Finland's second oldest city.
After Finland's seven-hundred-year association with Sweden broke with the
War of Finland of 1808-1809 between Sweden and Russia, Finland was annexed to
Russia as an autonomous Grand Duchy. Russian emperor Alexander I
convened the Diet in Porvoo in 1809. The emperor ratified the religion
and the fundamental laws of the land and the rights of the estates on the
March 29, 1809, in the Porvoo Cathedral. This was a momentous event in
Finland's national development.
The Porvoo parish probably has its origin in the later half of the 13th
century, when the area has been settled after the second crusade to
Finland. However, it is not known whether a wooden church was first built
on the site. The oldest part of the present granite church has been dated
to the late 13th century or early 14th century. Some time during the 15th
century, the church was rebuilt. Unfortunately, no objects from the oldest
times remain, as the church has been plundered and burnt down several
times.
In 1508, the church ravaged by the Danes. In 1571 and 1590, the church was
burnt during the attack by the Russians. In the 17th century, the church
was repaired and richly furnished; but, during the Great Northern War, it
as burnt down again in 1708. The church was hit by a bomb without any
great damage in 1941.
The present galleries were built in 1760's. The church became a cathedral
in 1723, when the episcopal see was moved from Viborg to Porvoo.
The church ship was made by Karl Immonen and exhibited in 1990 instead of
an 18th century ship preserved in the National Museum.
Trade has been carried on for centuries under the black roofs of the red
ochre shore houses. German merchants of the Hanseatic league arrived
in their ships to the riverside at the end of the medieval times. The
ships loaded butter, dried fish, timber. tar and flax, among other things, and
unloaded exotic delicacies such as fruits, wines and spices. The shore
houses also served as intermediate depots of coffee and tobacco.
The river here is, of course, the Porvoo river.
Finland's national poet, J. L. Runeberg, enjoyed for breakfast a sweet
tart, baked by his wife Fredrika, with a snaps. The tart is baked of bun
and bread crumbs, moistened with punch and topped with apple jam.
The tart is still sold in many cafés of Old Porvoo. I took this
image at Tee- ja kahvihuone Helmi, presumably the best.
This is an exceptional sail-steamboat from the turn of the 19th century.
Now, it is a restaurant in marine surroundings.