Helsinki Cathedral, Helsinki (must see)
Helsinki Cathedral is an Evangelical Lutheran cathedral of the Diocese of Helsinki that was originally built from 1830-1852 as a tribute to the Grand Duke of Finland, Tsar Nicholas I of Russia. It was also known as St Nicholas' Church until the independence of Finland in 1917.
A distinctive landmark in the Helsinki cityscape, with its tall, green dome surrounded by four smaller domes, the building is in the neoclassical style. It was designed by the German architect Carl Ludvig Engel to form the pinnacle of Senate Square, which was also laid out by Engel.
Today, the cathedral is one of Helsinki's most popular tourist attractions. More than 350,000 people visit the church each year, some to attend religious events, but most to enjoy the beauty of the place. The church is in regular use for services of worship and special events such as weddings.
Tips:
- Plenty of steps to get to the cathedral's main entrance (no handrails, so be prepared). There are some wheelchair ramps if needed.
- Also worth a visit is an atypical café right under the cathedral (Cafe Krypta). Entrance is at the back on Kirkkokatu street or via elevator from the cathedral. Friendly staff, delicious pastries, and inexpensive coffee.
Opening Hours: Daily: 9:00-18:00
A distinctive landmark in the Helsinki cityscape, with its tall, green dome surrounded by four smaller domes, the building is in the neoclassical style. It was designed by the German architect Carl Ludvig Engel to form the pinnacle of Senate Square, which was also laid out by Engel.
Today, the cathedral is one of Helsinki's most popular tourist attractions. More than 350,000 people visit the church each year, some to attend religious events, but most to enjoy the beauty of the place. The church is in regular use for services of worship and special events such as weddings.
Tips:
- Plenty of steps to get to the cathedral's main entrance (no handrails, so be prepared). There are some wheelchair ramps if needed.
- Also worth a visit is an atypical café right under the cathedral (Cafe Krypta). Entrance is at the back on Kirkkokatu street or via elevator from the cathedral. Friendly staff, delicious pastries, and inexpensive coffee.
Opening Hours: Daily: 9:00-18:00
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Helsinki. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Helsinki Cathedral on Map
Sight Name: Helsinki Cathedral
Sight Location: Helsinki, Finland (See walking tours in Helsinki)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Helsinki, Finland (See walking tours in Helsinki)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Helsinki, Finland
Create Your Own Walk in Helsinki
Creating your own self-guided walk in Helsinki is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Seurasaari Island Walking Tour
Seurasaari is an island in Helsinki and is best known as the home to the popular Seurasaari Open-Air Museum. The museum provides an overview of life in the Finnish countryside by showcasing old, mainly wooden houses built in different eras. Some of these houses – once lived in by famous people in the Finnish history – were transplanted to Seurasaari island to become the part of the museum.
... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Helsinki Introduction Walking Tour
Helsinki was created as a trading town by Swedish King Gustav I in 1550, but it is believed that Swedish settlers had arrived here in the 1300s. Sometimes called the “Daughter of the Baltic,” Helsinki is a port town through and through. Its close connection to its Baltic neighbors, Sweden and Russia, has shaped its history for better and worse over the last 400 years. Both Finnish and Swedish... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Helsinki's Historical Churches
Helsinki features many impressive places of worship where you can enjoy a peaceful moment and admire the beauty of the religious buildings. Helsinki has two main religious denominations: Lutheran and Orthodox, but there are also some beautiful Anglican and German churches. Take this self-guided walking tour to see the most interesting religious buildings in the city.
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Helsinki's Architectural Jewels
Typified by Nordic minimalism and refinement, the architecture of Helsinki is shaped primarily by the early Neo-Classical style and a regional form of Art Nouveau, called Jugendstil. Still, it is the later work by modernist architect Alvar Aalto, as well as the thriving contemporary designs deeply rooted in nature and local craft, that give Helsinki, as well Finland in general, their current... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Finnish Souvenir Shopping Tour
It would be a pity to leave Helsinki without having explored its specialty shops and bringing home something truly original. We've compiled a list of gifts and souvenirs, all unique to Finland, that a visitor might like to purchase to reflect their visit.
The souvenirs include Sauna Bucket & Ladle, Finnish traditional music instrument, ryija rug, Finnish vodka made from Arctic-grown... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
The souvenirs include Sauna Bucket & Ladle, Finnish traditional music instrument, ryija rug, Finnish vodka made from Arctic-grown... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
Finnish Sweets and Pastries
The country of thousands of lakes and the magical homeland of Santa Claus, Finland is also a major producer of quality chocolate and many other sweet delights without which surviving long winter nights in this Nordic part of Europe would have been far too boring. Big on coffee, the Finns love their...
16 Distinctively Finnish Things to Buy in Helsinki
Shopping in Helsinki for an extraordinary range of tasteful and distinctive products is made simple and easy with the creation of a design district in the heart of the city which has many department stores, shopping centers, and boutique shops bunched together. The Finnish capital is a good city for...