103. Regional Travel #1.4 - Senate Square and Helsinki churches
Helsinki has a vibrant and tourist-friendly downtown area. The city has a modern, compact feel with most of the architecture dating to the 19th and 20th centuries. There are no tall skyscrapers to obstruct the views, and the entire downtown area is located within five or ten blocks of the Gulf of Finland.
The central square is known as Senate Square. Buildings here include the Government Palace and part of the University of Helsinki, but the block is dominated by the Helsinki Cathedral. This large church was built in the 1830s-1850s in honor of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia, who was also the Grand Duke of Finland. It belongs to the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran church, so the architecture is very different from the typical Russian church. The interior of the church is relatively plain, but the crypt one level down is most interesting. Because the church is built on a hill, the crypt opens up to the street level on the opposite side of the building from Senate Square. The crypt does not appear to have any tombs, but is currently used for art exhibits. The exhibit during our visit focused on the range of output from Aleksander Lindeberg, a Finnish artist who had a remarkably varied career.
The Uspenski Cathedral is a few blocks to the east of Senate Square. It's almost as prominent in the city's skyline as the Helsinki Cathedral, due to its location high up on a hill. In fact, it is the largest Orthodox Cathedral in Western Europe. The exterior design is magnificent, but the doors were locked when we arrive so a tour of the interior will have to wait for my next visit to Helsinki.
A short walk to the west of Senate Square, the Kamppi Chapel of Silence is located right in the middle of downtown Helsinki, in a square next to a shopping mall and within a few blocks of the train station and several art museums. The simple, organic design creates a nice refuge to escape the noise and bustle outside. Honestly, it wasn't that silent inside when we visited because tourists were coming and going, but it did seem a peaceful place to rest for a short time.
A 10-minute walk north from Kamppi Chapel, the Temppeliaukio Church (also known as the Church of the Rock) is another spot popular with visitors to Helsinki. Even though it's an active church, they still charge an entrance fee for people who want to look around (apparently, even if you show up 10 minutes prior to closing time). The church was hewn out of the living bedrock in the 1960s which makes for an beautiful and surprisingly warm interior.
The central square is known as Senate Square. Buildings here include the Government Palace and part of the University of Helsinki, but the block is dominated by the Helsinki Cathedral. This large church was built in the 1830s-1850s in honor of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia, who was also the Grand Duke of Finland. It belongs to the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran church, so the architecture is very different from the typical Russian church. The interior of the church is relatively plain, but the crypt one level down is most interesting. Because the church is built on a hill, the crypt opens up to the street level on the opposite side of the building from Senate Square. The crypt does not appear to have any tombs, but is currently used for art exhibits. The exhibit during our visit focused on the range of output from Aleksander Lindeberg, a Finnish artist who had a remarkably varied career.
The Uspenski Cathedral is a few blocks to the east of Senate Square. It's almost as prominent in the city's skyline as the Helsinki Cathedral, due to its location high up on a hill. In fact, it is the largest Orthodox Cathedral in Western Europe. The exterior design is magnificent, but the doors were locked when we arrive so a tour of the interior will have to wait for my next visit to Helsinki.
A short walk to the west of Senate Square, the Kamppi Chapel of Silence is located right in the middle of downtown Helsinki, in a square next to a shopping mall and within a few blocks of the train station and several art museums. The simple, organic design creates a nice refuge to escape the noise and bustle outside. Honestly, it wasn't that silent inside when we visited because tourists were coming and going, but it did seem a peaceful place to rest for a short time.
A 10-minute walk north from Kamppi Chapel, the Temppeliaukio Church (also known as the Church of the Rock) is another spot popular with visitors to Helsinki. Even though it's an active church, they still charge an entrance fee for people who want to look around (apparently, even if you show up 10 minutes prior to closing time). The church was hewn out of the living bedrock in the 1960s which makes for an beautiful and surprisingly warm interior.
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