The Hidden North
North European travel guide
self-guided walks
Historic Helsinki
Follow this self-guided walk for the historic centre of Helsinki, passing by some of the oldest buildings in the city as well as the classical neo-classic architecture.
What you get
Historic overview of Helsinki
Link to a Google Map that can be loaded into your phone for easier navigation
Clear directions with English & Finnish names of places, addresses, and step-by-step guides
Photos of each point of interest
This guide is 8 pages and comes in a PDF format.
Helsinki's Historic Centre
Despite the fact that Helsinki is the youngest of the Nordic capitals, it does not mean it is an interesting historic city to walk around. Founded in the 16th century by a Swedish King, Helsinki didn’t see major development until it became the new capital of Finland after Finland came under Russian rule. The Russians brought over an architect, C.L. Engel, to design the city in a beautiful neoclassical style. On this walk, you’ll see some buildings from before Russian times, but many buildings are from the early 19th century boom.
Trip Highlights
- See the oldest buildings in Helsinki
- Learn about Helsinki's growth as the capital of Finland
- See the beautiful neoclassical architecture that defined Helsinki in the 19th century
Distance
1.5 km (0.9 miles)
Activity Level
Level 1 – Easy, flat paths and no stairs (unless you walk up to Uspenski Cathedral).
Start Location
Market Square
End Location
Svenska Teatern
Itinerary
This is a summarised itinerary. More stops are included in the walk.
Russian Eagle Monolith
This monument is the oldest public monument in Helsinki and was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel. You will hear his name a lot; he was the one employed by the Russians to build the new capital Helsinki.
Helsinki Cathedral
Helsinki City Hall was constructed originally in 1833 as a hotel and cultural facility. The building was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel in the distinctive neo-classical style. The hotel moved out in 1913, after which it became a city hall.
Presidential Palace
The Presidential Palace is the official residence of Finland’s president. The building was originally constructed as a residence for a merchant, Johan Henrik Heidenstrauch.
Uspenski Cathedral
Uspenski Cathedral was completed in 1868 and serves the Finnish-speaking Orthodox congregation. It is believed to be the largest orthodox church in Western Europe and was completed using 700,000 bricks.
Oldest Custom House
This yellow building tucked away is the historic customs and packing house from 1765.
Sederholm House
The Sederholm House is a stone house from 1757, making it the oldest building in central Helsinki. It was built for a Swedish merchant. Ever since 2015 the free Helsinki City Museum has been located inside the building.
Senate Square
Once Helsinki was established as the new capital of Finland, Senate Square became the main square. The buildings here are designed by Carl Ludvig Engel in the distinctive neo-classical style.
Before this became Senate Square, this was a graveyard with a church called the Ulriika Eleonora Church. When it was designated as the new centre of Helsinki, all the historic buildings as well as the church were torn down. The graves were not moved, so the graves from the 17th and 18th centuries are still under the square. Even in the 2000s, bones have come up in connection with construction work.
Helsinki Cathedral
Helsinki Cathedral is the main Lutheran Church of Helsinki.
The Esplanade
The Esplanade is a public park and esplanade designed by architect Carl Ludvig Engel during his construction of Helsinki around 1818.
Svenska Teatern
You have now made it to the end of the Esplanade, where the Swedish Theatre is. The first theatre to be constructed on this site was completed in 1825 and was a small wooden theatre.
Example of what the guide looks like.