Finland was inhabited when the last ice age ended, approximately 9000 BCE. From the late 13th century, Finland gradually became an integral part of Sweden through the crusades and the Swedish colonization of coastal Finland. In 1809, Finland was incorporated into the Russian Empire. Following the 1917 Russian Revolution, Finland declared itself independent. It joined the United Nations in 1955 and established an official policy of neutrality. Today, Finland's population of 5.5 million is concentrated in the southern region. It is the eighth-largest country in Europe and the most sparsely populated country in the European Union. Finland is a top performer in numerous metrics of national performance, including education, economic competitiveness, civil liberties, quality of life, and human development.
We arrived in Helsinki this morning around 8:30 and took a morning bus tour of the city. Helsinki is the capital of Finland with a population of 642,045, making it the third largest city in the Nordic countries. Below are some of the things we saw while we visit the city:
The Sibelius Monument is dedicated to the Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius (1865–1957). It consists of a series of more than 600 hollow steel pipes welded together in a wave-like pattern to visually depict the essence of the music of Sibelius. Finlandia is his most famous composition.
Many people did not like the abstract monument so the monument committee requested the addition of a figurative element to satisfy the public.
The Baltic Sea that stretches between Finland and Sweden is especially prone to becoming blocked by ice. The task of clearing the ice “fairways” or sea routes for the cargo ships is the job of the icebreakers (the white ships in the background).
Helsinki Cathedral is the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral originally built from 1830-1852. About 72% of the people in Finland are Lutheran.
Uspenski Cathedral is an Eastern Orthodox cathedral in Helsinki built from 1862–1868. It claims to be the largest orthodox church in Western Europe.
Havis Amanda is a statue in Helsinki’s Market Square erected in 1908. She is a mermaid who stands on seaweed as she rises from the water. She is depicted leaning backwards as if to say goodbye to her element. The sculptor’s intention was to symbolize the rebirth of Helsinki.
By 5:00 pm, we were back at sea after our quick but lovely visit to Helsinki. Tomorrow morning, we arrive in St. Petersburg, Russia for a two day stay.
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