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    Tourist Attractions in Finland

    The most interesting and beautiful tourist attractions in Finland. Photos and a brief description.

    About Finland

    Finland is a harsh northern country. Ecotourism is popular among travelers coming to this country. Finland is famous for its nature – numerous lakes, water channels, national parks. All this creates an excellent ecology in the country. The climate of the country allows tourists to travel all year round. In summer, tourists prefer to visit amusement parks and open-air museums. And in snowy winter, go to ski resorts or to the residence of Santa Claus.

    Many interesting places are located in cities. Museums, fortresses and castles, ancient religious buildings – the choice is incredibly large. The attractions are located not only in the capital. In the historical centers of small towns, such as Rauma and Porvoo, you can explore the old buildings. Many of them are magnificent examples of Scandinavian architecture.

    Top Cities to Visit in Finland

    Top Tourist Attractions in Finland

    Senate Square and the Cathedral (Helsinki)

    The main square of the country's capital. The basis of the architectural ensemble of the square is created by three buildings. One of them is the State Council building, on its facade there is the oldest clock in Finland. Nearby is the building of the University of Helsinki and its library. The Cathedral towers above them. Snow-white walls, five green domes and 12 statues of the apostles on the roof make the cathedral majestic and solemn.

    Senate Square and the Cathedral (Helsinki)
    Esplanade Park (Helsinki)

    Esplanade Park (Helsinki)

    The park is 400 meters long, with lime trees planted around the perimeter. It was founded in the 1830s. The undoubted decoration of the park are beautifully decorated luxurious flower beds. There are many monuments to famous and historical figures in the park. Cultural entertainment is represented by the Swedish Theater, as well as one of the oldest Kappeli restaurants. Artists of different genres perform on its stage every day.

    The fortress of Sveaborg (Helsinki)

    The impregnable bastions of the fortress city of Sveaborg are located on rocky islands near Helsinki. This place is under UNESCO protection. There are a large number of museums of various subjects in the fortress – a military museum, a customs museum, a museum of weapons, a toy museum. Guided tours of the submarine that participated in the Second World War. On two islands you can see the remains of military fortifications.

    The fortress of Sveaborg (Helsinki)
    Olafsborg Fortress (Savonlinna)

    Olafsborg Fortress (Savonlinna)

    The first fortress in the defense military of Finland, which was built taking into account protection from artillery shelling. Its construction began in 1475. Currently, it is a popular tourist destination, it has several museums of various subjects – from the history of the castle to Orthodox iconography. Opera festivals are held annually within the walls of the fortress. The event lasts about a month, it is attended by approximately 60,000 people.

    Abo Castle (Turku)

    One of the oldest castles in the country, located in Turku, was founded in the XIII century. The impressive size, as well as the durable material of the building – granite and brick, allowed the castle to be used not only for defense, but also as a prison or storage. The castle looks like a severe military fortification, it has a medieval atmosphere. But a solemn atmosphere has been created inside its walls, the halls of the castle are often rented for events.

    Abo Castle (Turku)
    Old Rauma

    Old Rauma

    The historical center of the city of Rauma. The city was founded in the XV century, but the very first buildings of the Old Rauma date back to the XVIII century. Most of the old wooden buildings burned down in fires. Interesting wooden buildings are the House of the sailor Christie and the house of the shipowner Marel. They house museum expositions. Rare stone structures are represented by the Church of the Holy Cross and the City Hall.

    Old Town of Porvoo

    A popular area of the city with buildings of the XVIII century. New buildings were erected here after the fire of 1760. Travelers are attracted by the flavor of the Middle Ages in cozy small courtyards and narrow cobbled streets. Especially interesting is a walk along the embankment of the Porvoonjoki River, surrounded by small brown-red wooden houses. Porvoo Cathedral is one of the most popular religious buildings in Finland.

    Old Town of Porvoo
    Sibelius Monument (Helsinki)

    Sibelius Monument (Helsinki)

    Dedicated to one of the most revered composers in Finland – Jan Sibelius. Sculptor Ayla Hiltunen has been working on the monument project for almost 10 years. It is a composition of 600 steel pipes. The music created by the wind creates an image of nature, which was often heard in Sibelius' compositions. The ambiguity of the monument is often criticized, while it is one of the most visited places by tourists.

    Temppeliaukio (Helsinki)

    One of the most unusual churches in the world. Its interior space is cut into the rock, and natural light penetrates into it through glass domes. Rough and untreated rocks create unusual acoustics in the church. The church organ has a 3001 pipe. One of the masses of the church in 2016 was held to music in the style of heavy rock. About half a million people visit the church every year.

    Temppeliaukio (Helsinki)
    Kamppi Chapel of Silence (Helsinki)

    Kamppi Chapel of Silence (Helsinki)

    The shape of the chapel resembles a wooden bowl without a handle. The interior walls are made of black alder, the exterior facades are made of spruce slats, the furniture is made of ash. The altar cross is silver. There is not a single window in the chapel. There are no services held in it, its purpose is to meet and talk in silence, away from the hustle and bustle of the world. Psychological assistance to parishioners is shown by both chapel attendants and social services staff.text

    Assumption Cathedral (Helsinki)

    The height of the cathedral is 51 meters. It was built at the end of the XIX century. The red brick walls are crowned with 13 gilded domes. The interior of the cathedral is made in the traditional Byzantine style. The columns are made of solid blocks of granite, arched arches decorated with paintings rest against them. The main drawing is made on the upper part of the vault and above the altar. The Holy Spirit is depicted in the middle, and the starry sky is around.

    Assumption Cathedral (Helsinki)
    Turku Cathedral

    Turku Cathedral

    Lutheran church, built in the XIII century in the Gothic style. The building has survived a severe fire, several reconstructions and alterations. Currently, the height of the arch of the main nave is 24 meters, and the height of the cathedral tower is 101 meters. The walls of the cathedral are decorated with frescoes, and the chapels are decorated with stained glass. The landmark of the cathedral is an organ with 81 registers. The church has a museum dedicated to the history of the Cathedral.

    Arktikum (Rovaniemi)

    A modern architectural complex, which includes a museum and a scientific center. A special feature of the building is a 172-meter-long glass atrium. It is called the "portal to the Arctic." The tunnel is located on the embankment of the Ounasjoki River. Its design uses natural materials typical of the region. Various exhibitions tell visitors about the culture and history of Lapland, nature and Arctic exploration.

    Arktikum (Rovaniemi)
    Athenaeum (Helsinki)

    Athenaeum (Helsinki)

    An art museum with the largest art collection in the country. The museum has collected more than 20,000 exhibits of various types of art – sculptures, graphics, paintings. The works of masters in the period from the middle of the XVIII century to the middle of the XX century are presented. In total, more than 4,000 paintings and about 700 sculptures are on display. The museum's collections contain paintings by famous artists – Repin, Van Gogh, Levitan, Chagall, Shishkin.

    Seurasaari (Helsinki)

    The island is an open-air museum. The houses and buildings of the museum are designed to introduce visitors to the lifestyle and traditions of the Finnish people. 87 buildings are collected from all over the country. There are among them examples of rural architecture of the XVII century, and the estates of wealthy peasants of the XIX century. The oldest building of the museum is a wooden church from the village of Karuna built in 1686. Every year the museum is visited by several tens of thousands of visitors.

    Seurasaari (Helsinki)
    National Museum of Finland (Helsinki)

    National Museum of Finland (Helsinki)

    It was built at the beginning of the XIX century in the style of romanticism of national architecture. The decoration of the building is a high cone-shaped tower. The museum's expositions tell about the history of Finland – from the Stone Age to the present. Most of the exhibits were found during archaeological excavations. The museum's collections are extensive in subject matter – coins, weapons, orders, jewelry, they tell about the culture and traditions of the country.

    Kiasma (Helsinki)

    Museum of Modern Art. It is considered one of the most visited in Finland. It was opened in 1998 and by now has collected a collection of works by masters of modernity from 4000 exhibits. Paintings, photographic works, video installations, spatial art objects are presented. The building itself attracts attention no less than the exhibits in its walls. Its architecture is interesting with curved lines, mirrored windows reflect the sun's rays.

    Kiasma (Helsinki)
    Turku Art Museum

    Turku Art Museum

    It is located in a romantic style castle with grey walls. The building is built on Puolalanmaki Hill. The museum has a rich collection of art objects – paintings, graphics and sculptures, works by foreign and Finnish masters. There is an exposition of wooden sculptures of the Middle Ages, collections of weapons, coins and old toys. The objects of art belong to different historical periods — from the Stone Age to the present day.

    Helsinki Central Station

    A world-famous example of Finnish architecture. The building was built in the Northern Art Nouveau style, the project was designed by architect Eliel Saarinen. The station was opened in 1919. The practical architecture of the modern building was decorated with interesting details. The clock tower is almost 50 meters high. The walls of the restaurant hall are decorated with paintings. Sculptures with lanterns in their hands were installed at the main entrance.

    Helsinki Central Station
    Old Indoor Market (Helsinki)

    Old Indoor Market (Helsinki)

    Founded in 1815, it is located on the embankment near the Shopping Area. Attracts the attention of not only tourists, but also gourmets of Helsinki. Gastronomic shops offer a large selection of dishes – both traditional products and delicacies from Lapland. In total, there are about 40 outlets on the market. Recently, for a large-scale reconstruction, the market was closed for more than a year.text

    Wood processing factory in Verla

    The industrial village of Verla has a unique atmosphere. The woodworking factory in it was founded in 1872, it is a UNESCO protected object. Now it is a real industrial museum. In it you can learn the history of the development of the timber industry of the country. The original factory buildings, factory machines and workers' houses have been preserved. Cardboard made at the factory was supplied to different parts of the world, even to South America.

    Wood processing factory in Verla
    Pyunikki Observation Tower (Tampere)

    Pyunikki Observation Tower (Tampere)

    It is located on the territory of a nature reserve in the city of Tampere. The tower was built on the top of the ridge in 1929. The height of the tower is 26 meters, so its observation deck is located at an altitude of 180 meters above sea level. It offers a beautiful view of the city and two lakes. There is a cafe on the ground floor of the tower. It sells delicious donuts, and local artists arrange exhibitions of their paintings in it.

    Lemmenjoki

    The largest park in Finland and one of the largest national parks in Europe. Its area is 2850 km2. Most of the park is occupied by impenetrable forest. There are more than 60 hiking trails in the places accessible to tourists. Trails lead to the main attractions of the park – Ravadaskengyas Waterfall, Lemmenjoki River valley, Ukonsaari Island. You can also try your hand at gold mining – there are gold mines in the park.

    Lemmenjoki
    Urho Kekkonen

    Urho Kekkonen

    A picturesque national park in the north of Finland. The main excursions start in the village of Saariselkja. About 180,000 tourists visit the park every year. Including families with children — there are resort areas for them on the border of the park zone, where you can even go skiing. The unofficial attraction of the park is the Korvatunturi Hill. As local legends say, Santa Claus lives on this hill.

    Coastal islands

    The National Park was founded in 1938 and is part of the UNESCO Nature Reserve. Its feature is an unusual landscape – several thousand islets and rocks. Large islands have a permanent population. Moose are interesting representatives of the animal world, seals and seals live in coastal waters. There are a number of attractions on the islands – stone and wooden churches, lighthouses and defensive structures.

    Coastal islands
    Lake Saimaa

    Lake Saimaa

    The largest lake in Finland is formed by eight reservoirs connected to each other. The area of the entire water surface is more than 4000 km2. There are about 13,000 islands of different sizes in the waters of the lake. Among the abundance of inhabitants, rare salmon forks and the endangered Saimaa seal can be distinguished. Dense coniferous forests grow along the banks. This is a great place to relax in nature.

    Saimaa Canal

    A 60 km long water channel connects the Gulf of Finland and Lake Saimaa. It has eight gateways, three of which are located in Finland, the rest in Russia. Both river and sea vessels can cruise along the canal. A boat trip along the Saimaa Canal is popular with tourists. This is a great opportunity to enjoy the nature of the coast, historical sites, monuments and attractions.

    Saimaa Canal
    Sapokka Water Park (Kotka)

    Sapokka Water Park (Kotka)

    A picturesque and well-maintained park in the city of Kotka, beautiful at any time of the year. The flowers in it are planted so that their blooms replace each other. The main feature of the park is the use of water as the main element of landscape design. Ponds, streams, waterfalls – create a special atmosphere. Natural stone is also used for the decoration of the park. Original compositions from it have repeatedly received awards at international competitions.

    Imatrankoski (Imatra)

    A water slide in the city of Imatra. Some admiring tourists call it the "Finnish Niagara". Until the 1920s, the waterfall was natural. However, the construction of the hydroelectric power station changed everything. Since then, the water from the reservoir has been descending strictly according to schedule – twice a day on Sundays in the summer. In honor of the descent of the water, sometimes they arrange a whole show with fireworks and musical concerts. Observation platforms are equipped to observe the flow of water.

    Imatrankoski (Imatra)
    Yuuteri Beach (Pori)

    Yuuteri Beach (Pori)

    The sandy beach in the west of the country is about 6 km long. It is popular not only with locals, but also with travelers. Large areas of shallow water warm up well, and the entry into the water is smooth. This is especially appreciated by vacationers with young children. For lovers of surfing and kiting, the Yuuteri Beach is one of the best places in the country. The waves here are not particularly high, but stable, which is especially valuable for beginners of these sports.text

    Syarkianniemi (Tampere)

    An amusement park of incredible size – its area is 50,000 m2. There are 34 attractions for any category of visitors. There are small play areas for kids, and 30—meter slides for adult extreme athletes. A separate entertainment area was created based on the Angry Birds game. In addition to attractions, Syarkianniemi Park has a planetarium, an oceanarium, a mini-zoo and the highest observation tower in the country.

    Syarkianniemi (Tampere)
    Linnanmaki (Helsinki)

    Linnanmaki (Helsinki)

    An amusement park located in the capital of the country. It has 43 attractions, slot machines, an oceanarium, an observation tower, cafes and restaurants. Popular Finnish artists perform on the outdoor stage in the summer. The annual number of visitors to the park is more than a million people. Wooden roller coasters are considered the most popular attraction. The carousel installed in Linnanmaki in 1896 still works in the park.text

    Joulupukki Village (Rovaniemi)

    The village of Joulupukki (Santa Claus, or Santa Claus) is located in Lapland, inside the Arctic Circle. Traditionally, it is believed that it is here that the Finnish Christmas grandfather permanently resides. This place is one of the most visited by tourists. There is a lot of entertainment in the residence of Youlupukki. There is a fabulous post office, a snowmobile museum, a reindeer farm. Guests are attracted to the "Ice World of the Snowman" zone with slides and ice sculptures.

    Joulupukki Village (Rovaniemi)
    Veio Renkkenen Sculpture Park

    Veio Renkkenen Sculpture Park

    The park is located in the forest thicket. All 500 concrete sculptures of the park were created by self-taught master Veio Renkkenen. The sculptor spent about 50 years creating the works. He depicted people, animals and fabulous creatures. Caricature figures evoke different emotions in visitors. Some people admire them, some call them ugly and creepy. But no one will remain indifferent. The entrance to the park is free, this is the wish of Veio Renkkenen himself.

    The Land of Moomins (Naantali)

    One of the best theme parks in the world, where you can immerse yourself in a fabulous atmosphere. In it, you can meet your favorite characters and look at their lives. The park is located on an island and represents the image of the Valley of the Mummy Trolls. It has a Moomin house and houses of other characters, a laboratory, talking trees. Artists play with children in the images of the heroes of Tove Jansson's books. There are performances on stage several times a day.

    The Land of Moomins (Naantali)