Mannerheimintie

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Mannerheimintie in the city centre, near its start

Mannerheimintie and apartment buildings of Meilahti (left) and Laakso (right), some 3-4 km north from Erottaja

Mannerheimintie, or Mannerheimvägen (in Swedish), named after the Finnish military leader and statesman Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, is one of the most famous streets in Helsinki, Finland. It was originally named Heikinkatu, after Heikki Rehbinder, but was renamed after the Winter War. The change of name was also suitable due to Mannerheim having paraded in along that road during the Finnish Civil War, after German forces allied with Mannerheim's Finnish forces had retaken the city. That event is also portrayed in the landmark statue of Mannerheim sitting horseback. The statue is located along the Mannerheimintie just outside of the modern arts museum Kiasma.

The street starts at Erottaja in the city centre, near the Swedish Theatre and the Stockmann department store. It then continues as a main thoroughfare past the districts of Kamppi, Töölö, Meilahti, Laakso and Ruskeasuo, until it finally merges into a highway leading outside the city towards Hämeenlinna and Tampere.

Many famous buildings are located at or near Mannerheimintie. Besides the theatre and department store mentioned above, these include the House of Parliament, the main post office, the Kiasma modern art museum, the Finlandia Hall, the National Museum and the Helsinki Opera House.

[edit] Trivia

Mannerheimintie is the subject of two well-known trick questions about Helsinki:

• Q: Where is Mannerheiminkatu located in Helsinki?
  A: Nowhere. It is named Mannerheimintie. There are streets named Mannerheiminkatu in other Finnish cities, though.
• Q: How many streets run across Mannerheimintie in Helsinki?
  A: One, Nordenskiöldinkatu. All other streets connecting with Mannerheimintie either end at the street or continue across it with a different name. However, Tilkanvierto street runs below it in an underpass at Mannerheimintie 158–160.
• Mannerheimintie is usually falsely attributed as the longest road in Helsinki, however, that title belongs to the less famous Hämeentie.

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