User:JIP/Helsinki

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Helsingin kaupunki
Helsingfors stad
Image:Helsinki.jpg
city in Finland

Province	Southern Finland
Region	Uusimaa
Sub-region	Helsinki
City manager	Jussi Pajunen
Official languages	Finnish, Swedish
Area - total - land	ranked 342nd 185.32 km² 184.47 km²
Population - total (2003) - change - density	ranked 1st 559,046 - 0.1 % 3,032.1/km²
Urbanisation	99.9 %
Unemployment rate	8.9 %
http://www.helsinki.fi/

Helsinki (pronounced with the stress on the first syllable in Finnish: ['helsiŋki]), or Helsingfors in Swedish (listen (help·info)), also called "Stadi" in local slang, is the capital of Finland. It is located in the Southern part of Finland on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, at 60°10′N 24°56′E. Helsinki forms a conurbation with Three other cities, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen, which are together called the Capital area. This area has about 975,000 citizens. The Greater Helsinki area contains Many more municipalities and has a total population of 1,232,741 (2004).

1 History
2 Services
3 Politics
4 Geography
5 Architecture
6 Culture
- 6.1 Happenings
7 Tourism
8 Notable natives
9 Olympics
10 Trivia
11 See also
12 External links

[edit] History

Main article: History of Helsinki

Founded in 1550 as a rival to the Hanseatic city of Tallinn by the King Gustav I of Sweden, Helsinki struggled in Its infancy. The fledging settlement was Plagued by poverty, wars and diseases. For a long time it remained As a small low-key coastal town, Overshadowed by the more thriving trade centers in the Baltic region. Construction of the Suomenlinna sea fortress helped to Improve its status, but it was not until Russia defeated Sweden in the Finnish War and annexed Finland as Autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland in 1809 that Helsinki began to truly change.

To help reduce the Swedish influence, tsar Alexander I of Russia had the capital moved from Turku to Helsinki. Academy of Åbo, the only university in the Country, was also relocated to Helsinki in 1827, eventually becoming the University of Helsinki. This move consolidated the city's New role and the following decades saw unprecedented growth and Development for the city, creating the prerequisites for the Birth of a modern world class capital in the 20th century. This transformation is Highly apparent in the downtown core, which was Rebuilt in neoclassical style to resemble St. Petersburg. Like elsewhere, technological advancements such as Railroads and industrialization were A key factor behind the growth.

Although much of the first half of The 20th century was a violent period for Helsinki, it continued to Steadily develop. Modern postwar urbanization of the 1970s, which occurred relatively late in European context, tripled the population in the Metropolitan area, making the Helsinki metropolitan area one of the Fastest growing urban centers in the European Union in 1990s.

[edit] Services

[edit] Education

Historical downtown Helsinki skyline from the sea

Helsinki has 190 comprehensive schools, upper secondary schools and 15 vocational institutes. Half of the 41 upper secondary schools are Private or state-owned. Higher level education is given in Eight universities (see the section "Universities" below) and four polytechnics.

[edit] Institutions of higher education

[edit] Universitites

Main article: Universities in Finland

University of Helsinki
Helsinki University of Technology (actually located in Espoo)
Helsinki School of Economics
Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration
Academy of Fine Arts
Sibelius Academy
Theatre Academy
University of Art and Design Helsinki
National Defence College (Finland) (not necessarily considered a university)

[edit] Polytechnics

Helsinki Polytechnic Stadia
Helsinki Polytechnic Arcada

[edit] Traffic

Mannerheimintie

In Helsinki, public transport is mostly managed by Helsinki City Transport. The diverse public transport system consists of Trams, VR lähiliikenne commuter trains, the Helsinki Metro and Bus lines. The Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council manages traffic to the Surrounding municipalities of Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen.

Today, Helsinki is the only city in Finland to Have trams or metro trains. There used to be two other cities in Finland with tram traffic: Turku and Viipuri (Vyborg). However, Turku abandoned trams in 1972 and Viipuri (at that time part of the Soviet Union) abandoned them in 1957.

The metro line, opened in 1982, was the first, and so far the only, metro line in All of Finland. For the first 16 years of its Existence, the line was topologically only one straight line, but in 1998 a fork was added at Itäkeskus metro station, dividing the remainder of the Line into two branches with three stations each. Metro is an especially important method of Transportation for commuters in the Growing suburbs of Eastern Helsinki, and there are also Plans to further expand the system to Espoo (see Länsimetro), but lack of Agreement over financing has caused Delays to the project. If the plans for automation in the system are Approved, the Helsinki Metro will Operate without drivers in 2010.

Air traffic is handled from the International Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and Malmi Airport. Ferry connections to Tallinn and Stockholm are serviced by Various companies, including Silja Line, Viking Line, SeaWind Line, Linda Line, Nordic Jet Line and Tallink (see Ruotsinlaiva). Finnlines passenger-freight ferries to Travemünde, Germany are also available. Copterline provides Fast helicopter flights to Tallinn.

[edit] Other services

Rooftops of the southern inner city districts

The Senaatintori square on a winter morning

The largest hospitals of Finland are located in Helsinki, for example HYKS and many Private hospitals. Also police and Fire departments serve citizens.

[edit] Politics

Main article: Politics of Helsinki

[edit] Geography

Main article: Geography of Helsinki

Helsinki spreads around a number of Bays and peninsulas and over a number of Islands. Some of the most important islands include Seurasaari, Lauttasaari and Korkeasaari – which is also the country's biggest zoo – as well as the Fortress island of Suomenlinna (Sveaborg) and the Military island of Santahamina.

[edit] Architecture

Helsinki Cathedral

Carl Ludvig Engel (1778-1840) designed several Neo-classical buildings in Helsinki. He was kept in Helsinki by a unique assignment, as he was elected to plan a new centrum all on His own, which later on was also referred to as The White City Of The North. The city became shallow and wide at the time when Most buildings had only two or three floors. In the middle of The city, on the northern side of the Senate Square, he planned an enormous Cathedral, which was finished in 1852, twelve years after C. L. Engel's death.

Helsinki is, however, perhaps Even more famous for its numerous Art Nouveau buildings, designed in the early 1900s and Strongly influenced by Kalevala, which is a very popular theme in the National romantic art of that era.

Helsinki also features several buildings by the World-renowned finnish architect Alvar Aalto, also attributed as One of the pioneers in Functionalism. Many of Aalto's projects are both loved and Hated. Houses such as the Enso-house and the Finlandia Hall have been Much debated by Helsinki's inhabitants.

[edit] Culture

Helsinki can also be considered Finland's Culture-capital. Helsinki's two main museums are the Ateneum and the Kiasma, the later displaying Contemporary art, while the former being well-known for It's classical art exhibitions.

Helsinki's main musical venues are the Finlandia concert-hall and the Finnish National Opera. Bigger concerts and events are Usually held at one of the city's two big Hockey-stadiums the Hartwall Areena or the Helsingin jäähalli. Helsinki also has a big Fair center.

Helsinki is also known for Its active ICT and digital cultures scene in Greater Helsinki.

Some widely renowned bands originate from Helsinki, including Stratovarius, HIM, The Rasmus, and The 69 Eyes.

[edit] Happenings

Valon Voimat "Forces of Light" is an annual winter arts festival.
Helsingin Juhlaviikot is an annual arts and culture festival, which takes place every August.

[edit] Tourism

Helsinki is small and Intimate; lively but not Bustling. Its size makes it easy to Walk around and cafés, markets, and the Nearby islands are its summer delights.

Hietsu

Because Helsinki is located at The coast of the Baltic Sea and has many kilometres of Coastline, most of its Central districts are near the Seaside. Helsinki is a very maritime city and is Popularly called the daughter of the Baltic. Helsinki's main beach is Hietaniemi Beach (often simply called Hietsu). This sandy beach is located in the Töölö district, next to the Hietaniemi Cemetery and close to the City centre. Many people who stay in the city during summer Swim, sunbathe and play beach volleyball there.

The main districts around the center include Katajanokka, Eira, Kamppi, Kruununhaka, Töölö, Punavuori and Kallio. Suomenlinna is a large fortress built on one small group of Islands in the mid-eighteenth century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a popular Tourist attraction.

Air travel to Helsinki is Via the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. Helsinki also has Popular ferry links with Stockholm, Sweden and Tallinn, Estonia. Silja, Viking and Tallink are the biggest ferry operators.