Monday, August 26, 2024
After breakfast this morning, I had time to take some photographs of the unique GLO Hotel Art. Then, at 8:30, Elisabeth, our guide for the day met a small group (six) of us in the lobby. We boarded a van and Elisabeth narrated as we drove to our first stop.
—— GLO Hotel Art ——
Our first stop was the Sibelius Monument sculpted by Eila Hiltunen and titled “Passio Musicae.” Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) is regarded as Finland’s greatest composer noted for the seven symphonies that he composed. He helped the country fortify its national identity while struggling against Russification in the late 19th century. Although the sculpture which was unveiled in 1967 is an abstract, it has sparked debate because it resembles stylised organ pipes and Sibelius composed little organ music. A small sculpture of Sibelius’ face sits on a rock wall near the main sculpture.
—— Sibelius Monument ——
Our next van stop was Temppeliaukio Church, commonly called Church of the Rock. The church interior was excavated and built out of solid rock and has an overhead copper dome surrounded by slatted skylights that let in natural light. Due to the excellent acoustics of its rock walls, this unique church is frequently used as a venue for musical concerts.
—— Church of the Rock ——
Our next stop was the Helsinki Central Library, referred to as Oodi. This public library opened in 2018 and has an impressive futuristic exterior design with a sleek modern Finnish-style interior. Elisabeth led us through the three floors. The library not only houses books but offers robot librarians, soundproofed music studios with instruments, video production facilities, 3D printers, a gaming area, a movie theater, cooking labs, meeting rooms, a cafe, and more. The Citizens’ Balcony on the third floor overlooks Kansalaistori Square, a green gathering area surrounded by other civic buildings including the Parliment House, the Music Center, and the Convention Center.
—— Oodi ——
—— Kansalaistori Square ——
Parliament House
Helsinki Music Center
Findlandia Hall (Convention Center)
Next, we were vanned to Senate Square dominated by the Helsinki Cathedral. During our visit, the upper part of this evangelical Lutheran church (completed in 1852) was being renovated. The square with a statue of Emperor Alexander II in its center, was bustling with activity. Unfortunately, our stay was brief and we hurried back to the van to be transported to our final stop of the morning.
—— Senate Square ——
Helsinki Cathedral
Our final morning stop was at Market Square called Kauppatori in Finnish that borders the Baltic Sea. This area was familiar because we had ridden by it yesterday on the bus ride from the ferry terminal to the hotel. Now, it was buzzing with activity and numerous vendors were selling food and souvenirs from booths. Lots of leisure activities were offered including a public sauna, a Ferris wheel, sailboat and ferry rides, etc. Jeff and I were the only ones of our group that signed up for the afternoon ferry ride to Suomenlinna so Elisabeth pointed out the appropriate terminal to meet her at our departure time of 2 pm. The rest of our group rode the van back to the hotel.
—— Kauppatori (Market Square) ——
Jeff and I had some time to wander around and investigate the area. We walked through Old Market Hall then purchased lunch from a food booth and ate under a tent before reporting to the ferry terminal to meet Elisabeth. There, Elisabeth purchased our ferry tickets at a kiosk and joined us during the 15-minute trip to Suomenlinna.
—— Old Market Hall ——
—— Ferry Ride to Suomenlinna ——
Suomenlinna is a sea fortress contructed by Sweden in the 18th century to protect against Russian expansionism. The fortress and the country of Finland were occupied by Russia in 1908 but the fortress became the property of Finland when it declared its full independence in 1917. Today, Suomenlinna, composed of eight islands, is a popular retreat for both tourists and locals.
After we disembarked from the ferry, Elisabeth led us to a visitor center where she purchased our tickets for a walking tour with a local guide. Suomenlinna is the only place in Finland where guides are required to be local and to receive specific training. At this point, we said our goodbyes and thank-yous to Elisabeth and she headed back to Helsinki.
Our local guide walked a large group of us around a portion of the island reviewing the history of the fortress and describing specific features. After the tour ended, Jeff and I continued walking, making a big loop along the coast observing its fortifications and cannons before cutting back across the main island to visit a small museum. From there, we headed back to the visitors center where we decided to take a coffee break.
We then walked back toward the ferry terminal past the Suomenlinna Church, an Eastern Orthodox garrison church whose central dome also serves as a lighthouse. The church fence is contructed of cannon barrels and chains because nothing says “love thy neighbor” like artillery. From there, we found a restaurant and enjoyed a beer on a private deck before returning to the ferry terminal. While waiting for the next ferry, we walked on a pathway along the northern coast facing Helsinki and were shortly stopped by a television crew filming for a local program. Eventually, we boarded the ferry and returned to Helsinki.
——— Suomenlinna ——
After disembarking, we decided to walk through Esplanade Park with the hopes of finding a place to dine before returning to the hotel. The park is a popular gathering place and upon entering, we passed a stage with a speaker and a crowd gathered around. We walked through the tree-lined park enjoying its numerous well-cultivated flower beds. At the end of the park, we recognized the area where we had eaten last night. Tonight, we elected to eat at Alexander Plats. This was a rather upscale restaurant, white tablecloths and all, but we enjoyed a fine meal before walking back to the hotel.
—— Esplanade Park——
—— Our Dinner Restaurant ——
