Walking route in historical Kruununhaka and Katajanokka 

Jäänmurtajien postilaatikot

Lighthouse ship Relandersgrund is a delightful floating bar, restaurant and cafe.

Allas Sea Pool

Sights and Attractions

SkyWheel Helsinki

Flying Cinema Tour Of Helsinki

Market Square

Old Market Hall

Enjoy free concerts at Espa Stage in summertime

Things to do & see in the area

Sights on map

The Senate Square and its surroundings form a unique and cohesive example of Neoclassical architecture. The square is dominated by four buildings designed by Carl Ludvig Engel (1778-1840): Helsinki Cathedral, the Government Palace, the main building of the University of Helsinki and the National Library of Finland. A statue of Alexander II (1894) stands in the middle of the Senate Square. 

Helsinki Cathedral is arguably Finland's most famous and photographed building. The oldest stone building in Helsinki is the Sederholm House located on the southeast corner of the square. Today the building hosts the Helsinki City Museum. The Esplanade park and the Market Square are just a block away.

The Senate Square also hosts a sound installation called the Sound of the Senate Square. It is a modern version of the European glockenspiel and can be heard every day at 17.49 as it travels from one building to the next. The composition runs for 5 minutes 18 seconds and is composed by Harri Viitanen and Jyrki Alakuijala.

1. Senate Square

The Cathedral, by Carl Ludvig Engel, rising on the northern side of the Senate Square is the stage of national and academic festive services and one of the most popular tourist sights. The church is part of Helsinki's  Empire era centre and a landmark for those arriving by sea. It has become the symbol of the whole of Helsinki. Earlier called St. Nicholas Church and Great Cathedral, the current main church of the Helsinki Diocese was completed in 1852. Sculptures of the twelve apostles guard the city from the roof of the church. 

Exhibitions at the Crypt (Kirkkokatu 18), in summer also a souvenir shop Cathedral Shop.

2. Helsinki Cathedral

The Government Palace is located beside Senate Square. The building was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel for the use of the Senate that had its seat in Helsinki, the administrative centre of the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, which later became the capital of Finland. The building facing the Senate Square was completed in 1822.

Today the Government Palace houses some departments of the Prime Minister's Office, some departments of the Ministry of Finance, and the Office of the Chancellor of Justice.

The Government Palace is not open to the public.

3. The Government Palace

The Main Building of the university, designed by Carl Ludvig Engel, was completed in 1832. It is located next to the Senate Square in the heart of Helsinki's neoclassical centre, facing the Cathedral and the Government's Palace. The Fabianinkatu side was completed in 1937, before the war. The architect was J.S Sirén, who also designed the Parliament House.

Today Helsinki University consists of 11 faculties and almost 40 000 students spread across four different campuses.

4. University of Helsinki, main building

The area known as Torikorttelit consists of three oldest blocks in the heart of Helsinki, right by the sea. This neoclassical part of the city has turned into a buzzing complex of cafes and restaurants, atmospheric courtyard terraces and street-level shops through a revitalisation project. The area hosts the Helsinki City Museum, a cinema al-fresco, a speakeasy, a vinyl shop, a brewery, a hip pizzeria, a 100-year old hat shop - to mention some.

A layer of new life has been added to the old town feel. 

Stroll, explore, enjoy!

5. Torikorttelit

Kino Engel is a  movie theatre with two auditoriums on Sofiankatu in Helsinki.

6. Kino Engel

The most beautiful outdoor summer movie theatre in Helsinki invites you to a balmy summer evening at the inner yard of Cafe Engel. Drinks and sweet and salty snacks are available from Cafe Engel. The films are subtitled in Finnish and Swedish (unless otherwise specified).

7. Kesäkino Engel, outdoor summer movie theatre

The Swedish-born architect G. T. Chiewitz draw the neo-gothic plan for the palace and it was was completed in 1862, suitably for the Diet of all four estates in 1863. The inside decoration of the palace is largely contemporary with the palace itself.

The festive premises of the House of Nobility can be rented out for events that require a special setting in a unique location, eg. concerts, seminars as well as corporate and society events.

8. House of Nobility (Ritarihuone)

Pehr Granstedt made the original drawings for the Presidential Palace at the beginning of the 1800s. Originally built as a residence and business premises for merchant J.H. Heidenstrauch, the building was completed in 1820. In 1837 the building was sold and was then replanned by architect C.L. Engel for official use for the Russian Czar for his visits to Helsinki.

The building has served various purposes throughout its history. Since Finland's independence the building has served as the official residence of the President. Today the official residence of the President is Mäntyniemi in the Meilahti district, near Seurasaari Island. The Presidential Palace contains the Office of the President of the Republic and the premises are used by the President for official functions and receptions.

There are not guided tours organized at the Presidential Palace for the moment.

9. Presidential Palace

The Main Guard Post was designed by architect C.L. Engel and it was completed in 1843. Its functions included guarding the former Imperial Palace, today the Presidential Palace. 

Nowadays the Main Guard Post is used by the Helsinki garnison.

10. Main Guard Post

Completed in 1868 in the Katajanokka district of Helsinki, the Uspenski Cathedral is the largest orthodox church in Western Europe. With its golden cupolas and redbrick facade, the church is one of the clearest symbols of the Russian impact on Finnish history.

11. Uspenski Cathedral

Katajanokka Park was created in 1897 based on the designs of City Gardener Svante Olsson. The view from the park up to Uspenski Cathedral with its golden cupolas is itself magnificent. In 2014 the park was renamed Tove Jansson Park, celebrating the 100th anniversary since the birth of Tove Jansson, artist and author of eg. the famous Moomin books.

12. Tove Jansson Park

The lightship Relandersgrund at the Meritullintori quay is a floating cafe and bar, open from May to October.

A nice seaview towards Korkeasaari island as well as over the Uspenski cathedral, along the shoreline of Katajanokka to the ice breakers and also towards the old wooden ships at Halkolaituri quay.

A wide selection of beverages, also some snacks available.

13. Lightship Relandersgrund

At Tervasaari island, which is a popular recreation area next to the city centre, you can find eg. restaurant Savu, a kid's playground, a dogpark with a designated swimming beach for dogs, a summer theatre and a rug washing pier.

Tervasaari can be reached by foot from Pohjoisranta.

14. Tervasaari

Sneak in through the yellow gate and revel in the atmosphere of the 1860s in the oldest surviving wooden house in Helsinki.At the Burgher's House Museum, you can experience everyday life and living in a house of the bourgeois in the Kruununhaka district of the 1860s and 70s. 

Part of the Helsinki City Museum.

15. Burgher's House Museum

The House of the Estates, designed by Architect Karl Gustav Nyström, is located in the vicinity of Senate Square and stands opposite the Bank of Finland. The House of the Estates, built between 1888 and 1890 for the three common estates as a venue for meetings during the Assembly of the Representatives of the Estates, was inaugurated in January 1891. This dignified Neo-Renaissance building serves today as a venue for meetings and official functions held by the Prime Minister's Office and other offices of the central government.

16. House of the Estates

The National Archives guides the archives and records management of the central government administration and acts as a national central agency and research and development centre in its field of expertise. 

The oldest section of the National Archives building was designed by architect C.G. Nyström and completed in 1890. The building has since been extended. The statuary group of three women on top of the old building was sculpted by C. E. Sjöstrand (1828-1906) and symbolizes Finland standing in the middle surrounded by the goddesses of historical research and writing. The oldest document on Finland preserved in the archives dates from 1316. The archives are open to the public.

17. National Archives of Finland

Walking route: Southern Helsinki shores

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Travel back in time and discover the history of Helsinki in Kruununhaka and Katajanokka districts....