Helsinki is famous for its pastel-coloured Art Nouveau buildings and world-class modern design. From cafés and churches to amazing architecture and interior design, here are the 10 most Instagrammable spots in Helsinki!
Surrounded by pastel-coloured and yellow brick buildings, the Senate Square is the jewel of Helsinki’s architecture. Designed by the German architect C.L. Engel, the Senate Square hosts the Helsinki University main building, the National Library, and the bright, white Helsinki Cathedral with its turquoise domes – probably the most photographed sight in the city centre.
For Instagrammers interested in interior design, Artek’s flagship store in the city centre of Helsinki is the place to visit. Located opposite Helsinki’s historic department store called Stockmann, Artek has a vast collection of interior goodies. Here, you will find everything from fashionable golden lamps and pink sofas to several classics, such as Alvar Aalto’s wooden chairs.
Suomenlinna is an inhabited sea fortress built on six islands. A ferry to Suomenlinna leaves from the city centre of Helsinki and takes about 15 minutes to get there. There are 800 inhabitants on the island, where there is also a hostel as well as some cafés, restaurants, and museums. The fortress and beautiful seaside landscape offer plentyl of Instagram moments!
In Helsinki, there are many coffee shop options with nice colour palettes, design and most of all, food for Instagrammers. One of the best ones is Levain. Located in the somewhat Bohemian area of Punavuori, Levain makes a perfect Instagram spot not only due to its interior decor but also because of its amazing breads, breakfasts and pastries, such as pasteis de nata.
One of Finland’s most intriguing architectural features is the Temppeliaukio Church, which is built inside solid rock. Plans to build the church began in the 1930s, but the site was only completed in 1969. Temppeliaukio Church is designed by architects and brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. There is a copper dome surrounded by a skylight, allowing natural light to flood inside. The church also has great acoustics due to its practically unworked rock walls. Half a million people visit the church yearly, making it one of Helsinki’s most visited attractions.
For picture-perfect Insta-architecture, head to Huvilakatu in Helsinki’s Ullanlinna district. The 320-metre-long street was built between 1906 and 1910 and has stayed almost intact ever since. In Huvilakatu, a row of tall Art Nouveau buildings clad in pastel colours offer some pretty amazing material for Instagram images.
Built in 2012, Helsinki University’s main library, Kaisa-talo (Kaisa House), is an architecture lover’s dream not only for the building’s architectural features, but also because the view from its windows offer perfect opportunities for some serious Instagramming. Just remember that this is a University Library, which means reading is pretty serious, and no nonsense noise is allowed!
The Sibelius Monument in Töölö district’s Sibelius Park was very photogenic even before the times of Instagram. Designed by Eila Hiltunen, the monument commemorates Finland’s most famous composer, Jean Sibelius. Aiming to capture the essence of Sibelius’ music, the structure consists of a series of more than 600 hollow steel pipes that form a wave-like pattern.
Helsinki’s Uspenski Cathedral dates back to the 1860s when Finland was governed by Russia. It is the main cathedral of the Finnish Orthodox Church in the diocese of Helsinki, and the cathedral is also said to be the largest Orthodox church in Western Europe. The red brick cathedral with turquoise domes is free to enter. Point to the ceiling and you will get some stunning Instagram images.
These two men carved in majestic stone are Finnish icons and located at Helsinki’s Central Railway Station. Designed by the world-famous sculptor and Art Nouveau master Eliel Saarinen, the statues now symbolise the whole of Finnish railway system, which is due to a successful appearance in recent TV commercials.
