Tourist Attractions & Monuments Finland

Beautiful old house of the Russian founder of the Koff brewery, a popular beer in Finland. Art lovers, Paul and Fanny Sinebrychoff collected European paintings (Flemish and Italian in particular) from the 17th^{and 18th} centuries. Since then, the collection has been enriched by donations of art from the 14th^{to the} 19th^centuries . The Sinebrychoff Museum is the only museum in the country with a collection of works by European masters from the ^14th to the early ^19th century. The collection includes Swedish, Italian and Flemish paintings (including a Rembrandt), as well as furniture, silverware, porcelain and a collection of over 400 miniatures. The museum's origins lie in the donation by Paul and Fanny Sinebrychoff of their private collection to the Finnish state in 1921. It can be visited in the rooms of their former residence. This collection has been supplemented by antique works of foreign origin from the Ateneum Museum. The Sinebrychoff Museum regularly presents temporary exhibitions that seek to combine European tradition with extra-European cultural expressions. But the most interesting feature is undoubtedly the succession of rooms furnished in styles spanning the centuries...

Also worth a visit: the Sinebrychoff park, a popular picnic spot in season, but also popular with sledging enthusiasts in winter (a hill with a perfect descent on laiskianen day, Finnish Mardi Gras) and the adjacent Café Fanny.

Formerly a slaughterhouse in the Kalasatama industrial zone, originally built in 1933 and turned into a wholesale market in the 1990s, this red-brick building has now become an urban space managed by its residents, with a number of events organized by ordinary citizens in the courtyard throughout the year. There's now a brewery, a coffee roaster, restaurants of all kinds... In short, an alternative and popular place, symbolic of this city of Helsinki that never ceases to change and evolve with the times!

A relatively small museum in terms of size, but impressive in terms of the breadth of exhibits on display, especially when said exhibits come straight from the mysterious world of espionage! You'll have the opportunity to discover new and unsuspected facets of an opaque world, learn about famous spies and even try to solve some mysteries: cryptography, Morse code and the secret chamber. Please note that photography is not permitted during the tour. Don't forget to ask for the tour booklet in French (a rarity in Finland)!

Created in 1989, it extends over 5,000 ha, largely marine - 90% of the surface area -, there are no less than 600 islands and islets. Ornithologists and the simply curious will appreciate it. In addition to a wide variety of birds, deer and, if you are lucky, moose can be seen here. You can hike or go boating or canoeing. Campfires are available for grilling sausages, marshmallows or bivouacking.

Raseborg Castle was built in the 1370s. At that time it was built as the administrative centre of western Uusimaa to supervise navigation and trade in the Gulf of Finland. The heyday of Raseborg dates back to 1450-1460. The castle was abandoned in 1558 and remained deserted for more than 300 years until the first restoration began in the 1880s. Today it is the most important remains of the late 14th century. It is even the only Finnish example of an entirely medieval castle.

The narrow passage (at the pretty nickname of pike boyau) between the Tullisaari islands and Koppen was used as a shelter in the th century. It was a large natural port, where the vessels were coming to shelter during the storms and were harvesting drinking water. Sailors gravèrent their names on the rocks with their knives and even small stories: there are more than 640.

The Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas (1799-1801) is the oldest building in the town of Kotka. It was built according to the plans of one of the architects of St. Petersburg, Jacob Perrin, in a beautiful park and of neoclassical inspiration. It has cream tones on the outside and beautiful icons on the inside, including that of Archbishop Nicholas of Myre made at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. See also the icon dedicated to Alexander Nevski.

This beautifully painted church was founded in the early 14th century. A few medieval wooden sculptures have survived through the ages, such as that of the patron saint of the town of Saint-Laurent (15th century). Note the copper candelabra from the 17th and 18th centuries. The mortuary chapel near the belfry dates from 1824. Beautiful exterior facades in exposed stone. Inside, beautiful limewash paintings dating from the time of Bishop Arvid Kurki (1510-1522).

Hamina was born in the place of the old village. However, the victory of Russia in 1743 led to the annexation of the region. In turn, the Russians seek to defend their borders. Hamina is a stronghold of the first order. Sweden's final defeat in the 1808-1809 conflict led to Russia's annexation of the whole of Finland. Russia's independence in 1917 ushered in a new era for the town. The quality of preservation of the ramparts (4.5 km accessible on foot) deserves a walk.

The desire of Consul Alfred Jacobsson and his wife Hélène to preserve their home in its original state to illustrate the life of the upper classes in Turku a century ago led to the creation of the very special Ett Hem Museum. One will appreciate the refined and original painted wooden furniture, typical of the region. The museum's collection also includes books by artists and sculptors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as objects typical of the bourgeois interiors of the time.

One of the liveliest museums in Turku. It houses more than 700 instruments (16th-20th centuries), including some rare pieces and important archives of the great composer Sibelius, who has a whole section devoted to his work. The aim of the museum is to bring to life the history of Finnish music from the 18th century to the present day. For music lovers, this is the most comprehensive museum in the country! The advantages: concerts are given in a room with acoustics that are necessarily excellent for such a place (tickets from 4 € to 8 €).

An imposing building in the purest Art Nouveau style (1904) stands high above Vartiovuori Park. The first floor is devoted to temporary exhibitions featuring Finnish artists. Upstairs, it's more classical, with collections representing Finland's golden age in the ^19th and ^20th centuries, with works by Aleksis Gallèn-Kallela, Hugo Simberg, Wainö Aaltonen, and more contemporary artists such as Ellen Thesleff and Helena Schjerfbeck...

Turunlinna Castle was built in 1280 to defend the Hanseatic city of Turku. It is one of Finland's most important historical monuments. The passages, halls and chapels of the main castle bear witness to the fascinating history of Turku, Finland, Sweden and other Nordic countries.

The castle church dates back to the early ^18th century.

The powerful grey granite structure comprises two main buildings joined by two massive towers. On view is a large exhibition on the castle's chronology through the centuries, featuring medieval sculptures in the nuns' chapel and the Sturen church, royal visits, court pomp, the prison... Since 1881, the castle's secondary enclosure has housed a museum devoted to the history of the town and to popular arts and traditions between the ^17th and ^19th centuries. Also worth seeing is the collection of weapons and jewelry, as well as a series of beautiful period garments. Allow at least 2 hours for your visit, as the castle is huge (but you won't get lost, as many guides in medieval dress are on hand to help you). Children are not forgotten during the visit, with disguises available for them to play the squire. To better understand the history of the site and the town, we still recommend that you take the tour with a recommended guide. Audioguide in French (via smartphone). Temporary exhibitions. Café-restaurant on site.

Dating back to 1896, it features some 70 stalls selling fish, meats, cheeses, fruit and vegetables, pastries, ecological products and souvenirs. There are also numerous restaurants offering both international and Finnish cuisine. Among them, special mentions to Jascal TMII (Korean cuisine), Roots Kitchen (vegetarian cuisine) and Aschan (for its train carriages where you can sit and eat)! Ideal for a 100% local meal!

A slightly hidden tourist office, at the back of Turku's transport office (take a ticket from the machine at the entrance and wait to be called - it doesn't take long!). The friendly staff have a good stock of English-language documents, maps and other recommendations to help you organize your stay in Turku. Don't hesitate to ask their advice, especially on the best ways to get around and organize your stay. You can also buy the ritual local maps (transport and museums).

Aboard Finland's only remaining steamboat, you can explore the old town of Naantali (World of the Millennials, Ruissalo Island and Airisto). On beautiful summer evenings, you can also take part in a dinner and dance cruise to Loistokari Island. Night cruises in the middle of the summer are the best way to take full advantage of the long days, the scenery, the mild temperatures... We recommend it!

In this typical garrison house, you'll discover a preserved interior, an exhibition of weapons paintings and model ships. It's a small, short visit, but one that offers an unusual, period view of a relatively little-known side of Suomenlinna. There are also some fine ship parts on display. The building, however, is charming, as are the surroundings. A welcome break after a long day's sightseeing.

The painter's house-workshop, which he designed himself and which dates from 1913, is set in a park plunging towards the sea. An old red pine with tortured branches leans protectively over the roof of the sloping, wood-tiled house, backed by a white turret. A few steps across the road, on this little knoll in the forest, a charming white house with an openwork veranda houses a café and summer restaurant. The only false note is the freeway below, hidden by the forest but audible in the background. Regular temporary exhibitions.

Just a hundred meters from the Design Museum, the Museum of Finnish Architecture houses an extensive collection of archives and documents. Photographs, articles, books, models and films introduce visitors to the achievements of architects of the past (Eliel Saarinen, Herman Gesellius, Armas Lindgren) as well as those of more contemporary architects such as Alvar Aalto and Reima Pietilä. Plus: a play area for children.

Located behind the Lutheran cathedral, the small Orthodox church of the Holy Trinity is also Engel's work (like the palace of the Council of State, the library and the main building of the university...). More intimate and secret than Uspenski, the church is a real little jewel with its beautiful old icons and its typical gilding. In this small space, the masses take place in a magical atmosphere, probably due to the smoke of incense.

The museum collects the memories of Marshal Mannerheim, a true national hero. The Generalissimo was elected Regent of Finland in 1918 after the victory over the Bolsheviks. He will also lead the heroic resistance of the Finns against the Russians. Part of the furniture and exhibits came from his Warsaw home. Memories also of travels, many portraits of ancestors... Reconstructions of the St. Petersburg and Warsaw salons, made up of precious objects and rare pieces, complete the picture.

Owned by the Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation, the museum is located in the former home of its donors, in Kuusisaari, west of Helsinki. A successful banker and renowned art collector, Ane Gyllenberg (1891-1977) collected works by leading Finnish artists. The museum was renovated in spring 2013 and regularly transforms itself into a choice classical concert venue. Once a year, a temporary exhibition takes place here. A bucolic, pastoral visit as much as a real trip back in time!

Built in 1826 according to Carl Ludvig Engel's plans, this white wooden church has all the characteristics of the Engelian style: Doric pillars, high windows and a central cupola. Renowned for the quality of its organs still in use, especially during spiritual concerts, it remains one of the favourite places of worship for newlyweds. A plaque on its portal recalls that in 1710 two thirds of Helsinki's population died of the plague.

Built in 1763 for the merchant and magistrate Gustav Johan Bock, this is the oldest house in the district, and was restored to Engel's design in the early ^19th century. The building housed the town hall, was for a time the official residence of the Governor General (representative of Tsarist Russia), then a court of justice and a prison. Today, it houses the town's offices and ceremonial halls, as well as a number of small craft stores.

This art museum presents works from the "People of Helsinki" collection, as well as temporary exhibitions of exceptional quality. The permanent collection features a large number of paintings, while the temporary exhibitions are an integral part of the Biennial, highlighting major names on the contemporary art scene. The scenography is modern and inventive, and some of the HAM's 9,000 works can be found in the city of Helsinki. It's a great way to learn in the fresh air. A must-see!

The museum presents the history of the country's main industries (metal, chemistry, wood, construction, mining), but also communications, information technology and electrical energy. Ideal to understand the real passion of the Finns for technology. It is the only general technology museum in the country. It is located next to the small falls of the Vantaa River, since it is in an old hydraulic factory dating back more than 150 years.

The official residence of Urho Kekkonen, Finnish president from 1956 to 1981, was known as the center of Finland's political and governmental life. Tamminiemi remains furnished as it was in Kekkonen's time, and the museum houses a collection of Finnish art and gifts received from foreign visitors. It's a most interesting visit, offering a new insight into an often overlooked aspect of political and diplomatic life. Interesting temporary exhibitions are also organized.

An interactive and entertaining museum that is particularly entertaining for children, with its "children's city"! The "Children's City" (Lasten Kaupunki) is a museum created to raise children's awareness of art and culture in a fun way. This site reviews the history of Helsinki during the 18th century: children can discover the period streets by entering reconstructed shops and workshops, they can measure their strength by loading the cargo on a merchant ship, disguise themselves with period clothing, write on a board... Upstairs, there is a primary school dating back to 1930 with Mormon discipline and a house from the 1970s with games that will inevitably bring back memories for parents. But this museum is also highly appreciated by adults thanks to its very lively and surprising scenography that takes us back in time in the city. On the fourth floor, an astonishing installation invites visitors to discover an olfactory Helsinki, lying on cushions. Feel free to venture into the museum's extensions, at Villa Hakasalmi (Mannerheimintie 13 B), Burgher House, the city's oldest wooden house dating from 1818 decorated in the style of a middle-class home of the 1860s (Kristianinkatu 12), the Workers' Housing Museum (Kirstinkuja 4), giving an idea of social housing from the early 20th century, and the tram museum (Töölönkatu 51 A).

The national park is halfway between Forssa (22 km) and Karkkila (24 km). Pine forests beside omnipresent lakes.

Albert Edelfelt (1854-1905 in Porvoo) had this small workshop built in 1883: it was there that he produced his most important paintings. Open to the public since 1951, the studio exhibits drawings, paintings, photos and objects that once belonged to the painter. Albert Edelfelt learned painting at the Beaux-Arts in Paris. He will meet artists such as Zola, Daudet and a colorist, Jules Bastien-Lepage. His love for Paris and his success inspired other Finnish artists to come and settle there later.

The family of the poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg settled in this Empire style house. When the poet died, the Finnish State bought the house: the furniture remained intact and evokes the daily life of the poet and his contemporaries at the beginning of the 19th century. The beautiful Fredrika garden (his wife's first name) adjoining is flowered in summer with roses in particular. Today Runeberg is celebrated on February 5 in the country, the occasion for everyone to taste the famous Runerberg cakes that his wife prepared for him: a real delight!

It is the home of Jean Sibelius, the famous Finnish composer who settled there with his family at the beginning of the century and remained there until his death in 1957. This pretty residence, a stone's throw from Lake Tuusula, designed by the great Finnish architect Lars Sonck, has become a place of pilgrimage for many music lovers. A very special atmosphere. The furnishings and furniture have remained unchanged since the composer's death, which allows us to enter his intimacy.

Close to the town centre. Ideal place to rest your legs and offer a breath of fresh air on nearly 300 km of hiking trails.

You can learn all or almost everything about the history of the railways in Finland in this museum, which opened in 1898. Situated in an authentic railway station and depot area - the Hyvinkää - Hanko - it allows a total immersion in the history of this means of transport. On site, unique pieces such as the Tsar's locomotive and no less than 150,000 photographs illustrate the fascinating world of the train. The plus: in summer, there is a small café and an outdoor model train.

The residence of the composer Joonas Kokkonen (1921-1996), it is one of the few private buildings designed by Alvar Aalto. It is sometimes compared to "a well-tuned music box". A visit by the current enthusiasts and residents, pianist Elina Viitaila and opera singer Antti A. Pesonen, who will be delighted to finish the visit with a small private concert to demonstrate the perfect acoustics of the place. Joonas Kokkonen was influenced by Sibelius and then by Bartok. His works are varied: from symphonic music to opera music.

The museum tells the story of the Lotta Svärd organisation, the largest national defence organisation created in 1918 after Finland's independence and composed of women who voluntarily joined the national army. It illustrates the history of women in Finland through the exhibition of part of the collection of 6,000 objects and 12,000 photos. There are permanent, temporary and even one outdoor exhibition on the ambulance trains. Possibility of guided tours. On site: a café and a souvenir shop.

In 2013, this museum celebrated the 150th anniversary of the artists of Tuusula Lake, Venny Soldan-Brofeld (1863-1945) and Eero Järnefelt (1863-1937), two key painters of the golden age of Finnish painting in the era of romantic nationalism. Eero Järnefelt studied at the Beaux-Arts in Finland, in Saint-Petersburg, in Paris... The permanent collection is dedicated to them, between the magnificent portraits of Brofelt, wife of the writer Juhani Aho and the landscapes of an ideal Finland. Also temporary exhibitions of contemporary art.

A marvellous chalet-studio by the painter Pekka Halonen (1865-1933), built in the romantic style on the shores of Lake Tuusula. There are also temporary exhibitions of paintings by Halonen's great contemporary artists, who were champions of national Romanticism. Pekka Halonen is a representative of the National Romantic style as well as Karelianism (a cultural movement of the late 19th century, which describes the political movement in the Grand Duchy of Finland aimed at spreading a Romantic vision of the Karelian region)

It's Northern Europe's largest wooden town, covering 28 hectares with cobbled streets and over 600 wooden houses of various colors from the ^18th and ^19th centuries. Some of the old houses have been converted into museums. You can also push on to the market square. The square itself is home to stalls known as pystcaffe, literally meaning "standing coffee". To the south, admire the old town hall, built in 1776. The site has been listed by Unesco since 1991 as an "outstanding example of a Nordic town built of wood".

Near the market square, in an empire-style building, is the city's Maritime Museum. The building was built by a wealthy shipowner to house, at the time, the sailmaking of the Wendelin shipping company. In the mid-19th century Kristinestad was one of the most important shipyard and port towns in Finland. From Kristinestad great ships set sail for all the seas of the world, even for Australia! Tar and wood were the most important export products.

At the Maison Lebell, come and discover the story of the life of a merchant family between the 18th and 19th centuries. This house was built in 1762 and became a museum in 1939. Inside, you will discover a unique baroque room. Ceilings and wall fabrics are original, and the superb green earthenware stove is certainly the oldest in the country! Next to the Lebell house is the Félenska gården house, built in 1841, which is used for conferences

We can start by taking a tour of the old town. It is one of the best preserved in Finland and dates back to the 17th century with its wooden houses and narrow streets. The town hall (1851) can also be admired. Then on to the Ulrika-Eleonora Church on Aitakatu, one of the oldest wooden religious buildings. Its ex-votos, in the form of model ships, implore the return of sailors who have gone to sea or thank for a wish granted. It is open from mid-May to August, Monday to Saturday from 9am to 4pm.

Built by J. Stenbäck at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, it was built in the Käppärä cemetery opened in 1884. Juselius, a city industrialist, commissioned the mausoleum in memory of his only child, his daughter Sigrid Juselius, who died at the age of 11. Construction began in 1901 and was completed two years later. The frescoes in the mausoleum are the work of Aleksis Gallèn-Kallela and were restored by his son. It's a nice visit if you're around.

It is the central church in Pori, a Lutheran church, the largest in the Satakunta region and one of the largest in Finland. It is a large and beautiful neo-Gothic red brick church built in 1863, which can accommodate 2,000 worshippers. Fully restored in 1995, it looks good in the middle of its park and on the banks of the river Kokemäenjoki. Its cast-iron bell tower is 72 m high. The interior is decorated in the romantic nationalist style and the paintings dating from 1898 are by architect August Krook.

Kirsti's house is a humble sailor's dwelling, built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and has become a museum. It shows how the inhabitants lived here from the 1800s to the 1970s. In the window recess, two tile hounds, whose significance goes beyond mere decoration, can be seen. Facing outwards, they indicated that the sailor was at sea, pointing inwards, this meant that the sailor was at home. The small enclosed courtyard includes the stable, the barn, the attic, the cellar and the well.

The centrally-located building, constructed in 1912, was converted into a museum in 1993. The Lönnström couple, notables of Swedish origin, had an interesting collection of art and period furniture. On site, the premises can be divided into two small museums: the Art Museum and the Home Museum.

Home Museum: this house became a museum in 1988. It is the home of the couple Teresia and Rafael Lönnström, with a fine collection of period objects and art.

Art Museum: showcases contemporary artists in painting, sculpture and more

This museum, located in the former maritime school that marked the city by training generations of sailors, is worth seeing! On the first floor: permanent exhibitions, temporary exhibitions, the museum shop but also the navigation simulator Jenny II. The permanent exhibition highlights the importance of the sea in the construction and history of Rauma with many period photos of the port, life on the ships, objects... As for the second floor and the tower, there are temporary and art exhibitions.

This museum was the splendid residence of a rich shipowner of the last century, whose sons squandered their fortune travelling. Furnished in the style of the period (large tiled stoves for heating and beautiful furniture), it gives a slightly better understanding of the life of the Nordic bourgeoisie at the beginning of the 20th century. The office and dining room are particularly eloquent. One discovers many paintings of the commercial fleet on all the walls. The Russian flag was in use at a time when Finland was dependent on the Tsar.

Housed in a beautiful late 18th century mansion, the temporary exhibitions change every month and are varied with for example: Anna Eriksson, Kirsi Kuusisto, local or national artists... Every two years, the Baltic Biennial exhibits contemporary art from all the countries around the Baltic Sea, including Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. On the website you will find a list of upcoming exhibitions and events.