Monuments to visit Finland

Magnificent summer villa built in 1939 by the famous Alvar Aalto for Mayor and Harry Gullichsen, a cut of industrialists passionate about art. Progressive and without prejudice, they were interested in modernist abstract art and utopian ideology. Alvar Aalto then had carte blanche to experiment without any restrictions and made sure that the construction would blend completely into nature. The interior of the villa was designed by Aino Aalto and now houses priceless works of art by Picasso, Braque and Modigliani.

This is the house where the Finnish poet was born. Eino Leino was born on July 6, 1878. He will be considered one of the greatest Finnish poets, and became one of the most famous authors in the country. If you have wandered around Helsinki in the Esplanade Park, you have surely come across his statue. This museum is an opportunity to learn more about his life and works. The site is great for walks, with a café by the lake and bicycles for rent

For architecture and interior design enthusiasts. Both home and office, the Villa Aalto already shows the beginnings of the "new" Aalto, the genius of Romantic Functionalist architecture. The museum is also home to the Alvar Aalto Foundation, founded in 1999 to organize conferences bringing together architects, researchers and enthusiasts. Just 500 m away is the studio of Finland's most famous architect, typical of his style. A must-see if you're passionate about the man!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

The black sailing ship, the Sigyn, launched in 1887 in Gothenburg, was bought by Finland in 1927. It is the only cargo ship with wooden sails (oak and pine) still in existence. Other ships are to be seen, such as the Suomen Joutsen (literally the "Swan of Finland"). This ship came out in 1902 from the French shipyards of Saint-Nazaire under the name of Laennec. After having circumnavigated the world 9 times, she was used as a training ship for future sailors.

The building was designed by Engel. It represented the far west of the Russian Empire, so it had to be grandiose. It houses a café, post office, art gallery and museum. The small museum, open from mid-May to mid-September, is housed in the former Post and Customs House. If you're an artist looking for a place to work over the summer, you can even take up artistic residency in the building!

Kastelholm Castle is housed in a late 14th century enclosure built on Sund Island where you can enjoy guided tours (about 45 minutes) or self-guided tours if you prefer to go at your own pace. The plus: a pirate route adapted for children, a good way to interest them and to avoid them getting bored. If the weather is good and you have time, take a short detour to Jan Karl's farm (Jan Karlsgården), right next to the fortress. All the typical buildings of the archipelago are represented.

Ivalo was a gold mining town in the 1870s. The gold- and platinum-bearing Ivalojoki River attracted dozens of gold seekers in search of their fortune. Several symbols can be seen in Ivalo today. A statue of six gold miners at work stands in front of the Kultahippu ("gold nugget") hotel, while a giant Finnish sieve stands on Ivalo's northern traffic circle.

To find out more, visit the Gold Prospector Museum in Tankavaara, 60 km south of Ivalo.

This sculpture depicts 3 men and a woman holding a child. This monument commemorates the evacuation of the Petsamo (now Russian) region between 1920 and 1944. In the 1920s, this formerly Finnish region, populated by Sami Skolts, was annexed by the Soviets. The Treaty of Paris (1947) confirmed the annexation. During these 20 years, the Finnish population, mainly Skolt Sami, left the region, settling on the other side of the border, east of Lake Inari, in the villages of Nellim and Sevettijärvi.

It's a friendly market, more lively in summer than out of season, of course, and was already active in the Middle Ages. Here you can sample muikku (small fish), rieska (unleavened bread) and kalakukko (filled rolls), among other delicacies.

The covered market is also worth a visit. It has just celebrated its 100th anniversary, and is located inside a large, modern shopping center. It's open Monday to Friday, 7.30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 7.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Savilahdenkatu 6).

Built in the ^18th century, the building overlooks the town and Lake Saimaa. The fortress housed a prison camp after the civil war. Nearly 3,000 Red Guards were imprisoned here, 500 of whom were executed. Magical in winter, with its old houses, cobbled streets, light mist, the cold that grips you and the beauty of the surrounding parks. In summer, the brightness of the colors gives the place an even different face. The fortress houses three museums (South Karelia Museum, Fine Arts Museum and Cavalry Museum), stores and cafés.

If you have a car, you can start, to connect Jakobstad and Kokkola, 40 km away, by opting for the beautiful Route des Sept-Ponts (road no. 749). It winds its way through the archipelago of the Gulf of Bothnia, going deep into the heart of a wild and grandiose site. Then on Isokatu 2-4, towards the city museum. In a rich old house, this museum retraces the prestigious past of the city. Good plan: Wednesdays from 6pm to 8pm, it's free! Then the Nanoq museum introduces you to the way of life and culture of the primitive Arctic peoples.

The house where the composer Sibelius was born has been transformed into a small, refined museum where one can discover the piano, the violin, the scores and the memories of the composer's family. Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was one of the masters of Finnish music and his entire oeuvre was awarded the Nordic Council Prize, the highest literary distinction in northern Europe. His best-known work, Finlandia, is a true hymn to Finnish patriotism.

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)

A world of tastes and smells opens up to you. Stop to taste the local products, we particularly recommend that you try the speciality of Tampere; the Mustamakkara. This is a black pudding with rye that is eaten with its cranberry jam and accompanied by cold milk. You should find what you are looking for. It is indeed no more and no less than the largest covered market in northern Europe! It's like being in an old movie. An obligatory stopover to make in Tampere as the charm operates here!