Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Finland

With a great number of beautiful lakes, islands along with well planned and comfortable small towns and a unique culture, Finland offers its visitors a unique experience. Finland is a natural wonderland with more trees than people. Here are the top 10 tourist attractions in Finland that you should never miss while visiting this country.

10. The Sibelius Monument

Located at the Sibelius Park, the Sibelius Monument is one of the most popular landmarks in Finland’s capital city, Helsinki. The monument was created in honor of Jean Sibelius – Finish national composer. The designer of this monumental sculpture was Ella Hiltunen. It was unveiled on 7^th of September 1967. Before the monument was chosen, there were dispute and discussion about the flaws and merits of this abstract art.The Sibelius Monument stands at 8.5 m x 10.5 m x 6.5 m. So, The Sibelius Monument is the number ten in our list of top tourist attractions in Finland.

09. Finnish National Museum (Kansallismuseo)

The Finnish National Museum (also known as the National Museum of Finland) shows Finnish history starting from the prehistoric times up to the present day. The museum displays the major archaeological discoveries, as well as historical, ethnological and numismatic collections that have been gathered and set together for more than 200 years. This museum is one of the top tourist attractions in Finland simply because it has an interaction exhibition that engages children and adults alike. This exhibition can be found on the third floor and is called the Workshop Vintti and it was really designed especially for children. Here, visitors can learn more about Finland’s history and culture with the use of their heads and hands. Thus, the Finnish National Museum gets a spot in our list of top tourist attractions in Finland.

08. Finlandia Hall

It is not always that a multipurpose venue gets on the list of top tourist attractions, but this one in Finland attracts too many visitors that is has become a landmark. The Finlandia Hall is a vibrant, multipurpose venue ideally located in the heart of Helsinki. What really makes Finlandia one of the top tourist attractions in Finland is that it’s designed so beautifully that it became one of the iconic structures in the city. It was designed by Alvar Aalto, a world-renowned architect. Aside from providing his overall vision for designing the building, Aalto also designed several of its intricate and beautiful details like the door handles and the lights.

07. Helsinki Olympic Stadium

The Helsinki Olympic Stadium was built in 1938 and it was designed by Toivo Jäntti and Yrjö Lindegren with a very functionalistic style. The Helsinki Olympic Games were held in 1952 and the stadium really served its purpose and proven that it has every right to have the title of being one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world. Today, it hosts national as well as international sports events and concerts. The Sports Museum of Finland can also be located within the Stadium and this is where visitors can learn more about the sports history of the country while enjoying great exhibits. If you are a sports lover, this must of one of the top tourist attractions in Finland you should visit.

06. Uspenski Cathedral

The Uspenski Cathedral is one of the most visited attractions in Finland and it is a Russian Orthodox Church that can be found at Helsinki’s Katajanokka peninsula; the sheer size is enough to impress anyone. What makes this cathedral so special is that it is Western Europe’s largest Orthodox Church. The cathedral was constructed and finished from 1862 to1868 with the design done by Aleksei Gornostajev that was based on a Moscow 16th-century church. The bricksused for the cathedral came from Bomarsund fortress, which was destroyed in 1854 during the Crimean War. The church has 13 onion domes representing Jesus Christ and his twelve disciples.

05. Linnanmäki Amusement Park

The Linnanmäki Amusement Park is aptly called as the happiest neighborhood in Helsinki because it is the most famous amusement park in Helsinki. This amusement park lets visitors play and enjoy a great time with the widest selections of fun rides and attractions in the Nordic countries. The park was launched on 27^th May 1950 under the non-profit organization Children’s Day foundation or profit Lasten Päivän Säätiö. There are 43 different rides in the park and it also offers other attractions like kiosks, restaurants, arcades and outdoor stage where performances are held every summer. The park’s 50th million visitor was welcomed in 2006.

04. Santa Claus Village

Another popular amusement park in Finland is the Santa Claus Village and it can be found in Rovaniemi in the region of Lapland, Finland. This place is very popular to visitors because of the great attractions it offers such as: The Arctic Circle that cuts through the village; the Santa Claus Post Office that displays a wide range of Christmas items (items bought and sent from this special post office are postmarked with special Santa Claus postmarks); the Santa Claus Office, which is located in the main building and a great place to take photographs and to meet Santa during his office hours; and other shops and restaurants.

03. Rock Church

The Temppeliaukio Kirkko or the Rock Church is one of Helsinki’s prides. The church is a breathtaking work of contemporary architecture and it was finished in 1969. What makes it so unique and popular is that it was completely built underground and it has a ceiling that was made of pure copper wire. The great design of this great church was accomplished by architect brothers Tuomo and Timo Suomalainen. From ground level, the church’s form resembles the Newgrave (Ireland) ancient tomb. From the outside, only the copper dome is visible and the entire magnificence of the structure was hidden from view. If one is to look at it from above, all to be seen is a flyingsaucer-like object that is lodging on the ground.

02. Market Square

The Market Square can be found in the South Harbour of Esplanade Park, and it is the most famous international market in Helsinki. In the market, booths can be found displaying traditional market treats and foods as well as souvenirs and handicrafts, which is the main reason why tourists flock here often. Within the market, there is the famous heated café tent that serves steaming hot coffee. The height of the market’s popularity is usually in the early parts of October; this is when the annual Helsinki silakkamarkkinat (herring market) begins. Another attraction in the market is the displaying of vintage American cars every first Friday of the month.

01. Senate Square

The Senate Square makes it on the first position in our top tourist attractions in Finland simply because the square itself and its surroundings outline an exceptional and unified example of Neoclassical architecture. There four buildings that dominate the Senate square and the set was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel from 1822 to 1852. The buildings surrounding the square are; the Government Palace, the Helsinki Cathedral (the most photographed building in Helsinki), the National Library of Helsinki, Sederholm Houe (Helsinki’s oldest building) and the University of Helsinki’s main building. Together these buildings or landmarks make up the most visited Senate Square.