Finland’s Capital Helsinki was to-days destination for a short visit to this spectacular ‘white city’ of the north, in a land of islands in the Baltic. So it was fitting that our arrival was over the sea. Even though the start to the morning was cloudy and grey the scene was still spectacular….the market was being set up on the quay, a background of ornate historic buildings in marked contrast to the temporary market structures, but above all the dominant domes of the White Lutheran Cathedral see all below and far and wide….
So I guess, with only a short time to explore the city, it had to be the Cathedral that was our first stop. Standing below the Cathedral it is presents an even more imposing, dramatic and commanding presence…..
49 steps take you up to the door, at each step the Cathedral looms larger…..
Lutheran faith demands a simple style to the interior decor. Simple it may be but together with the height of the building it is no less impressive, no less moving than those highly decorated churches of other faiths…..
It is hard to imagine another city centre square as simply dramatic as Helsinki’s Senate Square, topped by the Cathedral but surrounded by equally ornate state buildings…
Our time is very limited so no time to dawdle and no visit to Helsinki would be complete without our paying our respects to Finland’s famous son Jean Sibelius. So the next stop is Sibelius Park. I should at this stage mention that Helsinki is built on rock, so it is fitting that the memorial to Sibelius is integrated with the land he so loved. the memorial is really in two parts….the first is an very imposing sculpture of the composer, perhaps dominating would be a better description. A furrowed brow, a heavy moustache but also penetrating eyes create the character…..
The second part of the memorial is a sculpture, a sculpture that has I understand courted some controversy. 600 steel pipes have been used, some say it represents an organ, others a representation of the many Pine trees of Finland…but no matter what you decide it is still a unique and imposing memorial…
Back to that rock upon which the city is built. It has demanded that architects and builders have had to be ingenious in with their creations.
Perhaps the most imaginative of all is the unique Temppeliakio Rock Church. Instead of building upwards they created a hole in the rock, then covered it with a Copper Dome which presents a rather uninspiring external view…..
Deceptive as the exterior is the interior just has to be seen to believed both for its shear size and for its equally unique style where the rock itself is again incorporated into the design. Creative use of windows below the copper dome give a surprising amount of light to the church…Rock Church it certainly is….
It was an all too short visit, a visit in passing, but one that has wetted our appetite to return and explore what I would expect to be a City of a great many surprises. But ships Captains wait for no man, so it is on board again and a last farewell wave and a promise to return. Good bye Helsinki…..
22nd JULY
© David Oakes 2013
DAVID OAKES - IMAGES. 