9+ Highlights · Finnish Heritage Agency

Famous places Finland's most loved

From Suomenlinna to the Uspenski Cathedral and Olavinlinna castle — the country's best-known and best-loved places, whatever draws you.

Some places are so well known that they shape the image of the whole country: the Suomenlinna sea fortress off Helsinki, the red-brick domes of the Uspenski Cathedral, Olavinlinna castle rising from the waters of Savonlinna. They turn up on every postcard and in every guidebook — and for good reason.

This list gathers Finland's most famous and most visited cultural treasures regardless of type: castles, cathedrals, old towns and national landmarks together. If you only have time for a few places, see these. Many of them are within walking distance of one another in central Helsinki.

Highlights

Suomenlinna
UNESCO World HeritageNationally significantInternationally known

Suomenlinna

Suomenlinna Helsingin sisääntuloväylän varrella on yksi maailman suurista merilinnoituksista.

Uspenski Cathedral
Protected buildingInternationally known

Uspenski Cathedral

Helsinki

Mereltä Helsinkiin saavuttaessa hallitsee kaupunkikuvaa keskellä valkoinen luterilainen tuomiokirkko (1927) ja idempänä Länsi-Euroopan suurin ortodoksinen, punatiilinen Uspenski…

Olavinlinna
Protected buildingInternationally known

Olavinlinna

Savonlinna

Olavinlinna is a historic monument and a unique symbol site of considerable historical, landscape and cultural-historical significance.

Turku Castle
Protected buildingInternationally known

Turku Castle

Turku

Turku Castle of grey stone at the mouth of the Auraoki is a prominent landmark, now surrounded by the harbour with its associated light industrial and storage areas.

Temppeliaukio Church
Protected buildingInternationally known

Temppeliaukio Church

Helsinki

Temppeliaukion kirkko sijaitsee Helsingin Etu-Töölössä yhtenäisten, kaartuvien talorivien ympäröimänä muodostaen keskipisteen alueen säteittäisille kaduille.

Old Rauma
UNESCO World HeritageNationally significantInternationally known

Old Rauma

Vanha Rauma on yksi Suomen kuudesta keskiajalla perustetusta kaupungista.

Häme Castle
Protected buildingInternationally known

Häme Castle

Hämeenlinna

Häme Castle is, alongside Turku Castle, our most important medieval castle.

Turku Cathedral
Protected buildingInternationally known

Turku Cathedral

Turku

Kivikirkko.

Kerimäki Church
Protected buildingInternationally known

Kerimäki Church

Savonlinna

Wooden church, double cruciform church.

A day route

Helsinki's famous landmarks

Central Helsinki packs in an unusual number of the country's best-known places — the Cathedral, the Uspenski and Parliament House all within a walk.

5 sites · ~6 km · about 4 h · set aside a full day

  1. 1
    Uspenski CathedralHelsinki 0 km drive
    Protected buildingInternationally known

    Mereltä Helsinkiin saavuttaessa hallitsee kaupunkikuvaa keskellä valkoinen luterilainen tuomiokirkko (1927) ja idempänä Länsi-Euroopan suurin ortodoksinen, punatiilinen Uspenski…

  2. 2
    Helsinki CathedralHelsinki 0 km drive
    Protected buildingInternationally known

    High above Senate Square, Helsinki Cathedral rises in domed stone, the city's emblem. Step inside C. L. Engel's church, completed in 1839 and still one of Finland's national sanctuaries alongside Turku Cathedral.

    Look for: Look up to the corners of the pediments, where twelve zinc apostles stand watch. Inside, the altarpiece of Christ's entombment was a gift from Emperor Nicholas I, painted by St Petersburg's Timofej Neff.

  3. 3
    Parliament House, HelsinkiHelsinki 1 km drive
    Protected buildingInternationally known

    The Parliament House, representing Nordic classicism and designed by architect J.S.

  4. 4
    Temppeliaukio ChurchHelsinki 0 km drive
    Protected buildingInternationally known

    Temppeliaukion kirkko sijaitsee Helsingin Etu-Töölössä yhtenäisten, kaartuvien talorivien ympäröimänä muodostaen keskipisteen alueen säteittäisille kaduille.

  5. 5
    Suomenlinna 5 km drive
    UNESCO World HeritageNationally significantInternationally known

    Suomenlinna Helsingin sisääntuloväylän varrella on yksi maailman suurista merilinnoituksista.

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Famous places — Finland's most loved | Aikapolku