Editing Helsinki

{{short description|Capital and most populous city of Finland}}
{{hatnote group|
{{distinguish|text=the film [[Hellsinki]]}}
{{hatnote|"Helsingfors" redirects here. For ships with the name, see [[SS Helsingfors]]. Not to be confused with [[Hälsingfors]],  [[Helsingør]]  or [[Helsingborg]].}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Helsinki
| official_name      = {{lang|fi|Helsingin kaupunki}}<br />{{lang|sv|Helsingfors stad}}<br />{{lang|en|City of Helsinki}}
| native_name        = {{native name|sv|Helsingfors}}
| nicknames          = Stadi (by city dwellers), Hesa (by country people),<ref name="nickname">{{cite web |last=Ainiala |first=Terhi |year=2009 |title=Place Names in the Construction of Social Identities: The Uses of Names of Helsinki |url=http://yorkspace.library.yorku.ca/xmlui/handle/10315/2924 |access-date=22 September 2011 |publisher=Research Institute for the Languages of Finland}}</ref> the Daughter of the Baltic,<ref name="nickname1"/> the Pearl of the Baltic Sea<ref name="nickname2"/>
| settlement_type    = [[Capital city]]
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
| border                   = infobox
| total_width              = 290
| image_style              = border:1;
| perrow                   = 1/2/2/2
| image1                   = Helsingin ydinkeskustaa ja Mannerheimintien alkupäätä Erottajan paloaseman tornista (cropped).jpg
| alt1                     = Mannerheimintie
|caption1      = View of central Helsinki along [[Mannerheimintie]]
| image2                   = Suomenlinna (cropped).jpg
| alt2                     = Suomenlinna
|caption2      = [[Suomenlinna]]
| image3                   = Sanomatalokiasmahelsinki.JPG
| alt3                     = Sanoma
|caption3      = [[Sanoma]] building and [[Kiasma]]
| image4                   = Eduskuntatalo Helsinki.jpg
| alt4                     = Parliament House
|caption4      =  [[Parliament House, Helsinki|Parliament House]]
| image5                   = Helsinki July 2013-27a.jpg
| alt5                     = Helsinki Cathedral
|caption5      = [[Helsinki Cathedral]]
| image6 = 11-07-29-helsinki-by-RalfR-030.jpg
| alt6 = Temppeliaukio Church
| caption6 = [[Temppeliaukio Church]]

| image7 =               Kalasatama in Helsinki, Finland, 2024 August (cropped).jpg
| alt7 = High-rises at Kalasatama
| caption7 = [[Kalasatama]] skyline
|caption_align = center
}}
| image_shield       = Helsinki.vaakuna.svg
| shield_size        = 80x80px
| image_blank_emblem = [[File:Helsinki logo.svg|140px|class=skin-invert]]
| blank_emblem_type  = [[Wordmark]]
| blank_emblem_size  = 
| image_map          = Helsinki uusimaa.png
| mapsize            = 270px
| map_caption        = Location (in red) within the [[Uusimaa]] [[Regions of Finland|region]] and the [[Helsinki sub-region]] (in yellow)
| pushpin_map        = Finland#Europe
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within Finland##Location within Europe
| pushpin_mapsize    = 250
| pushpin_relief     = yes
| coordinates        = {{coord|60|10|15|N|24|56|15|E|display=it}}
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{FIN}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Regions of Finland|Region]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[File:Flag of Uusimaa.svg|25px|link=Uusimaa]] [[Uusimaa]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Sub-regions of Finland|Sub-region]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Helsinki sub-region]]
| subdivision_type3  = Metropolitan area
| subdivision_name3  = [[Helsinki metropolitan area]]
| leader_title       = [[Mayor of Helsinki|Mayor]]
| leader_name        = [[Juhana Vartiainen]] ([[National Coalition Party (Finland)|Kok]])
| leader_title1      = Governing body
| leader_name1       = [[City Council of Helsinki]]
| established_title  = [[Charter]]
| established_date   = 12 June 1550
| established_title2 = Capital city
| established_date2  = 8 April 1812
| area_footnotes     = {{Data Finland municipality|area_footnotes|Helsinki}}
| area_total_km2     = {{Data Finland municipality|area_total_km2|Helsinki}}
| area_land_km2      = {{Data Finland municipality|area_land_km2|Helsinki}}
| area_water_km2     = {{Data Finland municipality|area_water_km2|Helsinki}}
| area_urban_km2     = 680.12
| area_metro_km2     = {{#expr: {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Helsinki}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Espoo}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Vantaa}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Kauniainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Kirkkonummi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Vihti}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Nurmijärvi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Hyvinkää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Tuusula}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Kerava}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Järvenpää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Mäntsälä}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Sipoo}}  + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Pornainen}} }}
| area_rank          = 
| population_as_of   = {{Data Finland municipality|population_as_of|Helsinki}}
| population_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|population_footnotes|Helsinki}}
| population_total   = {{Data Finland municipality|population_total|Helsinki}}
| population_density_km2 = {{Data Finland municipality|population_density_km2|Helsinki}}
| population_demonym = {{lang|fi|helsinkiläinen}} (Finnish)<br />{{lang|sv|helsingforsare}} (Swedish)<br />{{lang|en|Helsinkian}} (English)
| population_metro   = {{#expr: {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Helsinki}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Espoo}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vantaa}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kauniainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kirkkonummi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vihti}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Nurmijärvi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Hyvinkää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Tuusula}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kerava}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Järvenpää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Mäntsälä}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Sipoo}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Pornainen}} }} ([[Helsinki metropolitan area|metro]])
| population_density_metro_km2 = {{#expr: ({{Data Finland municipality/population count|Helsinki}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Espoo}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vantaa}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kauniainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kirkkonummi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vihti}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Nurmijärvi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Hyvinkää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Tuusula}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kerava}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Järvenpää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Mäntsälä}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Sipoo}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Pornainen}}) / ({{Data Finland municipality/land area|Helsinki}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Espoo}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Vantaa}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Kauniainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Kirkkonummi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Vihti}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Nurmijärvi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Hyvinkää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Tuusula}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Kerava}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Järvenpää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Mäntsälä}} + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Sipoo}}  + {{Data Finland municipality/land area|Pornainen}}) round 1 }}
| population_urban   = 1,360,075
| population_density_urban_km2 = auto
| population_rank    = {{Data Finland municipality|population_rank|Helsinki}}
| demographics_type1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics_type1|Helsinki}}
| demographics1_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_footnotes|Helsinki}}
| demographics1_title1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title1|Helsinki}}
| demographics1_info1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info1|Helsinki}}
| demographics1_title2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title2|Helsinki}}
| demographics1_info2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info2|Helsinki}} (official)
| demographics1_title3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title3|Helsinki}}
| demographics1_info3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info3|Helsinki}}
| demographics1_title4 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_title4|Helsinki}}
| demographics1_info4 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics1_info4|Helsinki}}
| demographics_type2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics_type2|Helsinki}}
| demographics2_footnotes = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_footnotes|Helsinki}}
| demographics2_title1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title1|Helsinki}}
| demographics2_info1 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info1|Helsinki}}
| demographics2_title2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title2|Helsinki}}
| demographics2_info2 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info2|Helsinki}}
| demographics2_title3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_title3|Helsinki}}
| demographics2_info3 = {{Data Finland municipality|demographics2_info3|Helsinki}}
| blank_name         = {{Data Finland municipality|blank_name|Helsinki}}
| blank_info         = {{Data Finland municipality|blank_info|Helsinki}}
| blank3_name        = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank3_info        = [[Cool summer humid continental climate|Dfb]]
| timezone           = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
| utc_offset         = +02:00
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
| utc_offset_DST     = +03:00
| elevation_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://elevation.city/fi/e3w1|title=Helsinki elevation|website=elevation.city.fi|access-date=2 November 2023|archive-date=2 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102163545/https://elevation.city/fi/e3w1|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| elevation_m        = 26
| elevation_ft       = 85
| area_code          = +358-9
| website            = {{URL|https://www.hel.fi/en}}
}}
'''Helsinki'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|ɛ|l|s|ɪ|ŋ|k|i}} {{respell|HEL|sink|ee}} <small>or</small> {{IPAc-en|h|ɛ|l|ˈ|s|ɪ|ŋ|k|i|audio=en-us-Helsinki.ogg}} {{respell|hel|SINK|ee}} {{Cite American Heritage Dictionary|Helsinki}} {{cite web |title=Helsinki |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/amp/english/helsinki |website=[[Collins English Dictionary]] |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]}}}}{{efn|{{IPA|fi|ˈhelsiŋki|lang|Fin-Helsinki.ogg}}}} ({{langx|sv|Helsingfors}}){{efn|{{IPA|sv-FI|helsiŋˈforːs|lang|Helsingfors.ogg}}}} is the [[Capital city|capital]] and most populous [[List of cities and towns in Finland|city]] in [[Finland]]. It is on the shore of the [[Gulf of Finland]] and is the seat of southern Finland's [[Uusimaa]] region. About {{formatnum:{{#expr:{{Data Finland municipality/population count|Helsinki}} round -3}}}} people live in the municipality, with {{formatnum: {{#expr: ({{Data Finland municipality/population count|Helsinki}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Espoo}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vantaa}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kauniainen}}) /1000000 round 1 }} }}&nbsp;million in the [[Helsinki capital region|capital region]] and {{formatnum: {{#expr: ({{Data Finland municipality/population count|Helsinki}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Espoo}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vantaa}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Mäntsälä}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Pornainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kauniainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kirkkonummi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vihti}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Nurmijärvi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Hyvinkää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Tuusula}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kerava}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Järvenpää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Sipoo}}) /1000000 round 1 }}}}&nbsp;million in the [[Helsinki metropolitan area|metropolitan area]]. As the most populous [[List of urban areas in Finland by population|urban area]] in Finland, it is the country's most significant centre for politics, education, finance, culture, and research. Helsinki is {{convert|80|km}} north of [[Tallinn, Estonia]], {{convert|400|km}} east of [[Stockholm, Sweden]], and {{convert|300|km}} west of [[Saint Petersburg, Russia]]. Helsinki has significant [[History of Helsinki|historical connections]] with these three cities.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

Together with the cities of [[Espoo]], [[Vantaa]] and [[Kauniainen]]—and surrounding commuter towns,<ref>{{cite web |title=Cities of Finland |url=http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/region_cities/city_urban/city_maps/FI |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518144548/http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/region_cities/city_urban/city_maps/FI |archive-date=18 May 2013 |access-date=10 February 2013 |publisher=Eurostat}}</ref> including the neighbouring municipality of [[Sipoo]] to the east<ref>{{cite web|title=Sipoo - kahden keskuksen kunta Helsingin tuntumassa|url=https://ta.fi/ajankohtaista/499-sipoo-kahden-keskuksen-kunta-helsingin-tuntumassa|access-date=9 November 2021|website=ta.fi}}</ref>—Helsinki forms a [[Helsinki metropolitan area|metropolitan area]]. This area is often considered Finland's only metropolis and is the world's [[List of northernmost items#Cities and settlements|northernmost]] metropolitan area with over one million inhabitants. Additionally, it is the northernmost capital of an [[Member state of the European Union|EU member state]]. Helsinki is the [[List of the most populated municipalities in the Nordic countries|third-largest]] municipality in the Nordic countries, after Stockholm and [[Oslo]]. Its urban area is the [[List of urban areas in the Nordic countries|third-largest]] in the Nordic countries, after Stockholm and [[Copenhagen]]. [[Helsinki Airport]], in the neighbouring city of Vantaa, serves the city with frequent flights to numerous destinations in Europe, North America, and Asia.

Helsinki is a [[bilingual]] municipality with [[Finnish language|Finnish]] and [[Swedish language|Swedish]] as its official languages. The population consists of {{Formatnum: {{pct|{{Data Finland municipality/native language Finnish|Helsinki}}|{{Data Finland municipality/native language total|Helsinki}}|0}}}} Finnish speakers, {{Formatnum: {{pct|{{Data Finland municipality/native language Swedish|Helsinki}}|{{Data Finland municipality/native language total|Helsinki}}|0}}}} Swedish speakers, and {{Formatnum: {{pct|{{Data Finland municipality/native language other|Helsinki}}|{{Data Finland municipality/native language total|Helsinki}}|0}}}} speakers of other languages.<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/>

Helsinki hosted the [[1952 Summer Olympics]], the first [[Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe|CSCE]]/[[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]] Summit in 1975, the first [[World Athletics Championships]] in 1983, the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2007|52nd Eurovision Song Contest]] in 2007 and it was the 2012 [[World Design Capital]].<ref name="Worlddesigncapital.com">{{cite web |title=Past capital: Helsinki |url=http://www.worlddesigncapital.com/world-design-capitals/past-capital-helsinki/ |access-date=19 May 2015 |publisher=Worlddesigncapital.com}}</ref>

Helsinki has one of the highest standards of urban living in the world. In 2011, the British magazine ''[[Monocle (UK magazine)|Monocle]]'' ranked Helsinki as the world's most liveable city in its [[City quality of life indices|livable cities index]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Most liveable city: Helsinki&nbsp;— Monocle Film / Affairs |url=http://monocle.com/film/affairs/most-liveable-city-helsinki/ |access-date=12 March 2013 |publisher=Monocle.com |archive-date=9 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150709213034/http://monocle.com/film/affairs/most-liveable-city-helsinki/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the [[Economist Intelligence Unit]]'s 2016 livability survey, Helsinki ranked ninth out of 140 cities.<ref name="2016 detail">{{cite web |title=Global Liveability Ranking 2016 |url=https://www.eiu.com/public/topical_report.aspx?campaignid=liveability2016 |website=www.eiu.com}}</ref> In July 2021, the American magazine ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Helsinki one of the world's greatest places, a city that "can grow into a burgeoning cultural nest in the future" and is already known as an [[Natural environment|environmental]] pioneer.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://time.com/collection/worlds-greatest-places-2021/6079245/helsinki/|title=Helsinki: The World's 100 Greatest Places of 2021|website=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=16 December 2021}}</ref> In an international ''Cities of Choice'' survey conducted in 2021 by the [[Boston Consulting Group]] and the BCG Henderson Institute, Helsinki was ranked the third-best city in the world to live in, with [[London]] and [[New York City]] coming in first and second.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/19591-helsinki-comes-in-third-in-ranking-of-world-s-best-cities-to-live.html|title=Helsinki comes in third in ranking of world's best cities to live|work=[[Helsinki Times]]|date=14 July 2021|access-date=15 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cityam.com/london-hailed-as-worlds-city-of-choice-by-bcg-report/|title=London hailed as world's 'city of choice' in quality of life report|first=Farah|last=Ghouri|work=[[City A.M.]]|date=4 August 2021|access-date=15 August 2021}}</ref> In the ''[[Condé Nast Traveler]]'' magazine's 2023 Readers' Choice Awards, Helsinki was ranked the 4th-friendliest city in Europe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/friendliest-cities-europe|title=The friendliest cities in Europe: 2023 Readers' Choice Awards|work=[[Condé Nast Traveler]]|date=3 October 2023|access-date=21 October 2023}}</ref> Helsinki, along with [[Rovaniemi]] in [[Lapland (Finland)|Lapland]], is also one of Finland's most important [[tourism|tourist]] cities.<ref>[https://www.lapinkansa.fi/rovaniemen-ja-helsingin-johtajat-saivat-ministeril/3141180 Lapin Kansa: Rovaniemen ja Helsingin johtajat saivat ministeriltä tehtävän miettiä, miten matkailu nousee korona-ajan mentyä ohi – Rahaa on luvassa EU:n elpymispaketista] (in Finnish)</ref> Due to the large number of sea passengers, Helsinki is classified as a major port city,<ref>{{cite journal | doi=10.1080/03088839.2020.1802785 | title=The Southampton system: A new universal standard approach for port-city classification | year=2021 | last1=Roberts | first1=Toby | last2=Williams | first2=Ian | last3=Preston | first3=John | journal=Maritime Policy & Management | volume=48 | issue=4 | pages=530–542 | s2cid=225502755 | doi-access=free }}</ref> and in 2017 it was rated the world's busiest passenger port.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Helsinki becomes world's busiest passenger port |url=https://www.dailyfinland.fi/travel/3854/Helsinki-becomes-worlds-busiest-passenger-port |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=clickittefaq}}</ref>

==Etymology==
According to a theory put forward in the 1630s, at the time of [[Swedish colonisation of Finland|Swedish colonisation]] of the Finnish coast, colonists from [[Hälsingland]] in central [[Sweden]] arrived at what is now the [[Vantaa (river)|Vantaa River]] and called it {{Lang|sv|Helsingå}} ('Helsinge River'), giving rise to the names of the [[Helsingin pitäjän kirkonkylä|village]] and [[Church of St. Lawrence, Vantaa|church]] of Helsinge in the 1300s.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Salminen |first=Tapio |title=Vantaan ja Helsingin pitäjän keskiaika |date=2013 |isbn=978-952-443-455-3 |location=Vantaa |publisher=Vantaan kaupunki |language=fi |trans-title=The Middle-age in Vantaa and Helsinki}}</ref> This theory is questionable, as dialect research suggests that the settlers came from [[Uppland]] and the surrounding areas.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hellman |first=Sonja |date=7 June 2015 |title=Historiska fel upprättas i ny bok |language=sv |trans-title=Historical misinformation corrected in new book |work=Hufvudstadsbladet}}</ref> Others have suggested that the name derives from the Swedish word {{Lang|sv|helsing}}, an archaic form of the word {{Lang|sv|hals}} ('[[neck]]'), which refers to the narrowest part of a river, the [[rapids]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Utbildning & Vetenskap: Svenskfinland |url=http://veta.yle.fi/svenskfinland/artikel.php?id=23&subject=mellannyland |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512081641/http://veta.yle.fi/svenskfinland/artikel.php?id=23&subject=mellannyland |archive-date=12 May 2008 |access-date=8 July 2009 |publisher=Veta.yle.fi}}</ref> Other Scandinavian towns in similar geographical locations were given similar names at the time, such as [[Helsingør]] in Denmark and [[Helsingborg]] in Sweden.

When a town was founded in the village of [[Koskela|Forsby]] (later {{Lang|fi|Koskela}}) in 1548, it was called {{Lang|fi|Helsinge fors}}, 'Helsinge rapids'. The name refers to the {{ill|Vanhankaupunginkoski|fi|Vanhankaupunginkoski}} rapids at the mouth of the river.<ref>{{cite web |last=<!--Not stated--> |title=Onko kosken alkuperäinen nimi Helsinginkoski vai Vanhankaupunginkoski? |url=http://www.helsinginkoski.fi/kysymyksetjavastaukset/onko-kosken-alkuperainen-nimi-helsinginkoski-vai-vanhankaupunginkoski/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305220022/http://www.helsinginkoski.fi/kysymyksetjavastaukset/onko-kosken-alkuperainen-nimi-helsinginkoski-vai-vanhankaupunginkoski/ |archive-date=5 March 2016 |access-date=26 February 2016 |website=Helsinginkoski}}</ref> The town was commonly known as {{Lang|fi|Helsinge}} or {{Lang|fi|Helsing}}, from which the modern Finnish name is derived.<ref>{{cite web |last=Jäppinen |first=Jere |date=2007 |title=Helsingin nimi |url=http://www.helsinginkaupunginmuseo.fi/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/sofia_2_2007.pdf |access-date=26 February 2016 |website=www.helsinginkaupunginmuseo.fi |publisher=Helsingin kaupunginmuseo}}</ref>

Official [[Council of State (Finland)|Finnish government]] documents and Finnish language newspapers have used the name ''Helsinki'' since 1819, when the [[Senate of Finland]] moved to the city from [[Turku]], the former capital of Finland. Decrees issued in Helsinki were dated with Helsinki as the place of issue. This is how the form Helsinki came to be used in [[literary language|written]] Finnish.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jäppinen |first=Jere |date=15 November 2011 |title=Mistä Helsingin nimi on peräisin? |url=http://www.hs.fi/paivanlehti/arkisto/Mist%C3%A4+Helsingin+nimi+on+per%C3%A4isin/aaHS20111115SI1AT02exp?src=haku&ref=arkisto%2F |journal=Helsingin Sanomat |pages=D2 |access-date=29 November 2013 |archive-date=29 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129184056/http://www.hs.fi/paivanlehti/arkisto/Mist%C3%A4+Helsingin+nimi+on+per%C3%A4isin/aaHS20111115SI1AT02exp?src=haku&ref=arkisto%2F }}</ref> When Finland became the Grand Duchy of Finland, an autonomous state under the rule of the [[Russian Empire]], Helsinki was known as {{Transliteration|ru|Gel'singfors}} ({{Lang|ru|Гельсингфорс}}) in Russian, because the main and official language of Grand Duchy of Finland was Swedish.

In [[Helsinki slang]], the city is called {{Lang|fi|Stadi}} (from the Swedish word {{Lang|sv|stad}}, meaning 'city'). Abbreviated form {{Lang|fi|Hesa}} is equally common, but its use is associated with people of rural origin ("junantuomat", lit. "brought by a train") and frowned upon by locals.<ref name="nickname" /><ref>Ristkari, Maiju: ''Heinäsorsat Helsingissä''. ''[[Aku Ankka]]'' #44/2013, introduction on page 2.</ref> {{lang|se|Helsset}} is the [[Northern Sami]] name for Helsinki.<ref name="samigrammar">{{cite web |title=Sami Grammar |url=http://people.uta.fi/~km56049/same/svocab.html |access-date=2 January 2015 |website=uta.fi |archive-date=21 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221121024/http://people.uta.fi/~km56049/same/svocab.html }}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|History of Helsinki}}
{{For timeline}}
[[File:Helsinki 1820.jpg|thumb|Central Helsinki in 1820 before rebuilding. Illustration by [[Carl Ludvig Engel]].]]
[[File:Suomenlinna Susisaari.jpg|thumb|Construction of [[Suomenlinna]], the largest European sea fortress of its era, began in 1748.]]

=== Early history ===
After the end of the [[Last Glacial Period|Ice Age]] and the retreat of the ice sheet, the first settlers arrived in the Helsinki area around 5000 BC. Their presence has been documented by archaeologists in [[Vantaa]], [[Pitäjänmäki]] and [[Kaarela]].<ref name="NKent">{{Cite book |first=Neil |last=Kent |title=Helsinki: A cultural and literary history |publisher=Signal Books |year=2004 |location=Oxford}}</ref> Permanent settlements did not appear until the beginning of the 1st millennium AD, during the [[Iron Age]], when the area was inhabited by the [[Tavastians]]. They used the area for fishing and hunting, but due to the lack of archaeological finds it is difficult to say how extensive their settlements were. [[Palynology|Pollen analysis]] has shown that there were agricultural settlements in the area in the 10th century, and surviving historical records from the 14th century describe Tavastian settlements in the area.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last=V.-P. Suhonen and Janne Heinonen |title=Helsingin keskiaikaiset ja uuden ajan alun kylänpaikat 2011, Inventointiraportti. Museovirasto, Arkeologiset kenttäpalvelut |url=https://www.hel.fi/hel2/kaumuseo/rakennusinventoinnit/raportit/kyl_paikkainventointi.pdf}}</ref>

[[Christianity]] does not gain a significant foothold in Finland before the 11th century. After that, a number of [[Christian cross|crosses]] and other objects related to Christianity can be found in archaeological material. According to the traditional view, the [[Kingdom of Sweden (800–1521)|Kingdom of Sweden]] made three crusades to Finland, thanks to which the region was incorporated into both Christianity and the Swedish Empire. Recent research has shown that these expeditions, to the extent that there were even three of them, were not the crusades that had been imagined. Later, the conquest of Finland was justified in terms of "civilisation" and "christianisation", and the myth of the Crusades was developed. It is more likely that it was a multidimensional combination of economic, cultural and political power ambitions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-04 |title=Keskiaikainen Helsingin pitäjä {{!}} Historia Helsinki |url=https://historia.hel.fi/fi/kaannekohdat/alkujuuret-ja-perustaminen/keskiaikainen-helsingin-pitaja |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=historia.hel.fi |language=fi}}</ref>

The early settlements were raided by [[Vikings]] until 1008, and the [[Battle at Herdaler]] was a battle between the Norse Viking leader Olav Haraldsson (later King [[Olaf II of Norway]], also known as Saint Olaf) and local Finns at Herdaler (now [[Ingå]]), not far from Helsinga, around 1007–8.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Väätäinen |first=Erika |date=2022-03-04 |title=Were There Ever Vikings In Finland Or Finnish Vikings? |url=https://scandification.com/finnish-vikings-and-vikings-in-finland/ |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=Scandification |language=en-GB}}</ref> The [[Heimskringla|Saga of Olaf Haraldson]] tells how Olav raided the coasts of Finland and was almost killed in battle. He ran away in fear and after that the Vikings did not raid the coasts of Finland.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Battle of Herdaler |url=http://mcllibrary.org/Heimskringla/haraldson1.html | quote = Saga of Olaf Haraldson. See chapter 8: The Third Battle. }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Talvio |first=Tuukka |date=2002 |title= Suomen museo 2002 |location=Vammala |publisher= Suomen Muinaismuistoyhdistys |isbn=951-9057-47-1}}</ref>

Later the area was settled by Christians from Sweden. They came mainly from the Swedish coastal regions of [[Norrland]] and [[Hälsingland]], and their migration intensified around 1100.<ref name="NKent" />  The [[Swedish colonisation of Finland|Swedes permanently colonised]] the Helsinki region's coastline in the late 13th century, after the successful crusade to Finland that led to the defeat of the Tavastians.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tarkiainen |first=Kari |title=Ruotsin itämaa |publisher=Svenska litteratussällskapet i Finland |year=2010 |location=Helsinki |pages=122–125}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

In the Middle Ages, the Helsinki area was a landscape of small villages. Some of the old villages from the 1240s in the area of present-day Helsinki, such as [[Koskela]] and [[Töölö]], are now Helsinki districts, as are the rest of the 27 medieval villages. The area gradually became part of the Kingdom of Sweden and Christianity. [[King's Road (Finland)|Kuninkaantie]], or the "King's Road", ran through the area and two interesting medieval buildings were built here: {{ill|Vartiokylä hillfort|fi|Vartiokylän linnavuori}} in the 1380s and the [[Church of St. Lawrence, Vantaa|Church of St. Lawrence]] in 1455. In the Middle Ages, several thousand people lived in Helsinki's [[keep]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-04 |title=Keskiaikainen Helsingin pitäjä {{!}} Historia Helsinki |url=https://historia.hel.fi/fi/kaannekohdat/alkujuuret-ja-perustaminen/keskiaikainen-helsingin-pitaja |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=historia.hel.fi |language=fi}}</ref>

There was a lot of trade across the [[Baltic Sea]]. The shipping route to the coast, and especially to [[Reval]], meant that by the end of the Middle Ages the Helsinki region had become an important trading centre for wealthy [[peasant]]s, [[priest]]s and [[nobility|noble]]s in Finland, after [[Vyborg]] and [[Pohja]]. [[Fur]]s, [[wood]], [[tar]], [[fish]] and animals were exported from Helsinki, and [[salt]] and [[grain]] were brought to the fortress. Helsinki was also the most important cattle-breeding area in Uusimaa. With the help of trade, Helsinki became one of the wealthiest cities in Finland and Uusimaa. Thanks to trade and travel, e.g. to Reval, people could speak several languages, at least helpfully. Depending on the situation, Finnish, Swedish, Latin or Low German could be heard in the Helsinki area.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-16 |title=Keskiaikaista arkea Helsingin pitäjässä {{!}} Historia Helsinki |url=https://historia.hel.fi/fi/ilmiot/arjen-muuttuvat-kasvot/keskiaikaista-arkea-helsingin-pitajassa |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=historia.hel.fi |language=fi}}</ref>

Written chronicles from 1417 mention the village of [[Koskela]] near the rapids at the mouth of the [[Vantaa River|River Vantaa]], where Helsinki was to be founded.<ref name="NKent" />

=== Founding of Helsinki ===
[[File:Helsinki Map 1645.png|thumb|left|upright|A map of Helsinki in 1645]]
Helsinki was founded by King [[Gustav I of Sweden]] on 12 June 1550 as a trading town called Helsingfors to rival the [[Hanseatic League|Hanseatic]] city of Reval (now [[Tallinn]]) on the southern shore of the [[Gulf of Finland]].<ref name="Tabblo100">{{cite web |title=Ruttopuisto&nbsp;– Plague Park |url=http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories/view/409531/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411112934/http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories/view/409531/ |archive-date=11 April 2008 |access-date=3 November 2008 |publisher=Tabblo.com}}</ref><ref name="NKent" /> To populate the new town at the mouth of the [[Vantaa River]], the king ordered the [[bourgeoisie]] of [[Porvoo]], [[Raseborg]], [[Rauma, Finland|Rauma]] and [[Ulvila]] to [[Forced displacement|move]] there.<ref name="helsinki-history">{{cite web |title=Helsingin historia |url=http://www.hel.fi/www/Helsinki/fi/kaupunki-ja-hallinto/tietoa-helsingista/helsingin-historia-ja-arkistot/ |website=Helsingin kaupunki |language=fi}}</ref> The shallowness of the bay made it impossible to build a harbour, and the king allowed the settlers to leave the unfortunate location. In 1640, Count [[Per Brahe the Younger]], together with some descendants of the original settlers, moved the centre of the city to the [[Vironniemi]] peninsula by the sea, today's [[Kruununhaka]] district, where the [[Senate Square, Helsinki|Senate Square]] and [[Helsinki Cathedral]] are located.<ref name="matkaoppaat"/>

During the second half of the 17th century, Helsinki, as a wooden city, suffered from regular [[fire]]s, and by the beginning of the 18th century the population had fallen below 1,700. For a long time Helsinki was mainly a small administrative town for the governors of [[Nyland and Tavastehus County]], but its importance began to grow in the 18th century when plans were made to build a more solid naval defence in front of the city.<ref name="helsinki-history"/> Little came of these plans, however, as Helsinki remained a small town plagued by poverty, war and disease. The [[Great Northern War plague outbreak|plague]] of 1710 killed most of Helsinki's population.<ref name="Tabblo100" /> After the [[Battle of Helsinki (1713)|Russians captured]] Helsinki in May 1713 during the [[Great Northern War]], the retreating Swedish administration set fire to parts of the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://historia.hel.fi/fi/kaannekohdat/tuho-ja-jalleenrakennus/suuri-pohjan-sota-ja-helsingin-tuho|title=Suuri Pohjan sota ja Helsingin tuho|date=21 January 2022 |publisher=City of Helsinki|access-date=10 May 2023|language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Seppo|last=Aalto|title=Kruununkaupunki – Vironniemen Helsinki 1640–1721|publisher=[[Finnish Literature Society]]|location=Helsinki|year=2015|isbn=978-952-222-675-4|language=fi}}</ref> Despite this, the city's population grew to 3,000 by the beginning of the 19th century. The construction of the naval fortress of [[Suomenlinna|Sveaborg]] (''Viapori'' in Finnish, now also called ''Suomenlinna'') in the 18th century helped to improve Helsinki's status. However, it wasn't until Russia defeated Sweden in the [[Finnish War]] and annexed Finland as the autonomous [[Grand Duchy of Finland]] in 1809 that the city began to develop into a substantial city. The Russians besieged the Sveaborg fortress during the war, and about a quarter of the city was destroyed in a fire in 1808.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Niukkanen |first1=Marianna |last2=Heikkinen, Markku |title=Vuoden 1808 suurpalo |url=http://www.nba.fi/helsinginarkeologiaa/keskusta_kohteet_1810.htm |access-date=14 July 2013 |website=Kurkistuksia Helsingin kujille |publisher=National Board of Antiquities |language=fi |archive-date=14 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214210101/http://www.nba.fi/helsinginarkeologiaa/keskusta_kohteet_1810.htm }}</ref>

Emperor [[Alexander I of Russia]] moved the capital of Finland from [[Turku]] to Helsinki on 8 April 1812 to reduce Swedish influence in Finland and bring the capital closer to [[St Petersburg]].<ref>{{cite web |title=8 April 1812 Emperor Alexander I promotes Helsinki to the capital of the Grand Duchy. - Helsinki 200 years as capital |url=http://www.helsinki200.fi/en/helsinki-1812-2012/1812-emperor-alexander-i-promotes-helsinki-capital-grand-duchy/ |access-date=21 January 2016 |archive-date=10 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810032003/http://www.helsinki200.fi/en/helsinki-1812-2012/1812-emperor-alexander-i-promotes-helsinki-capital-grand-duchy/ }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/news/3-5486170|title=Bicentennial of Helsinki as Finnish capital|work=[[Yle News]]|date=8 April 2012|access-date=8 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/1978-lobbying-for-helsinki-200-years-ago-2.html|title=Lobbying for Helsinki 200 years ago|work=[[Helsinki Times]]|date=19 April 2012|access-date=8 April 2022}}</ref> After the [[Great Fire of Turku]] in 1827, the [[Royal Academy of Turku]], the only university in the country at the time, was also moved to Helsinki and eventually became the modern University of Helsinki. The move consolidated the city's new role and helped set it on a path of continuous growth. This transformation is most evident in the city centre, which was rebuilt in the [[neoclassicism|neoclassical]] style to resemble St. Petersburg, largely according to a plan by the German-born architect [[Carl Ludvig Engel|C. L. Engel]]. As elsewhere, technological advances such as the railway and [[industrialisation]] were key factors in the city's growth.

===Twentieth century===

By the 1910s, Helsinki's population was already over 100,000, and despite the turbulence of Finnish history in the first half of the 20th century, Helsinki continued to grow steadily. This included the [[Finnish Civil War]] and the [[Winter War]], both of which left their mark on the city. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were roughly equal numbers of Finnish and [[Swedish-speaking population of Finland|Swedish speakers]] in Helsinki; the majority of workers were Finnish-speaking. The local [[Helsinki slang]] (or ''stadin slangi'') developed among Finnish children and young people from the 1890s as a mixed Finnish-Swedish language, with influences from [[German language|German]] and [[Russian language|Russian]], and from the 1950s the slang began to become more Finnish.<ref>{{cite book| author=Marjo Vilkko | title=Suomi on ruotsalainen | chapter=Stadin slangi | pages=216–219 | location=Helsinki | publisher=[[Schildts & Söderströms]] | year=2014 | isbn=978-951-52-3419-3 | language = fi}}</ref> A landmark event was the [[1952 Summer Olympics|1952 Olympic Games]], which were held in Helsinki. Finland's rapid urbanisation in the 1970s, which occurred late compared to the rest of Europe, tripled the population of the metropolitan area, and the [[Helsinki Metro]] subway system was built.

{{wide image|Southern Helsinki panorama 2011-06-28 1.jpg|650px|A panoramic view over the southernmost districts of Helsinki from [[Hotel Torni]]. The [[Helsinki Old Church]] and its surrounding park are seen in the foreground, while the towers of [[St. John's Church, Helsinki|St. John's Church]] (near centre) and [[Mikael Agricola Church]] (right) can be seen in the middle distance, backdropped by the [[Gulf of Finland]].|100%|center}}

==Geography==
[[File:Helsinki by Sentinel-2, 2020-06-26.jpg|thumb|Helsinki seen from Sentinel-2]]
{{Main|Geography of Helsinki}}

Known as the "Daughter of the Baltic"<ref name="nickname1">[https://europecharm.com/helsinki-the-daughter-of-the-baltic/] {{Dead link|date=June 2021|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> or the "Pearl of the Baltic",<ref name="nickname2">{{cite web|url=https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/my-helsinki/helsinki-pearl-of-the-baltic-sea|title=Helsinki, Pearl of the Baltic Sea|website=Myhelsinki.fi|access-date=16 December 2021|archive-date=17 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517084823/https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/my-helsinki/helsinki-pearl-of-the-baltic-sea|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://hooniverse.com/the-white-pearl-of-the-baltic-sea-helsinki-deals-with-snow/|title=The White Pearl of the Baltic Sea – Helsinki Deals with Snow|website=Hooniverse.com|date=3 January 2013|access-date=16 December 2021}}</ref> Helsinki is located at the tip of a peninsula and on 315 islands. The city centre is located on a southern peninsula, ''Helsinginniemi'' ("Cape of Helsinki"), which is rarely referred to by its actual name, [[Vironniemi]] ("Cape of Estonia"). Population density is comparatively high in certain parts of downtown Helsinki, reaching {{convert|16494|PD/km2}} in the district of [[Kallio]],  overall Helsinki's population density is 3,147 per square kilometre. Outside the city centre, much of Helsinki consists of post-war suburbs separated by patches of forest. A narrow, {{convert|10|km}} long [[Central Park (Helsinki)|Helsinki Central Park]], which stretches from the city centre to Helsinki's northern border, is an important recreational area for residents. The City of Helsinki has about 11,000 boat [[Berth (moorings)|moorings]] and over {{convert|14,000|ha|acre mi2|abbr=off}} of marine fishing waters adjacent to the capital region. About 60 species of fish are found in this area, and recreational fishing is popular.

Helsinki's main islands include [[Seurasaari]], [[Lauttasaari]] and [[Korkeasaari]] – the latter is home to Finland's largest zoo, [[Korkeasaari Zoo]]. The former military islands of [[Vallisaari]] and [[Isosaari]] are now open to the public, but [[Santahamina]] is still in military use. The most historic and remarkable island is the fortress of [[Suomenlinna]] (Sveaborg).<ref name="36h"/> The island of [[Pihlajasaari]] is a popular summer resort, comparable to [[Fire Island]] in [[New York City]].

There are 60 [[nature reserve]]s in Helsinki with a total area of {{convert|95480|acre|ha}}. Of the total area, {{convert|48190|acre|ha}} are water areas and {{convert|47290|acre|ha}} are land areas. The city also has seven nature reserves in [[Espoo]], [[Sipoo]], [[Hanko, Finland|Hanko]] and [[Ingå]]. The largest nature reserve is the [[Vanhankaupunginselkä]], with an area of {{convert|30600|acre|ha}}. The city's first nature reserve, Tiiraluoto of Lauttasaari, was established in 1948.<ref>{{cite magazine| last= Kotka |first=Tiina | title= Stadilla on 60 luonnonsuojelualuetta | magazine= Helsinki-lehti | date= 14 May 2020 | number= 2/2020 | page= 27 | publisher= City of Helsinki | url= https://www.hel.fi/static/liitteet/kanslia/helsinki-info/arkisto/2020/HKI0220_nettilehti_1505.pdf | language= fi | access-date= 30 December 2020}}</ref>

Helsinki's official plant is the [[Norway maple]] and its official animal is the [[red squirrel]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.kirjastot.fi/kysy/arkistohaku/kysymys/?ID=4cb7bd80-f847-49dc-a6c9-020fc91899c2 | title=Mitkä ovat Helsingin nimikkoeläin ja nimikkokasvi? | work=Kysy kirjastonhoitajalta | publisher=Helsinki City Library | date=30 August 2001 | access-date= 30 December 2020 | language= fi}}</ref>

===Metropolitan area===
{{Main|Helsinki capital region|Helsinki metropolitan area}}
[[File:Greater Helsinki Urban Area.svg|thumb|right|[[Helsinki urban area|Helsinki central urban area]], an officially recognized [[Urban areas in Finland|urban area]]]]
[[File:A map of the Capital region and Greater Helsinki in Finland.svg|thumb|right|A map of Helsinki's capital region (in orange) and [[Helsinki metropolitan area|its sub-regional municipalities]] (in light orange)]]
The [[Helsinki capital region]] ({{langx|fi|Pääkaupunkiseutu}}, {{langx|sv|Huvudstadsregionen}}) comprises four municipalities: Helsinki, [[Espoo]], [[Vantaa]], and [[Kauniainen]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Aluejaot |url=http://www.uudenmaanliitto.fi/tietopalvelut/uusimaa-tietopankki/aluejaot |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529172146/http://www.uudenmaanliitto.fi/tietopalvelut/uusimaa-tietopankki/aluejaot |archive-date=29 May 2014 |access-date=29 May 2014 |website=Tietopalvelu |publisher=Uudenmaan liitto |language=fi}}</ref> The [[Helsinki urban area]] is considered to be the only [[metropolis]] in [[Finland]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Uudenmaan maakuntakaava selostus |url=http://www.uudenmaanliitto.fi/files/1090/Uudenmaan_maakuntakaava_selostus.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813050316/http://www.uudenmaanliitto.fi/files/1090/Uudenmaan_maakuntakaava_selostus.pdf |archive-date=13 August 2011 |access-date=17 February 2014 |publisher=Helsinki-Uusimaa Region |language=fi}}</ref> It has a population of about {{formatnum: {{#expr: ({{Data Finland municipality/population count|Helsinki}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Espoo}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vantaa}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kauniainen}}) /1000000 round 2 }}}} million, and is the most densely populated area of [[Finland]]. The Capital Region spreads over a land area of {{convert|770|km2}} and has a population density of 1,619 per sg km. With over 20 percent of the country's population in just 0.2 percent of its surface area, the area's housing density is high by Finnish standards.

The [[Helsinki metropolitan area]] or the Greater Helsinki consists of the cities of the capital region and ten surrounding municipalities: [[Hyvinkää]], [[Järvenpää]], [[Kerava]], [[Kirkkonummi]], [[Nurmijärvi]], [[Sipoo]], [[Tuusula]], [[Pornainen]], [[Mäntsälä]] and [[Vihti]].<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.kielitoimistonohjepankki.fi/ohje/403 | title= Pääkaupunkiseutu, Suur-Helsinki ja Helsingin seutu | work= Kotus | access-date= 30 December 2020 | language= fi}}</ref> The Metropolitan Area covers {{convert|3697|km2|0|abbr=out}} and has a population of about {{formatnum: {{#expr: ({{Data Finland municipality/population count|Helsinki}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Espoo}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vantaa}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Mäntsälä}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Pornainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kauniainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kirkkonummi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vihti}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Nurmijärvi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Hyvinkää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Tuusula}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kerava}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Järvenpää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Sipoo}}) /1000000 round 2 }} }} million, or about a fourth of the total population of Finland. The metropolitan area has a high concentration of employment: approximately 750,000 jobs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Helsingin seutu tiivistetysti |url=http://www.helsinginseutu.fi/hki/HS/Helsingin+Seutu/Kaupunkitieto+ja+tilastot |website=Kaupunkitieto |date=19 December 2022 |publisher=Helsinginseutu.fi |language=fi}}</ref> Despite the intensity of land use, the region also has large recreational areas and green spaces. The Helsinki metropolitan area is the world's northernmost urban area with a population of over one million people, and the northernmost EU capital city.

The [[Helsinki urban area]] is an officially recognized [[Urban areas in Finland|urban area in Finland]], defined by its population density. The area stretches throughout 11 municipalities, and is the largest such area in Finland, with a land area of {{convert|669.31|km2}} and approximately 1.36 &nbsp;million inhabitants.

===Climate===
Helsinki has a cold [[hemiboreal]] [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Dfb'', [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]] ''Dcbo'').<ref>{{cite web |title=Climate Helsinki: Temperature, Climograph, Climate table for Helsinki - Climate-Data.org |url=https://en.climate-data.org/location/5971/ |access-date=17 January 2018 |website=en.climate-data.org}}</ref> Due to the moderating influence of the [[Baltic Sea]] and the [[North Atlantic Current]] (see also [[Extratropical cyclone]]), winter temperatures are higher than the northern location would suggest, with an average of {{convert|-4|C|F}} in January and February.<ref name="fmiclimate">{{cite web |title=Climatological statistics for the normal period 1971–2000 |url=http://en.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/normal-period-1981-2010 |access-date=13 April 2010 |publisher=Fmi.fi}}</ref>

Winters in Helsinki are significantly warmer than in the north of Finland, and the snow season in the capital is much shorter due to its location in the extreme south of Finland and the [[urban heat island]] effect. Temperatures below {{convert|-20|C|F}} occur only a few times a year. However, due to the latitude, the days around the [[winter solstice]] are 5 hours and 48 minutes long, with the sun very low (at noon the sun is just over 6 degrees in the sky), and the cloudy weather at this time of year exacerbates the darkness. Conversely, Helsinki enjoys long days in summer, with 18 hours and 57 minutes of daylight around the [[summer solstice]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Tukiainen |first=Matti |title=Helsinki, Finland&nbsp;– Sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk times around the World! |url=http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/helsinki.html |access-date=11 February 2011 |website=Gaisma}}</ref>

The average maximum temperature from June to August is around {{convert|19|to|22|C|F}}. Due to the sea effect, especially on hot summer days, daytime temperatures are slightly cooler and nighttime temperatures higher than further inland. The highest temperature recorded in the city was {{convert|33.2|C}} on 28 July 2019 at the [[Kaisaniemi]] weather station,<ref>{{cite web |last=<!--Not stated--> |date=28 July 2019 |title=Taulukkotilasto: Helsinki Kaisaniemi |url=https://kilotavu.com/asema-taulukko.php?asema=100971 |access-date=28 July 2019 |website=kilotavu.com |publisher=Finnish Meteorological Institute}}</ref> breaking the previous record of {{convert|33.1|C}} set in July 1945 at the [[Ilmala]] weather station.<ref name="Suomen Maakuntien Ilmasto">{{cite web |url=https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/15734/2009nro8.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |title=Suomen Makkuntien Ilmasto |editor-last1=Kersalo |editor-first1=Juha |editor-last2=Pirinen |editor-first2=Pentti |publisher=Finnish Meteorological Institute |date=2009 |location=Helsinki |access-date=11 August 2021 }}</ref> The lowest temperature recorded in the city was {{convert|-34.3|C|F|abbr=on}} on 10 January 1987, although an unofficial low of {{convert|-35|C|0|abbr=on}} was recorded in December 1876.<ref name="Helsinki climate table">{{cite web |title=Helsinki Kaisaniemi - Taulukkotilasto |url=https://kilotavu.com/asema-taulukko.php?asema=100971 |website=kilotavu.com}}</ref> [[Helsinki Airport]] (in Vantaa, 17&nbsp;km north of Helsinki city centre) recorded a maximum temperature of {{convert|33.7|C}} on 29 July 2010 and a minimum of {{convert|-35.9|C|0|abbr=on}} on 9 January 1987. Precipitation comes from frontal passages and thunderstorms. Thunderstorms are most common in summer.

{{Weather box
|location = Central Helsinki ([[Kaisaniemi]]) 1991–2020 normals, records 1844–present
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 8.5
|Feb record high C = 10.3
|Mar record high C = 15.1
|Apr record high C = 21.9
|May record high C = 27.6
|Jun record high C = 30.9
|Jul record high C = 33.2
|Aug record high C = 31.2
|Sep record high C = 26.2
|Oct record high C = 17.6
|Nov record high C = 14.3
|Dec record high C = 10.5
|year record high C = 33.2
|Jan avg record high C = 4.7
|Feb avg record high C = 4.6
|Mar avg record high C = 8.4
|Apr avg record high C = 16.1
|May avg record high C = 22.5
|Jun avg record high C = 24.9
|Jul avg record high C = 27.1
|Aug avg record high C = 25.4
|Sep avg record high C = 20.4
|Oct avg record high C = 14.6
|Nov avg record high C = 9.5
|Dec avg record high C = 6.0
|year avg record high C = 27.9
|Jan high C = −0.7
|Feb high C = −1.3
|Mar high C = 2.3
|Apr high C = 8.1
|May high C = 14.6
|Jun high C = 18.8
|Jul high C = 21.9
|Aug high C = 20.5
|Sep high C = 15.4
|Oct high C = 9.2
|Nov high C = 4.4
|Dec high C = 1.4
|year high C = 9.6
|Jan mean C = −3.1
|Feb mean C = −3.8
|Mar mean C = −0.7
|Apr mean C = 4.4
|May mean C = 10.4
|Jun mean C = 14.9
|Jul mean C = 18.1
|Aug mean C = 16.9
|Sep mean C = 12.3
|Oct mean C = 6.6
|Nov mean C = 2.4
|Dec mean C = −0.7
|year mean C = 6.5
|Jan low C = −5.6
|Feb low C = −6.3
|Mar low C = −3.6
|Apr low C = 1.1
|May low C = 6.4
|Jun low C = 11.2
|Jul low C = 14.5
|Aug low C = 13.5
|Sep low C = 9.3
|Oct low C = 4.2
|Nov low C = 0.4
|Dec low C = −2.9
|year low C = 3.5
|Jan avg record low C = -17.7
|Feb avg record low C = -16.9
|Mar avg record low C = -11.9
|Apr avg record low C = -4.4
|May avg record low C = 0.7
|Jun avg record low C = 6.0
|Jul avg record low C = 10.2
|Aug avg record low C = 8.3
|Sep avg record low C = 2.5
|Oct avg record low C = -3.9
|Nov avg record low C = -7.4
|Dec avg record low C = -12.8
|year avg record low C = -20.6
|Jan record low C = -34.4
|Feb record low C = -33.0
|Mar record low C = -31.3
|Apr record low C = -19.8
|May record low C = -7.0
|Jun record low C = -0.5
|Jul record low C = 4.9
|Aug record low C = 2.1
|Sep record low C = -4.5
|Oct record low C = -13.9
|Nov record low C = -25.5
|Dec record low C = -35.0
|year record low C = -35.0
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 53
| Feb precipitation mm = 38
| Mar precipitation mm = 34
| Apr precipitation mm = 34
| May precipitation mm = 38
| Jun precipitation mm = 60
| Jul precipitation mm = 57
| Aug precipitation mm = 81
| Sep precipitation mm = 56
| Oct precipitation mm = 73
| Nov precipitation mm = 69
| Dec precipitation mm = 58
| year precipitation mm = 653
| Jan rain days = 19
| Feb rain days = 16
| Mar rain days = 13
| Apr rain days = 12
| May rain days = 11
| Jun rain days = 14
| Jul rain days = 12
| Aug rain days = 13
| Sep rain days = 14
| Oct rain days = 16
| Nov rain days = 17
| Dec rain days = 19
| year rain days = 
| unit rain days = 0.1 mm
|Jan sun = 37.2
|Feb sun = 70.6
|Mar sun = 139.5
|Apr sun = 195.0
|May sun = 285.2
|Jun sun = 297.0
|Jul sun = 291.4
|Aug sun = 238.7
|Sep sun = 150.0
|Oct sun = 93.0
|Nov sun = 36.0
|Dec sun = 27.9
|Jand sun = 1.2
|Febd sun = 2.5
|Mard sun = 4.5
|Aprd sun = 6.5
|Mayd sun = 9.2
|Jund sun = 9.9
|Juld sun = 9.4
|Augd sun = 7.7
|Sepd sun = 5
|Octd sun = 3
|Novd sun = 1.2
|Decd sun = 0.9
|Jan light = 6.8
|Feb light = 9.2
|Mar light = 11.8
|Apr light = 14.6
|May light = 17.2
|Jun light = 18.8
|Jul light = 18.0
|Aug light = 15.6
|Sep light = 12.9
|Oct light = 10.1
|Nov light = 7.5
|Dec light = 6.0
|Jan percentsun = 18
|Feb percentsun = 27
|Mar percentsun = 38
|Apr percentsun = 45
|May percentsun = 53
|Jun percentsun = 53
|Jul percentsun = 52
|Aug percentsun = 49
|Sep percentsun = 39
|Oct percentsun = 30
|Nov percentsun = 16
|Dec percentsun = 15
|Jan uv = 0
|Feb uv = 0
|Mar uv = 1
|Apr uv = 3
|May uv = 4
|Jun uv = 5
|Jul uv = 5
|Aug uv = 4
|Sep uv = 3
|Oct uv = 1
|Nov uv = 0
|Dec uv = 0
| source 1 = FMI climatological normals for Finland 1991&ndash;2020,<ref name="FMI">{{cite web |title=FMI normals 1991-2020 |url=https://www.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/ilmastollinen-vertailukausi |access-date=7 October 2021|publisher=fmi.fi}}</ref> record highs and lows<ref name="FMI data">{{cite web |title=FMI data |url=http://suja.kapsi.fi/fmi-tilastot.php?taulukkomoodi=true |access-date=25 September 2020 |publisher=FMI}}</ref>
| date = September 2020
|source 2 = Weather Atlas (sun data)<ref name="Weather Atlas">{{cite web |url=https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/finland/helsinki-climate |title=Helsinki, Finland - Monthly weather forecast and Climate data |publisher=Weather Atlas |access-date=22 May 2023 }}</ref>}}

{{Weather box
| location = Helsinki Kumpula (1991–2020 normals)
| metric first = Yes
| single line = Yes
|Jan sun = 35
|Feb sun = 71
|Mar sun = 146
|Apr sun = 203
|May sun = 296
|Jun sun = 278
|Jul sun = 308
|Aug sun = 248
|Sep sun = 160
|Oct sun = 89
|Nov sun = 34
|Dec sun = 23
|year sun = 1890
| source 1 = https://ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/1991-2020-auringonpaiste-ja-sateilytilastot
}}

{{Weather box
| location = [[Helsinki Airport]] ([[Vantaa]]) 1991–2020 normals, records 1952–present
| metric first = Yes
| single line = Yes
| collapsed = y
| Jan record high C = 8.2
| Feb record high C = 10.0
| Mar record high C = 17.5
| Apr record high C = 24.0
| May record high C = 29.6
| Jun record high C = 31.4
| Jul record high C = 33.7
| Aug record high C = 31.5
| Sep record high C = 27.7
| Oct record high C = 18.2
| Nov record high C = 13.4
| Dec record high C = 10.8
| year record high C = 
| Jan high C = −1.8
| Feb high C = −2
| Mar high C = 2.2
| Apr high C = 9.1
| May high C = 16.0
| Jun high C = 20.1
| Jul high C = 23.0
| Aug high C = 21.2
| Sep high C = 15.7
| Oct high C = 8.6
| Nov high C = 3.4
| Dec high C = 0.4
| year high C = 9.7
| Jan mean C = −4.3
| Feb mean C = −4.9
| Mar mean C = −1.4
| Apr mean C = 4.5
| May mean C = 10.9
| Jun mean C = 15.3
| Jul mean C = 18.3
| Aug mean C = 16.6
| Sep mean C = 11.6
| Oct mean C = 5.8
| Nov mean C = 1.4
| Dec mean C = −1.9
| year mean C = 6.0
| Jan low C = -7.1
| Feb low C = -7.9
| Mar low C = −5
| Apr low C = 0.1
| May low C = 5.3
| Jun low C = 10.2
| Jul low C = 13.3
| Aug low C = 12.0
| Sep low C = 7.7
| Oct low C = 2.8
| Nov low C = −1
| Dec low C = −4.4
| year low C = 2.2
| Jan record low C = −35.9
| Feb record low C = −33.3
| Mar record low C = −27.2
| Apr record low C = −16.9
| May record low C = −5.6
| Jun record low C = −0.6
| Jul record low C = 3.7
| Aug record low C = 0.4
| Sep record low C = −7.3
| Oct record low C = −14.5
| Nov record low C = −20.8
| Dec record low C = −32.3
| year record low C = 
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 54
| Feb precipitation mm = 41
| Mar precipitation mm = 34
| Apr precipitation mm = 36
| May precipitation mm = 39
| Jun precipitation mm = 64
| Jul precipitation mm = 64
| Aug precipitation mm = 78
| Sep precipitation mm = 62
| Oct precipitation mm = 79
| Nov precipitation mm = 70
| Dec precipitation mm = 62
| year precipitation mm = 
| Jan rain days = 24
| Feb rain days = 21
| Mar rain days = 16
| Apr rain days = 12
| May rain days = 12
| Jun rain days = 14
| Jul rain days = 13
| Aug rain days = 15
| Sep rain days = 15
| Oct rain days = 18
| Nov rain days = 21
| Dec rain days = 24
| year rain days = 
| unit rain days = 0.1 mm
| Jan sun = 38
| Feb sun = 74
| Mar sun = 131
| Apr sun = 196
| May sun = 275
| Jun sun = 266
| Jul sun = 291
| Aug sun = 219
| Sep sun = 143
| Oct sun = 84
| Nov sun = 37
| Dec sun = 26
| year sun = 
| Jan percentsun = 17
| Feb percentsun = 28
| Mar percentsun = 38
| Apr percentsun = 43
| May percentsun = 54
| Jun percentsun = 52
| Jul percentsun = 52
| Aug percentsun = 48
| Sep percentsun = 39
| Oct percentsun = 30
| Nov percentsun = 17
| Dec percentsun = 15
| year percentsun = 
| Jan snow days = 26.4
| Feb snow days = 25.7
| Mar snow days = 25.2
| Apr snow days = 8.4
| May snow days = 0.4
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.1
| Oct snow days = 2.5
| Nov snow days = 13.6
| Dec snow days = 19.3
| year snow days = 121.6
| source 1 = FMI climatological normals for Finland 1991-2020<ref name="FMI"/> Weatheronline.co.uk<ref name="Weatheronline.co.uk">{{cite web|url=https://www.weatheronline.co.uk/weather/maps/city?FMM=1&FYY=1991&LMM=12&LYY=2020&WMO=02974&CONT=euro&REGION=0004&LAND=FI&ART=SNT&R=0&NOREGION=1&LEVEL=162&LANG=en&MOD=tab|title=Weatheronline.co.uk}}</ref>
| source 2 = record highs and lows<ref name="FMI open data">{{cite web |title=FMI open data |url=https://www.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/ilmastollinen-vertailukausi |access-date=19 May 2025 |publisher=FMI}}</ref>
| date = October 2021
| source = 
| Jul avg record low C = 8.6
| Aug avg record low C = 6.1
| Jun avg record low C = 4.1
| Sep avg record low C = 0.4
| May avg record low C = -1.2
| Oct avg record low C = -5.6
| Apr avg record low C = -6.2
| Nov avg record low C = -10.0
| Mar avg record low C = -14.8
| Dec avg record low C = -15.7
| Jan avg record low C = -20.5
| Feb avg record low C = -19.9
| year avg record low C = -23.9
| Jan avg record high C = 4.3
| Feb avg record high C = 4.2
| Mar avg record high C = 9.3
| Apr avg record high C = 18.1
| May avg record high C = 24.9
| Jun avg record high C = 26.6
| Jul avg record high C = 28.7
| Aug avg record high C = 27.2
| Sep avg record high C = 21.6
| Oct avg record high C = 14.8
| Nov avg record high C = 9.1
| Dec avg record high C = 5.4
| year avg record high C = 29.7
}}

===Neighbourhoods and other subdivisions===
{{Main|Subdivisions of Helsinki}}
Helsinki is divided into three major areas: [[Helsinki City Centre]] ({{langx|fi|Helsingin kantakaupunki}}, {{langx|sv|Helsingfors innerstad}}), [[North Helsinki]] ({{langx|fi|Pohjois-Helsinki}}, {{langx|sv|Norra Helsingfors}}) and [[East Helsinki]] ({{langx|fi|Itä-Helsinki}}, {{langx|sv|Östra Helsingfors}}). Of these, Helsinki City Centre means the undefined core area of capital, as opposed to [[suburb]]s. The designations [[Central business district|business center]] and city center usually refer to [[Kluuvi]], [[Kamppi]] and [[Punavuori]].<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.hel.fi/www/Helsinki/fi/kaupunki-ja-hallinto/hallinto/kaupunginosat/kamppi-kluuvi-punavuori | title=Kamppi, Kluuvi ja Punavuori | work = City of Helsinki | access-date=30 December 2020 | language= fi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.pienimatkaopas.com/helsinki/majoittuminen.html | title= Millainen hotelli Helsingissä kannattaa valita ja miltä alueelta | work= Pieni matkaopas | access-date=30 December 2020 | language= fi}}</ref> Other subdivisional centers outside the downtown area include [[Malmi, Helsinki|Malmi]] ({{langx|sv|Malm}}),<ref>[https://www.uuttahelsinkia.fi/fi/malmi Malmi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922055351/https://www.uuttahelsinkia.fi/fi/malmi |date=22 September 2022 }}, Uuttahelsinkiä.fi, (in Finnish)</ref><ref>[https://www.sttinfo.fi/tiedote/malmin-keskustan-suunnitteluperiaatteet-paatoksentekoon?publisherId=60577852&releaseId=69910578 Malmin keskustan suunnitteluperiaatteet päätöksentekoon – STT Info] (in Finnish)</ref> located in the northeastern part of city, and [[Itäkeskus]] ({{langx|sv|Östra centrum}}),<ref>[https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11632410 Tässä on tuleva Itä-Helsingin keskus: Itäväylän päälle rakentuu taloja ja tilaa kaikille, Stoan Puhoksen ja Puotilan metroaseman alueen monikulttuurisuutta halutaan rikastaa] – ''[[Yle]]'' (in Finnish)</ref> in the eastern part of city.

==Cityscape==

===Neoclassical and romantic nationalism trend===
[[File:West side of Helsinki Cathedral in Kruununhaka, Helsinki, Finland, 2022 April.jpg|thumb|right|[[Helsinki Cathedral]] is among the most prominent buildings in the city]]
[[File:Hotel Kämp by Night in Winter - panoramio.jpg|thumb|[[Hotel Kämp]], a luxury hotel in Helsinki, located in [[Kluuvi]]]]
[[Carl Ludvig Engel]], appointed to plan a new city centre on his own, designed several [[Neoclassical architecture|neoclassical]] buildings in Helsinki. The focal point of Engel's city plan was the [[Helsinki Senate Square|Senate Square]]. It is surrounded by the [[Government Palace (Finland)|Government Palace]] (to the east), the main building of Helsinki University (to the west), and (to the north) the large [[Helsinki Cathedral]], which was finished in 1852, twelve years after Engel's death. Helsinki's [[epithet]], "The White City of the North", derives from this construction era. Most of Helsinki's older buildings were built after the 1808 fire; before that time, the oldest surviving building in the center of Helsinki is the {{ill|Sederholm House|fr|Maison Sederholm}} (1757) at the intersection of Senate Square and the Katariinankatu street.<ref name="matkaoppaat">{{cite web| url=http://matkaoppaat.com/helsinki/ | title=Helsinki – Suomi | website=Matkaoppaat.com | access-date=29 December 2020 | language=fi}}</ref> Suomenlinna also has buildings completed in the 18th century, including the [[Kuninkaanportti]] on the {{ill|Kustaanmiekka|fr|Kustaanmiekka|lt=Kustaanmiekka Island}} (1753–1754).<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.suomenlinna.fi/kavijalle/nahtavyydet/kuninkaanportti/ | title=Kuninkaanportti | work=Suomenlinna | access-date=29 December 2020 | language=fi}}</ref> The oldest church in Helsinki is the Östersundom church, built in 1754.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vuonna 1754 rakennettu Östersundomin kirkko on Helsingin vanhin kirkko |url=https://www.helsinginseurakunnat.fi/ostersundominhautausmaa/artikkelit/chpmocf43 |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=Helsingin seurakunnat |language=fi}}</ref>

Helsinki is also home to numerous [[Art Nouveau]]-influenced ([[Jugendstil|Jugend]] in Finnish) buildings belonging to the Kansallisromantiikka ([[romantic nationalism]]) trend, designed in the early 20th century and strongly influenced by ''[[Kalevala]]'', which was a common theme of the era. Helsinki's Art Nouveau style is also featured in central residential districts, such as [[Katajanokka]] and [[Ullanlinna]].<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/25/greathomesanddestinations/25iht-rehelsinki25.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 | title=In Helsinki, Modern Units to Art Nouveau Gems | work = [[The New York Times]] | date=24 January 2013 | access-date =22 October 2021 | last1=Colston | first1=Penelope }}</ref> An important architect of the Finnish Art Nouveau style was [[Eliel Saarinen]], whose architectural masterpiece was the [[Helsinki Central railway station|Helsinki Central Station]]. Opposite the [[Bank of Finland]] building is the [[Renaissance Revival architecture|Renaissance Revivalish]] the [[House of the Estates]] (1891).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.virtualhelsinki.net/info/page_object.php?obj_id=60 | title=Säätytalo | work=Virtual Helsinki | access-date=29 December 2020 | language=fi | archive-date=14 September 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120914034744/http://www.virtualhelsinki.net/info/page_object.php?obj_id=60 }}</ref>

The only visible public buildings of the [[Gothic Revival architecture]] in Helsinki are [[St. John's Church, Helsinki|St. John's Church]] (1891) in Ullanlinna, which is the largest stone church in Finland, and its twin towers rise to 74 meters and have 2,600 seats.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.helsinginkirkot.fi/fi/kirkot/johanneksenkirkko | title= Johanneksenkirkko | work= Helsingin kirkot | access-date= 29 December 2020 | language= fi | archive-date= 4 August 2017 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170804095812/http://www.helsinginkirkot.fi/fi/kirkot/johanneksenkirkko }}</ref> Other examples of neo-Gothic include the [[House of Nobility (Finland)|House of Nobility]] in [[Kruununhaka]] and the [[Catholic]] [[St. Henry's Cathedral]].<ref>{{cite web | url= https://hkm.finna.fi/Record/hkm.HKMS000005%3A00000tio | title= Ritarihuone | work= Helsingin kaupunginmuseo | access-date= 29 December 2020 | language= fi | archive-date= 19 March 2021 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210319112618/https://hkm.finna.fi/Record/hkm.HKMS000005%3A00000tio }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.discoveringfinland.com/fi/travel/nae-koe/nahtavyydet-kulttuuri/monumentit/katedraalit/ | title= Katedraalit ja tuomiokirkot | work = Discovering finland | access-date=29 December 2020 | language=fi}}</ref>

In addition to other cities in Northern Europe that were not under the [[Soviet Union]], such as [[Stockholm]], Sweden, Helsinki's neoclassical buildings gained also popularity as a backdrop for scenes intended to depict the Soviet Union in numerous Hollywood movies during the [[Cold War]] era, when filming within the actual USSR was not possible. Some of them, including ''[[The Kremlin Letter]]'' (1970), ''[[Reds (film)|Reds]]'' (1981), and ''[[Gorky Park (film)|Gorky Park]]'' (1983).<ref>{{cite journal |last=Willis |first=David K. |date=4 August 1983 |title=When it comes to films on Russia, they've seen enough |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/1983/0804/080464.html |journal=Christian Science Monitor}}</ref> was possible due to such Russian cities as [[Leningrad]] and [[Moscow]] also having similar neoclassical architecture. At the same time due to [[Cold War]] and Finnish relations with the USSR the government secretly instructed Finnish officials not to extend assistance to such film projects.<ref name="mtv3erittainsalainen">Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Political Department: {{cite web |title=Memo 56 of 20 January 1982 (labelled highly confidential in 1982) |url=http://img.mtv3.fi/mn_liitteet/mtv3/uutiset/bulleting/300538.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615135412/http://img.mtv3.fi/mn_liitteet/mtv3/uutiset/bulleting/300538.pdf |archive-date=15 June 2007 |access-date=16 January 2007}}&nbsp;{{small|(1.37&nbsp;MB)}}</ref> There are some films where Helsinki has been represented on its own in films, most notably the 1967 British-American [[espionage film|espionage]] [[Thriller film|thriller]] ''[[Billion Dollar Brain]]'', starring [[Michael Caine]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Billion Dollar Brain - Film Locations |url=https://www.movie-locations.com/movies/b/Billion-Dollar-Brain.php |access-date=15 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=YLE: Tehtävä Suomessa, Michael Caine! - YLE Teema |date=18 February 2020 |url=https://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2020/02/18/tehtava-suomessa-michael-caine |access-date=15 July 2020 |language=fi}}</ref> The city has large amounts of underground areas such as shelters and tunnels, many used daily as swimming pool, church, water management, entertainment etc.<ref>{{cite web |last=Morris |first=Kieran |title=Deeper Underground: How Helsinki is Building its Future Beneath the City Surface |url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/finland/articles/deeper-underground-how-helsinki-is-building-its-future-beneath-the-city-surface/ |website=Culture Trip|date=6 May 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Underground Master Plan |url=https://www.hel.fi/helsinki/en/housing/planning/current/underground-master-plan |website=Helsingin kaupunki |access-date=31 August 2020 |archive-date=19 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319112613/https://www.hel.fi/helsinki/en/housing/planning/current/underground-master-plan }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=My Helsinki |url=https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/see-and-do/underground-helsinki |website=www.myhelsinki.fi |access-date=31 August 2020 |archive-date=19 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319112619/https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/see-and-do/underground-helsinki }}</ref><!-- + https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674775514000699 https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20191228-underground-helsinki/ -->

===Functionalism and modern architecture===
[[File:Aleksanterinkatu - January 2018.jpg|thumb|right|[[Aleksanterinkatu]] at Christmas time]]
[[File:Oodi July 2019 2.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Helsinki Central Library Oodi|Oodi]] library is getting attention around the world.<ref name="36h"/>]]
Helsinki also features several buildings by Finnish architect [[Alvar Aalto]],<ref name="36h">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/08/08/travel/things-to-do-helsinki.html|title=36 Hours in Helsinki|first=Ingrid K.|last=Williams|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=8 August 2024|access-date=12 August 2024}}</ref> recognized as one of the pioneers of architectural [[functionalism (architecture)|functionalism]]. However, some of his works, such as the headquarters of the paper company [[Stora Enso]] and the concert venue [[Finlandia Hall]], have been subject to divided opinions from the citizens.<ref>{{cite web |date=25 February 2007 |title=Stora Enson pääkonttori, Kanavaranta 1 |url=http://helsinginaallot.blogspot.com/2007/02/stora-enson-pkonttori-kanavaranta-1.html |access-date=5 February 2011 |website="Helsingin Aallot" blog |language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=14 June 2008 |title=Kohtaako Enson konttori voittajansa? |language=fi |at=Lead editorial |work=[[Helsingin Sanomat]] |url=http://www.hs.fi/paakirjoitus/artikkeli/Kohtaako+Enson+konttori+voittajansa/HS20080614SI1MA01re3 |access-date=5 February 2011 |archive-date=19 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119164352/http://www.hs.fi/paakirjoitus/artikkeli/Kohtaako+Enson+konttori+voittajansa/HS20080614SI1MA01re3 }}</ref><ref name="penttilä">{{cite web |last=Penttilä |first=Vappu |title=Kiasma nousi inhokkien ykköseksi |url=http://www2.hs.fi/extrat/kulttuuri/rakennukset/rakennukset_c2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629165346/http://www2.hs.fi/extrat/kulttuuri/rakennukset/rakennukset_c2.html |archive-date=29 June 2011 |access-date=5 February 2011 |website=Verkkoliite |publisher=[[Helsingin Sanomat]] |language=fi}}</ref>

Functionalist buildings in Helsinki by other architects include the [[Helsinki Olympic Stadium|Olympic Stadium]], the [[Tennispalatsi|Tennis Palace]], the [[Töölö Rowing Stadium|Rowing Stadium]], the [[Helsinki Swimming Stadium|Swimming Stadium]], the [[Helsinki Velodrome|Velodrome]], the [[Lasipalatsi|Glass Palace]], the [[Töölö Sports Hall]], and [[Helsinki-Malmi Airport]]. The sports venues were built to serve the 1940 Helsinki Olympic Games; the games were initially cancelled due to the [[Second World War]], but the venues fulfilled their purpose in the [[1952 Summer Olympics|1952 Olympic Games]]. Many of them are listed by [[DoCoMoMo]] as significant examples of modern architecture. [[Helsinki Olympic Stadium|The Olympic Stadium]] and [[Helsinki-Malmi Airport]] are also catalogued by the [[Finnish National Board of Antiquities|Finnish Heritage Agency]] as cultural-historical environments of national significance.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 December 2009 |title=Olympiarakennukset |trans-title=Olympic Buildings |url=http://www.rky.fi/read/asp/r_kohde_det.aspx?KOHDE_ID=1575 |access-date=26 June 2022 |website=Finnish Heritage Agency List of Nationally Significant Built Cultural Environments (RKY)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=22 December 2009 |title=Malmin Lentoasema |trans-title=Malmi Airport |url=http://www.rky.fi/read/asp/r_kohde_det.aspx?KOHDE_ID=1560 |access-date=26 June 2022 |website=Finnish Heritage Agency List of Nationally Significant Built Cultural Environments (RKY)}}</ref>

[[File:Kalasatama in Sörnäinen, Helsinki, Finland, 2023 September – 06.jpg|thumb|Residential towers of [[Kalasatama]]. The {{convert|134|m|adj=on|abbr=on}} [[Majakka]] has been built on top of the [[Redi (shopping centre)|Redi shopping centre]]. It is currently [[List of tallest buildings in Finland|Finland's tallest building]].]]

When Finland became heavily urbanized in the 1960s and 1970s, the district of [[Pihlajamäki]], for example, was built in Helsinki for new residents, where for the first time in Finland, [[precast concrete]] was used on a large scale. [[Pikku Huopalahti]], built in the 1980s and 1990s, has tried to get rid of a one-size-fits-all grid pattern, which means that its look is very organic and its streets are not repeated in the same way. [[Itäkeskus]] in [[Eastern Helsinki]] was the first regional center in the 1980s.<ref name="ilonen">Ilonen, Arvi: Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen, Vantaa – arkkitehtuuriopas. Helsinki: Otava, 2009. {{ISBN|978-951-1-23193-6}}.</ref> Efforts have also been made to protect Helsinki in the late 20th century, and many old buildings have been renovated.<ref name="ilonen"/> [[Modern architecture]] is represented, for example, by the Museum of Contemporary Art [[Kiasma]],<ref name="36h"/> which consists of two straight and curved-walled parts, though this style strongly divided the opinions from the citizens.<ref name="penttilä"/> Next to Kiasma is the glass-walled [[Sanomatalo]] (1999).

There have been many plans to build highrise buildings in Helsinki since the 1920s when architect Eliel Saarinen proposed the 85-meter-tall Kalevalatalo in 1921, but few tall buildings were built until the 21st century.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Saarinen |first=Eliel |url=https://finna.fi/Record/mfa.5b0e8ef5-cd5f-4ced-90a0-0967a0fdb74a?lng=en-gb |title=Kalevalatalo, Munkkiniemi, Helsinki, ulkoperspektiivipiirustus, 1921}}</ref> In 1924 Oiva Kallio won Etu-Töölö competition with his plan (several 14- to 16-story buildings).<ref>{{Cite web |title=26.11.1927 Hakkapeliitta no 48, s. 11 |url=https://digi.kansalliskirjasto.fi/aikakausi/binding/1811962?page=11 |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=digi.kansalliskirjasto.fi |language=fi}}</ref> A 32-story city hall was also proposed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pilvilinnoja – pöydälle jääneitä suunnitelmia |url=https://www.mfa.fi/kokoelmat/tietopaketit/pilvilinnoja-poydalle-jaaneita-suunnitelmia/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=Arkkitehtuurimuseo |language=fi}}</ref> Other plans of the 1930s included the 18-story "Kino" palace, a 17-story apartment building, and a 30-story<ref name="blog">{{Cite web |last=Murole|first=Pentti|date=7 April 2021 |title=Uskallanko kirjoittaa korkeasta rakentamisesta? |url=https://penttimurole.blogspot.com/2021/04/uskallanko-kirjoittaa-korkeasta.html |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=Pentti Murole blogi}}</ref> Stockmann building were proposed but only the 70-meter-tall 14-story [[Hotel Torni]] was built.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Etusivu - UTUPub |url=https://www.utupub.fi/ |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=www.utupub.fi}}</ref> (Hotel Torni was the tallest high-rise in Finland until 1976, when the 83-meter-tall [[Accountor Tower|Neste headquarters]] were completed in Espoo; Helsinki had rejected the tower.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Törmänen |first=Eeva |date=2022-12-17 |title=Suomen ensimmäinen pilvenpiirtäjä rakennettiin Espooseen 1976, koska Helsinki kieltäytyi – Raaden Hampaan rakentamiseen liittyi erikoinen vaatimus |url=https://www.tekniikkatalous.fi/uutiset/suomen-ensimmainen-pilvenpiirtaja-rakennettiin-espooseen-1976-koska-helsinki-kieltaytyi-raaden-hampaan-rakentamiseen-liittyi-erikoinen-vaatimus/d020f0eb-62df-4522-b977-d3130f358709 |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Tekniikka&Talous |language=fi}}</ref>) Twin 30-story buildings were proposed in [[Pasila]] in the 1970s but were rejected.<ref name="blog"/> In 1990 a planned 104-meter-tall tower<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pasanen |first=Esko |date=1990-11-08 |title=Koneen tornikaavailut hämmästyttävät Elmua |url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000003026040.html |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=Helsingin Sanomat |url-access=limited |language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pasanen |first=Esko |date=1990-12-19 |title=Kiinteistövirasto: Koneen korkea torni sopii Elmun tontille |url-access=limited |url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000003036227.html |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=Helsingin Sanomat |language=fi}}</ref> for the [[Kone]] company was also cancelled.

Highrise construction only started in the beginning of the 21st century, when the city decided to allow the construction of skyscrapers. Highrises were first built in [[Kalasatama]], a primarily-residential district built on [[Sörnäinen Harbour|a former container port]]. As of 2024, four residential towers have been completed: the 35-story, 282-apartment, {{convert|134|m|ft|adj=mid|-tall}} {{lang|fi|[[Majakka]]|italic=unset}} in 2019 (which is the [[List of tallest buildings in Finland|tallest building in Finland]]); the 32-story, 124-meter {{lang|fi|Loisto|italic=unset}} in 2021; the 31-story, 120-meter {{lang|fi|Lumo|italic=unset}} One<!--this part isn't Finnish but is part of the name of the building--> in 2022; and the 24-story, 98-meter {{lang|fi|Visio|italic=unset}} in 2023. The 26-story, 111-meter-tall office building {{lang|fi|Horisontti|italic=unset}} is to be completed in 2025, and three further towers are to be built in the complex.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-03 |title=Eteläiseen Helsinkiin nousee jälleen uusi tornitalo, 111-metrinen toimistopilvenpiirtäjä |url=https://yle.fi/a/74-20020877 |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Yle Uutiset |language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-15 |title=Kalasataman harmaaksi haukutun Majakan viereen nousee kaksi valkoista tornitaloa – Poliitikot haluavat nähdä omin silmin, miltä talojen julkisivu näyttää |url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000005933606.html |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Helsingin Sanomat |language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-13 |title=Kalasatama |url=https://www.hel.fi/fi/kaupunkiymparisto-ja-liikenne/kaupunkisuunnittelu-ja-rakentaminen/uutta-helsinkia-rakentamassa/kalasatama |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Helsingin kaupunki |language=fi}}</ref>
Tall residential towers have also been built in the eastern district of [[Vuosaari]]: the 87-meter, 26-story [[Cirrus (Helsinki building)|Cirrus]] was completed in 2006, the 24-story, 85-meter-tall {{lang|fi|Hyperion|italic=unset}} was completed in 2023 and the 33-story, 288-apartment, 120-meter-tall {{lang|fi|Atlas|italic=unset}} is due to be completed in late 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlas ja Hyperion kurkottelevat pilviin |url=https://www.skanska.fi/tietoa-skanskasta/media/artikkelit/atlas-ja-hyperion-kurkottelevat-pilviin/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=www.skanska.fi |language=fi-FI}}</ref>

Skyscrapers have also be planned in the Pasila area, with a handful of over-100-meter-tall towers in various stages of planning or early construction as of 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Senaatti-kiinteistöt, Helsingin kaupunki ja Skanska allekirjoittivat sopimuksen Pasilan Länsitornialueen toteuttamisesta {{!}} Skanska Oy |url=https://www.sttinfo.fi/tiedote/69995077/senaatti-kiinteistot-helsingin-kaupunki-ja-skanska-allekirjoittivat-sopimuksen-pasilan-lansitornialueen-toteuttamisesta?publisherId=69819623 |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=www.sttinfo.fi |language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Siippainen |first=Aapo |date=2024-03-01 |title=130-metrisen tornitalon rakentaminen alkaa Pasilassa – vilkas pyöräbaana jää alle |url=https://www.helsinginuutiset.fi/paikalliset/6599643 |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=Helsingin Uutiset |language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-12 |title=Pilvenpiirtäjät {{!}} Helsingin Pasilaa odottaa mullistus: Kuvissa uudet tornit |url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000009514127.html |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=Helsingin Sanomat |language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-18 |title=Rakentaminen {{!}} Helsingin Messukeskus on saamassa uuden sisääntulohallin ja 33-kerroksisen hotellitornin |url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000006606043.html |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Helsingin Sanomat |language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hotelli Tornitalo |url=https://kerrokantasi.hel.fi/trainfactory/tZADj96QZLzvBq1Nym9kuf8vE6DU6NiH}}</ref>
In [[Jätkäsaari]], a 113-meter-tall hotel and a 24-story residential tower have been approved.<ref>{{Cite web |last=HS |first=Milka Valtanen |date=2019-06-19 |title=Jätkäsaareen nousemassa lähes 40 metriä Clarionia korkeampi tornihotelli |url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000006148607.html |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Helsingin Sanomat |language=fi}}</ref> 121- and 93-meter-tall office buildings are planned to be built in [[Ruoholahti]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-06 |title=Kaupunkisuunnittelu {{!}} Helsinkiin halutaan uusi "tunnistettava maamerkki": 29-kerroksinen torni Ruoholahteen |url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000010206996.html |url-access=limited |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Helsingin Sanomat |language=fi}}</ref> Well over 200 high-rise buildings will be built in Helsinki in the 2020s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-26 |title=Kaavat, kartat ja avustukset rakentamiseen |url=https://www.hel.fi/fi/kaupunkiymparisto-ja-liikenne/tontit-ja-rakentamisen-luvat/kaavat-kartat-ja-avustukset-rakentamiseen |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=Helsingin kaupunki |language=fi}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=July 2024|reason=Ref is the city's website with links to maps and plans for constructors, would probably need some sort of query (which was not given) or manual investigative work.}}

The freshest building styles in Helsinki also include [[low-carbon economy]]; for example, the white-colored Katajanokan Laituri building that opened in [[Katajanokka]] in the summer of 2024 is built from Finnish and Swedish wood. This building includes eco-friendly hotel Solo Sokos Pier 4.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2024/dec/26/eco-friendly-helsinki-finland|title=On the waterfront in Helsinki – a zen regeneration game|first=Eddi|last=Fiegel|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=26 December 2024|access-date=27 December 2024}}</ref>

===Statues and sculptures===
[[File:11-07-29-helsinki-by-RalfR-149.jpg|thumb|upright|A [[Alexander II (statue in Helsinki)|statue]] of [[Alexander II of Russia]], the [[Grand Duke of Finland]], by [[Walter Runeberg]] and {{ill|Johannes Takanen|fi}} and erected in 1894. He was a well regarded [[emperor]] among the majority of [[Finns]] at the time.<ref>YLE: The statue of the Russian emperor arouses wonder among tourists – Why is it still in the middle of Helsinki? - [https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10984227 Venäjän keisarin patsas herättää turisteissa ihmetystä – Miksi se on yhä keskellä Helsinkiä?] (in Finnish)</ref>]]
Well-known statues and monuments strongly embedded in the cityscape of Helsinki include the [[Keisarinnankivi]] ("Stone of the Empress", 1835), the statue of Russian Emperor [[Alexander II of Russia|Alexander II]] (1894), the fountain sculpture ''[[Havis Amanda]]'' (1908), the [[Paavo Nurmi statue]] (1925), the ''[[Three Smiths Statue]]'' (1932), the [[Aleksis Kivi Memorial]] (1939), the [[Eino Leino (statue)|Eino Leino Statue]] (1953), the [[Equestrian statue of Marshal Mannerheim]] (1960) and the ''[[Sibelius Monument (Helsinki)|Sibelius Monument]]'' (1967).<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.hamhelsinki.fi/veistokset/ | title = Veistokset | work = HAM Helsinki | publisher = Helsinki Art Museum | access-date = 27 January 2021 | language = fi | archive-date = 19 March 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210319112634/https://www.hamhelsinki.fi/julkinen-taide/ }}</ref>

==Government==
{{Main|City Council of Helsinki}}
{{further|Helsinki (parliamentary electoral district)}}
[[File:Helsinki City Hall - DSC03930.JPG|thumb|The [[Helsinki City Hall]] houses the [[City Council of Helsinki]].]]
As is the case with all [[Municipalities of Finland|Finnish municipalities]], [[City Council of Helsinki|Helsinki's city council]] is the main decision-making organ in local politics, dealing with issues such as [[urban planning]], schools, health care, and [[public transport]]. The council is chosen in the nationally held [[Elections in Finland#Municipal elections|municipal elections]], which are held every four years.

Helsinki's city council consists of eighty-five members. Following the most recent municipal elections in 2017, the three largest parties are the [[National Coalition Party]] (25), the [[Green League]] (21), and the [[Social Democratic Party of Finland|Social Democratic Party]] (12).<ref>{{cite web |title=Helsingin vaalipiiri&nbsp;— Tulospalvelu&nbsp;— Kuntavaalit 2012 |url=http://www.vaalikone.fi/kunta2012/tulos/01/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130101052243/http://www.vaalikone.fi/kunta2012/tulos/01/ |archive-date=1 January 2013 |access-date=12 March 2013 |publisher=Vaalikone.fi}}</ref>

The Mayor of Helsinki is [[Juhana Vartiainen]].

==Demographics==
===Population===
{{Historical populations
| title= Historical population
| percentages = pagr
|state = collapsed
 |1875|23070
 |1880|36346
 |1890|56236
 |1900|79126
 |1910|118736
 |1920|152200
 |1930|205833
 |1940|252484
 |1950|368519
 |1960|448315
 |1972|511823
 |1980|483036
 |1990|492400
 |2000|555474
 |2010|588549
 |2020|656920
 |footnote= Source: Statistical Yearbook of Helsinki 2012<ref name="stv1940">{{Cite web  | url=https://www.hel.fi/hel2/tietokeskus/julkaisut/pdf/13_01_03_Tilastollinen_vuosikirja_2012.pdf | title=Statistical Yearbook of Helsinki 2012 | date=2012 | publisher=City of Helsinki Urban Facts | access-date=19 September 2023}}</ref> [[Statistics Finland]] (1972-2020)<ref name="Stat-finland-population-38,000-persons">{{Cite web | url=https://stat.fi/en/publication/cl8lprraorrr20dut5a0tywm5 | title=Number of foreign-language speakers grew by nearly 38,000 persons | date=31 May 2023 | publisher=Statistics Finland | access-date=12 September 2023}}</ref>
}}
The city of Helsinki has {{formatnum: {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Helsinki }}}} inhabitants, making it the most populous municipality in Finland and the third in the [[Nordic countries|Nordics]].  The [[Helsinki metropolitan area|Helsinki region]] is the largest urbanised area in Finland with {{formatnum: {{#expr: {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Helsinki}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Espoo}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vantaa}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Mäntsälä}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Pornainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kauniainen}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kirkkonummi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Vihti}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Nurmijärvi}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Hyvinkää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Tuusula}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Kerava}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Järvenpää}} + {{Data Finland municipality/population count|Sipoo}} }} }} inhabitants. The city of Helsinki is home to 12% of Finland's population. 20.8% of the population has a foreign background, which is twice above the national average. However, it is lower than in the major Finnish cities of [[Espoo]] or [[Vantaa]].<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final">{{cite web |url= https://stat.fi/en/publication/cm1jg8tr20lco07vwvoif9s6i |title= Number of foreign-language speakers exceeded 600,000 during 2024  |date= 2025-04-04 |series= Population structure |publisher= Statistics Finland |issn= 1797-5395  |access-date=2025-04-06 }}</ref>

At 53 percent of the population, women form a greater proportion of Helsinki residents than the national average of 51 percent. Helsinki's population density of 3,147 people per square kilometre makes Helsinki the most densely-populated city in Finland. The life expectancy for men and women is slightly below the national averages: 75.1 years for men as compared to 75.7 years, 81.7 years for women as compared to 82.5 years.<ref>{{cite web |last=Tapani Valkonen ym. |date=17 December 2007 |title=Tutkimuksia 10/2007: Elinajanodotteen kehitys Helsingissä ja sen väestönosaryhmissä 1991–2005 |url=http://www.hel.fi/hel2/tietokeskus/julkaisut/pdf/07_12_17_tutk_10_Valkonen.pdf |access-date=30 December 2007 |publisher=Helsingin kaupunki, tietokeskus |archive-date=8 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308095129/https://www.hel.fi/hel2/tietokeskus/julkaisut/pdf/07_12_17_tutk_10_valkonen.pdf }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Tilastolaitoksen historiaa |title=Tilasto |url=http://www.stat.fi/org/historia/elinajanodote.html |access-date=13 April 2010 |publisher=Stat.fi |archive-date=24 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100424015724/http://www.stat.fi/org/historia/elinajanodote.html }}</ref>

Helsinki has experienced strong growth since the 1810s, when it replaced [[Turku]] as the capital of the [[Grand Duchy of Finland]], which later became the sovereign [[Republic of Finland]]. The city continued its growth from that time on, with an exception during the [[Finnish Civil War]]. From the end of [[World War II]] up until the 1970s there was a massive exodus of people from the countryside to the cities of Finland, in particular Helsinki. Between 1944 and 1969 the population of the city nearly doubled from 275,000<ref>{{cite web |title=Helsingin historia |url=http://www.hel.fi/hki/Helsinki/en/Etusivu |access-date=13 April 2010 |publisher=Hel.fi |archive-date=23 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523085802/http://www.hel.fi/hki/Helsinki/en/Etusivu }}</ref> to 525,600.<ref>{{cite web |date=30 December 1972 |title=Maan alle |url=http://www.aatos.fi/Hki450v/metro.html |access-date=13 April 2010 |publisher=Aatos.fi}}</ref>

In the 1960s, the population growth of Helsinki began to decrease, mainly due to a lack of housing.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Butzin |first=Bernhard |year=1991 |title=Helsinki&nbsp;— aspects of urban development and planning |journal=[[GeoJournal]] |publisher=Springer, Netherlands |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=11–26 |doi=10.1007/BF00212573 |issn=0343-2521 |s2cid=155038338}}<!--|access-date=23 January 2011--></ref> Some residents began to move to the neighbouring cities of Espoo and Vantaa, resulting in increased population growth in both municipalities. Espoo's population increased ninefold in sixty years, from 22,874 people in 1950 to 244,353 in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |title=Espoo population exceeds 250 000 |url=http://www.espoo.fi/en-US/Espoo_population_exceeds_250_000 |access-date=1 September 2020 |website=espoo.fi |archive-date=19 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319112633/https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/Espoo_population_exceeds_250_000 }}</ref> Vantaa saw an even more dramatic change in the same time span: from 14,976 in 1950 to 197,663 in 2009, a thirteenfold increase. These population changes prompted the municipalities of metropolitan area into more intense cooperation in areas such as public transportation<ref>{{cite web |date=1 January 2010 |title=HSL Helsingin seudun liikenne&nbsp;– About HSL |url=http://www.hsl.fi/EN/abouthsl/Pages/default.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119022312/http://www.hsl.fi/EN/abouthsl/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date=19 January 2010 |access-date=13 April 2010 |publisher=Hsl.fi}}</ref> – resulting in the foundation of [[Helsinki Regional Transport Authority|HSL]] – and waste management.<ref>{{cite web |title=HSY&nbsp;– Default |url=http://www.hsy.fi/en/Pages/default.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325182620/http://www.hsy.fi/en/Pages/Default.aspx |archive-date=25 March 2010 |access-date=13 April 2010 |publisher=Hsy.fi}}</ref> The increasing scarcity of housing and the higher costs of living in the capital region have pushed many daily commuters to find housing in formerly rural areas, and even further, to cities such as [[Lohja]], [[Hämeenlinna]], [[Lahti]], and [[Porvoo]].

{{Bar chart
| title   = Population size 1980–2020<ref name="Stat-finland-population-38,000-persons"/>
| label_type  = Year
| data_type   = Population
| bar_width = 47
| width_units = em
| label1  = 1980
| label2  = 1985
| label3  = 1990
| label4  = 1995
| label5  = 2000
| label6  = 2005
| label7  = 2010
| label8  = 2015
| label9  = 2020 
| data_max = 665000
| data1  = 483036
| data2  = 485795	
| data3  = 492400
| data4  = 525031
| data5  = 555474
| data6  = 560905
| data7  = 588549
| data8  = 628208
| data9  = 656920
}}

=== Language ===

{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|direction=row
|caption = Population by<br/>mother tongue (2024)<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/>
|label1 = Finnish
|value1 = 74.1
|color1 = #002F6C
|label2 = Swedish
|value2 = 5.4
|color2 = #FFCD00
|label3 = Russian
|value3 = 3.1
|color3 = #D52B1E
|label4 = Somali
|value4 = 2.2
|color4 = #4189DD
|label5 = Arabic
|value5 = 1.6
|color5 = #165D31
|label6 = English
|value6 = 1.5
|color6 = #FFFFFF
|label7 = Estonian
|value7 = 1.4
|color7 = #0072CE
|label8 = Other
|value8 = 10.6
|color8 = #C5C5C5
}}
The city of Helsinki is officially [[bilingual]], with both [[Finnish language|Finnish]] and [[Swedish language|Swedish]] as official languages. {{As of|2024}}, the majority of the population, {{formatnum: {{Data Finland municipality/native language Finnish|Helsinki}}}} persons ({{Percentage|sigfig = 3|{{Data Finland municipality/native language Finnish|Helsinki}}|{{Data Finland municipality/native language total|Helsinki}}}}), spoke Finnish as their first language. The number of [[Swedish-speaking population of Finland|Swedish speakers]] was {{formatnum: {{Data Finland municipality/native language Swedish|Helsinki }}}} persons ({{Percentage|sigfig = 2|{{Data Finland municipality/native language Swedish|Helsinki}}|{{Data Finland municipality/native language total|Helsinki}}}}) of the population. 

In addition, the number of people who speak [[Sámi languages|Sámi]], Finland's third official language, was only {{formatnum: {{Data Finland municipality/native language Sami|Helsinki }}}} persons ({{Percentage|sigfig = 1|{{Data Finland municipality/native language Sami|Helsinki}}|{{Data Finland municipality/native language total|Helsinki}}}}) of the population. Although few people speak the Sámi languages as their mother tongue, there are 527 people of Sami origin.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stat.fi/tietotrendit/blogit/2021/oulusta-on-tullut-suomen-suurin-saamelaiskyla/ |title=Oulusta tullut Suomen suurin saamelaiskylä – Helsinki on viides &#124; Tieto&trendit |language=fi|publisher=Stat.fi |date= |access-date=5 May 2022}}</ref> There are 93 Tatar speakers in Helsinki, almost half of the total number of Tatar speakers in Finland.

[[Helsinki slang]] is a regional dialect of the city. Historically, it was a combination of Finnish and Swedish, with influences from Russian and German. Nowadays it has a strong English influence. Today, however, Finnish is the common language of communication between Finnish speakers, Swedish speakers and speakers of other languages ([[New Finn]]s) in everyday public life between strangers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Immigrants Learning Swedish over Finnish Run into Problems|date=4 November 2010 |url=https://yle.fi/news/3-5664606}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Helsingfors blir allt mer flerspråkigt: "Svårt att klara sig på svenska"|url=https://svenska.yle.fi/a/7-1316759}}</ref>

The city of Helsinki and the national authorities have specifically targeted Swedish speakers. Knowledge of Finnish is essential in business and is usually a basic requirement in the labour market.<ref name="yle.fi">{{cite web |title=Immigrants Learning Swedish over Finnish Run into Problems &#124; News &#124; YLE Uutiset |date=4 November 2010 |url=http://yle.fi/uutiset/immigrants_learning_swedish_over_finnish_run_into_problems/2114684 |access-date=16 September 2011 |publisher=yle.fi}}</ref> Swedish speakers are most concentrated in the southern parts of the city. The district with the most Swedish speakers is [[Ullanlinna|Ullanlinna/Ulrikasborg]] with 2,098 (19.6%), while [[Kyläsaari|Byholmen]] is the only district where Swedish is the majority language (at 82.8%). The number of Swedish speakers decreased every year until 2008, and has increased every year since then. Since 2007, the number of Swedish speakers has increased by 2,351.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hbl.fi/artikel/har-bor-de-svensksprakiga-i-helsingfors-se-hur-det-ser-ut-i-ditt-omrade/ |title=Här bor de svenskspråkiga i Helsingfors – Se hur det ser ut i ditt område |publisher=Hbl.fi |date= 20 May 2018|access-date=5 May 2022}}</ref> In 1890, Finnish speakers overtook Swedish speakers to become the majority of the city's population.<ref>{{cite web |title=Helsingin nimistön vaiheita |url=https://kaino.kotus.fi/www/verkkojulkaisut/julk125/helsinki/ |access-date=13 April 2010 |publisher=Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus}}</ref> At that time, the population of Helsinki was 61,530.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kysy.fi &#124; Helsingin kaupunginkirjasto |url=http://igs.kirjastot.fi/iGS/kysymykset/haku.aspx?word=Viipuri |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504201358/http://igs.kirjastot.fi/iGS/kysymykset/haku.aspx?word=Viipuri |archive-date=4 May 2012 |access-date=17 February 2014 |publisher=Igs.kirjastot.fi |language=fi}}</ref>

Foreign languages were spoken by {{Formatnum: {{pct|{{Data Finland municipality/native language other|Helsinki}}|{{Data Finland municipality/native language total|Helsinki}}|1}}}} of the population.<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/> As [[English language|English]] and [[Swedish language|Swedish]] are compulsory school subjects, functional bilingualism or trilingualism acquired through language studies is not uncommon. At least 160 different languages are spoken in Helsinki. {{As of|2024}}, the most common foreign languages are [[Russian language|Russian]] (3.1%), [[Somali language|Somali]] (2.2%), [[Arabic]] (1.6%), [[English language|English]] (1.5%), [[Estonian language|Estonian]] (1.4%), [[Chinese language|Chinese]] (0.7%) and [[Persian language|Persian]] (0.7%).<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/>

===Immigration===

{|class="wikitable" style="float:right;" 
|colspan="3"|'''Population by country of birth (2024)'''<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/>
|-\
! Nationality || Population || %
|-
|{{flag|Finland}} || 558,876|| 77.9
|-
|{{flag|Soviet Union}} || 14,604 || 2.1
|-
|{{flag|Estonia}} || 9,979 || 1.5
|-
|{{flag|Somalia}} || 7,873 || 1.2
|-
|{{flag|Iraq}} || 6,377 || 0.9
|-
|{{flag|China}} || 4,635 || 0.7
|-
|{{flag|Russia}} || 4,621 || 0.7
|-
|{{flag|Sweden}} || 3,658 || 0.5
|-
|{{flag|Philippines}} || 3,488 || 0.5
|-
|{{flag|India}} || 3,321 || 0.5
|-
|{{flag|Nepal}} || 3,087 || 0.5
|-
|Other || 63,499 || 9.3
|- 
|}
{{As of|2024}}, there were 142,296 people with an immigrant background living in Helsinki, or 21% of the population.{{efn|Statistics Finland classifies a person as having a "foreign background" if both parents or the only known parent were born abroad.<ref name="statistics-finland-persons-with-foreign-background">{{cite web |access-date=18 September 2023 |title=Persons with foreign background |publisher=Statistics Finland |url=https://www.stat.fi/tup/maahanmuutto/maahanmuuttajat-vaestossa/ulkomaalaistaustaiset_en.html |archive-date=5 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105084300/https://www.stat.fi/tup/maahanmuutto/maahanmuuttajat-vaestossa/ulkomaalaistaustaiset_en.html }}</ref>}} There were 125,142 residents who were born abroad, or 18% of the population. The number of foreign citizens in Helsinki was 84,396.<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/>

The relative share of immigrants in Helsinki's population is twice the national average, and the city's new residents are increasingly of foreign origin.<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/> This will increase the proportion of foreign residents in the coming years. As a crossroads of many international ports and Finland's [[Helsinki Airport|largest airport]], Helsinki is the global gateway to and from Finland.

Most foreign-born citizens come from the former [[Soviet Union]], [[Estonia]], [[Somalia]], [[Iraq]], [[China]] and [[Russia]].<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/>

=== Religion ===
In 2023, the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland|Evangelical Lutheran Church]] was the largest religious group with 46.1% of the Helsinki population. Other religious groups made up 4.5% of the population. 49.4% of the population had no religious affiliation.<ref>[https://pxdata.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11ra.px Key figures on population by region, 1990-2023] Statistics Finland</ref>

The most important churches in Helsinki are [[Helsinki Cathedral]] (1852), [[Uspenski Cathedral]] (1868), [[St. John's Church, Helsinki|St. John's Church]] (1891), [[Kallio Church]] (1912) and [[Temppeliaukio Church]] (1969).

There are 21 Lutheran congregations in Helsinki, 18 of which are Finnish-speaking and 3 are Swedish-speaking. These form Helsinki's congregationgroup. Outside that there is Finland's German congregation with 3,000 members and Rikssvenska Olaus Petri-församlingen for Swedish-citizens with 1,000 members.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://evl.fi/ota-yhteytta|title=Ota yhteyttä|website=Evl.fi|access-date=16 December 2021}}</ref>

The largest [[Orthodoxy|Orthodox]] congregation is the Orthodox Church of Helsinki. It has 20,000 members. Its main church is the [[Uspenski Cathedral]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hos.fi/yhteystiedot/tietoa-seurakunnasta/|title=Tietoa seurakunnasta|website=Hos.fi|access-date=16 December 2021}}</ref> The two largest [[Catholicism|Catholic]] congregations are the [[Cathedral of Saint Henry]], with 4,552 members, established in 1860 and [[St. Mary's Church, Helsinki|St Mary's Catholic Parish]], with 4,107 members, established in 1954.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tilastotietoja |url=https://katolinen.fi/helsingin-hiippakunta/tilastotietoja/ |website=Katolinen kirkko Suomessa}}</ref>

[[File:Helsinki Helsingfors Synagogue 02.png|thumb|left|[[Helsinki Synagogue]] in 2020]]
There are around 30 mosques in the Helsinki region. Many linguistic and ethnic groups such as [[Bangladeshis]], [[Kosovo Albanians|Kosovars]], [[Kurds]] and [[Bosniaks]] have established their own mosques.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kielimoskeija: Kallion moskeijassa lapsista kasvatetaan pakistanilaisia |url=http://yle.fi/uutiset/kielimoskeija_kallion_moskeijassa_lapsista_kasvatetaan_pakistanilaisia/8374875 |website=Yle Uutiset|date=28 October 2015 }}</ref> The largest congregation in both Helsinki and Finland is the {{ill|Helsinki Islamic Center|fi|Helsinki Islam Keskus}}, established in 1995. It has over 2,800 members {{as of|2017|lc=yes}}, and it received €24,131 in government assistance.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://minedu.fi/documents/1410845/4935909/2018+uskonnolliset+yhdyskunnat.pdf/d311612c-ac42-4181-901c-41f2e4b4a8c7/2018+uskonnolliset+yhdyskunnat.pdf.pdf|title=OKM - Avustukset rekisteröityjen uskonnollisten yhdyskuntien toimintaan v. 2018|website=Minedu.fi|access-date=16 December 2021}}</ref>

In 2015, imam {{ill|Anas Hajar|fi|Anas Hajjar}} estimated that on big celebrations around 10,000 Muslims visit mosques.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vaikuttajaimaami: "Pääkaupunkiseudulle tarvitaan jopa viisi suurmoskeijaa" |url=http://yle.fi/uutiset/vaikuttajaimaami_paakaupunkiseudulle_tarvitaan_jopa_viisi_suurmoskeijaa/8412539 |website=Yle Uutiset|date=28 October 2015 }}</ref> In 2004, it was estimated that there were 8,000 Muslims in Helsinki, 1.5% of the population at the time.<ref>{{cite web |date=19 February 2004 |title=Tietokulma &#124; Islam Helsingissä |url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000004203725.html |website=Helsingin Sanomat}}</ref> The number of people in Helsinki with a background from Muslim majority countries was nearly 41,000 as of 2021, representing over 6% of the population.

The main synagogue of Helsinki is the [[Helsinki Synagogue]] from 1906, located in [[Kamppi]]. It has over 1,200 members, out of the 1,800 [[Jews in Finland]], and it is the older of the two buildings in Finland originally built as a synagogue, followed by the [[Turku Synagogue]] in 1912.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.rky.fi/read/asp/r_kohde_det.aspx?KOHDE_ID=1601 | title= Helsingin synagoga | work= RKY | publisher= Museovirasto | access-date= 30 December 2020 | language=fi}}</ref> The congregation includes a synagogue, Jewish kindergarten, school, library, Jewish meat shop, two Jewish cemeteries and an retirement home. Many Jewish organizations and societies are based there, and the synagogue publishes the main Jewish magazine in Finland, ''{{ill|HaKehila|fi}}''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://jchelsinki.fi/tietoa-meista/helsingin-synagoga/|title=Helsingin synagoga|website=Jchelsinki.fi|access-date=16 December 2021}}</ref>

==Economy==
[[File:Kamppi Center II.jpg|thumb|[[Kamppi Center]], a shopping and transportation complex in [[Kamppi]]]]

Helsinki metropolitan area generates approximately one third of Finland's GDP. GDP per capita is roughly 1.3 times the national average.<ref>{{cite web |title=Helsinki Region Statistics |url=http://www.helsinginseutu.fi/hki/hs/The+Region+of+Helsinki/City+information+and+statistics/Helsinki+Region+Statistics |access-date=17 February 2014 |publisher=Helsinginseutu.fi |archive-date=22 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422083521/http://www.helsinginseutu.fi/hki/HS/The+Region+of+Helsinki/City+information+and+statistics/Helsinki+Region+Statistics }}</ref> Helsinki profits on serviced-related IT and public sectors. Having moved from heavy industrial works, shipping companies also employ a substantial number of people.<ref>{{cite web |title=Economy of Helsinki, Finland {{!}} Helsinki.com |url=https://www.helsinki.com/v/economy/ |access-date=15 November 2018 |website=www.helsinki.com}}</ref>

The metropolitan area's gross value added per capita is 200% of the mean of 27 European metropolitan areas, equalling those of Stockholm and Paris. The gross value added annual growth has been around 4%.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kansilehti2.vp |url=http://www.hel.fi/hel2/Tietokeskus/julkaisut/pdf/04_11_09_suokas_vj31.pdf |access-date=13 April 2010}}</ref>

83 of the 100 largest Finnish companies have their headquarters in the metropolitan area. Two-thirds of the 200 highest-paid Finnish executives live in the metropolitan area and 42% in Helsinki. The average income of the top 50 earners was 1.65&nbsp;million euro.<ref>{{cite web |date=9 November 2005 |title=Helsingin Sanomat&nbsp;– International Edition&nbsp;– Metro |url=http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Head+offices+of+large+companies+bring+good+taxpayers+to+Helsinki+region/1101981569833 |access-date=8 July 2009 |publisher=Hs.fi |archive-date=19 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119164405/http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Head+offices+of+large+companies+bring+good+taxpayers+to+Helsinki+region/1101981569833 }}</ref>

The tap water is of excellent quality and it is supplied by the {{cvt|120|km|adj=on}} [[Päijänne Water Tunnel]], one of the world's longest continuous rock tunnels.<ref>[http://www.finnfacts.com/english/main/actualities/pullovesi.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091011133525/http://www.finnfacts.com/english/main/actualities/pullovesi.htm|date=11 October 2009}}</ref>

==Education==
[[File:University of Helsinki, Main Building (52890870759).jpg|right|thumb|Main building of the [[University of Helsinki]] as seen from the [[Senate Square, Helsinki|Senate Square]].]]
[[File:Haaga-Helia University Of Applied Sciences.png|right|thumb|[[Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences]] is the largest business polytechnic in Finland.]]

Helsinki has 190 comprehensive schools, 41 upper secondary schools, and 15 vocational institutes. Half of the 41 upper secondary schools are private or state-owned, the other half municipal. There are two major research universities in Helsinki, the [[University of Helsinki]] and [[Aalto University]], and a number of other higher level institutions and polytechnics which focus on higher-level professional education.

===Research universities===
{{See also|List of universities in Finland}}
*[[University of Helsinki]]
*[[Aalto University]] ([[Espoo]])

===Other institutions of higher education===
*[[Hanken School of Economics]]
*[[University of the Arts Helsinki]]
*[[National Defence University (Finland)|National Defence University]]
*[[Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences]]
*[[Laurea University of Applied Sciences]]
*[[Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences]]
*[[Arcada University of Applied Sciences]]
*[[Diaconia University of Applied Sciences]]
*[[HUMAK University of Applied Sciences]]

Helsinki is one of the co-location centres of the Knowledge and Innovation Community (Future information and communication society) of The [[European Institute of Innovation and Technology]] (EIT).<ref>{{cite web |title=European Institute of Innovation and Technology: Home |url=http://eit.europa.eu/home.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328175502/http://eit.europa.eu/home.html |archive-date=28 March 2010 |access-date=13 April 2010 |publisher=Eit.europa.eu}}</ref>

==Culture==

===Museums===
The biggest historical museum in Helsinki is the [[National Museum of Finland]], which displays a vast collection from prehistoric times to the 21st century. The museum building itself, a national romantic-style neomedieval castle, is a tourist attraction. Another major historical museum is the [[Helsinki City Museum]], which introduces visitors to Helsinki's 500-year history. The [[University of Helsinki]] also has many significant museums, including the [[Helsinki University Museum]] "Arppeanum" and the [[Finnish Museum of Natural History]].

The [[Finnish National Gallery]] consists of three museums: [[Ateneum|Ateneum Art Museum]] for classical Finnish art, [[Sinebrychoff Art Museum]] for classical European art, and [[Kiasma|Kiasma Art Museum]] for modern art, in a building by architect [[Steven Holl]]. The old Ateneum, a neo-Renaissance palace from the 19th century, is one of the city's major historical buildings. All three museum buildings are [[state-owned]] through [[Senate Properties]].

The city of Helsinki hosts its own art collection in the [[Helsinki Art Museum]] (HAM), primarily located in its [[Tennispalatsi]] gallery. Around 200 pieces of public art lie outside. The art is all city property.

[[Helsinki Art Museum]] will in 2020 launch the Helsinki Biennial, which will bring art to maritime Helsinki – in its first year to the island of [[Vallisaari]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Front page|url=https://helsinkibiennaali.fi/en/|access-date=9 November 2021|website=Helsinki Biennial}}</ref>

The [[Design Museum, Helsinki|Design Museum]] is devoted to the exhibition of both Finnish and foreign design, including industrial design, fashion, and graphic design. Other museums in Helsinki include the [[Military Museum of Finland]], [[Didrichsen Art Museum]], [[Amos Anderson Art Museum|Amos Rex Art Museum]], and the {{ill|Tram Museum|fi|Ratikkamuseo}}.
<gallery widths="180" heights="120" caption="Museums in Helsinki">
File:Sinebrychoff Art Museum building 2014.jpg|[[Sinebrychoff Art Museum]] (1842)
File:Arppeanum - DSC05409.JPG|[[Helsinki University Museum]] "Arppeanum" (1869)
File:Cygnauksen galleria.jpg|The [[Cygnaeus Gallery|Cygnaeus Gallery Museum]] (1870)
File:Mannerheim Museum.jpg|The [[Mannerheim Museum]] (1874; 1957 as museum)
File:Sotakorkeakoulu.jpg|The [[Military Museum of Finland]] (1881)
File:Helsinki July 2013-26a.jpg|Classical art museum [[Ateneum]] (1887)
File:Designmuseo 2020.jpg|The [[Design Museum, Helsinki|Design Museum]] (1894)
File:Tram museum in Helsinki-7152.jpg|{{ill|Tram Museum|fi|Ratikkamuseo}} (''Ratikkamuseo'') (1900)
File: Kansallismuseo Helsinki.jpg|The [[National Museum of Finland]] (1910)
File:10 Helsinki City Museum main building.jpg|The [[Helsinki City Museum]] (1911)
File:Luonnontieteellinen museo 2020.jpg|The [[Finnish Museum of Natural History]] (1913)
File:Taidehalli Helsinki.jpg|[[Kunsthalle Helsinki]] art venue (1928)
File:Didrichsenin taidemuseo.jpg|[[Didrichsen Art Museum]] (1964)
File:Helsinki Art Museum entrance 01.JPG|[[Helsinki Art Museum]] (1968)
File:Helsinki Kiasma.jpg|[[Kiasma]] museum of contemporary art (1998)
File:Lasipalatsi - Amos Rex 20180821 152604.jpg|[[Amos Rex]] art museum (2018)
</gallery>

===Theatres===
[[File:Helsinki - Finnish National Theatre and the Finnish National Writer - panoramio.jpg|thumb|The [[Finnish National Theatre]] (1902), designed by architect Onni Tarjanne. In front of it, the [[Aleksis Kivi Memorial|memorial statue of Aleksis Kivi]].]]
Helsinki has three major theatres: The [[Finnish National Theatre]], the [[Helsinki City Theatre]], and the [[Swedish Theatre]] (''Svenska Teatern''). Other notable theatres in the city include the [[Alexander Theatre]], ''{{ill|Q-teatteri|fi}}'', {{ill|Savoy Theatre (Helsinki)|fi|Savoy-teatteri|lt=Savoy Theatre}}, {{ill|KOM-theatre|fi|KOM-teatteri}}, and ''{{ill|Teatteri Jurkka|fi}}''.

===Music===
Helsinki is home to two full-size symphony orchestras, the [[Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra]] and the [[Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra]], both of which perform at the [[Helsinki Music Centre]] concert hall. Acclaimed contemporary composers [[Kaija Saariaho]], [[Magnus Lindberg (Finnish composer)|Magnus Lindberg]], [[Esa-Pekka Salonen]], and [[Einojuhani Rautavaara]], among others, were born and raised in Helsinki, and studied at the [[Sibelius Academy]]. The [[Finnish National Opera]], the only full-time, professional opera company in Finland, is located in Helsinki. The opera singer [[Martti Wallén]], one of the company's long-time soloists, was born and raised in Helsinki, as was mezzo-soprano [[Monica Groop]].

Many widely renowned and acclaimed bands have originated in Helsinki, including [[Children of Bodom]], [[Hanoi Rocks]], [[HIM (Finnish band)|HIM]], [[Stratovarius]], [[The 69 Eyes]], [[Finntroll]], [[Ensiferum]], [[Wintersun]], [[The Rasmus]], [[Poets of the Fall]], and [[Apocalyptica]]. The most significant of the [[metal music]] events in Helsinki is the [[Tuska Open Air Metal Festival]] in [[Suvilahti]], [[Sörnäinen]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tuska.fi/en|title=Tuska|website=Tuska.fi|access-date=16 December 2021}}</ref>

The city's main musical venues are the [[Finnish National Opera]], the [[Finlandia Hall|Finlandia concert hall]], and the [[Helsinki Music Centre]]. The Music Centre also houses a part of the [[Sibelius Academy]]. Bigger concerts and events are usually held at one of the city's two big ice hockey arenas: the [[Helsinki Halli]] or the [[Helsinki Ice Hall]]. Helsinki has Finland's largest fairgrounds, the [[Messukeskus Helsinki]], which is attended by more than a million visitors a year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vlp-palvelut.fi/messukeskus/|title=Messukeskus|publisher=VLP-Palvelut|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref>

[[Helsinki Arena]] hosted the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2007]], the first [[Eurovision Song Contest]] arranged in Finland, following [[Lordi]]'s win in [[Eurovision Song Contest 2006|2006]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Eurovision Song Contest 2007 Final |url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/by-year/contest?event=435 |access-date=8 November 2016 |website=eurovision.tv}}</ref>

===Art===
[[File:"Havis Amanda", la statue de la fontaine de Vallgren (Helsinki) (2744386193).jpg|thumb|left|150px|''[[Havis Amanda]]'', a fountain sculpture at the [[Helsinki Market Square]]]]

[[Helsinki Day]] (''Helsinki-päivä'') will be celebrated every 12 June, with numerous entertainment events culminating in an [[open-air concert]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.stadissa.fi/tapahtumat/30061/radio-aallon-helsinki-paivan-konsertti | title = Radio Aallon Helsinki-päivän konsertti | work = Stadissa | access-date = 27 January 2021 | language = fi }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.helsinkipaiva.fi/ |title=Helsinki-päivä 12.6. |language=fi |website=helsinkipaiva.fi |access-date=11 August 2021 }}</ref> Also, the [[Helsinki Festival]] is an arts and culture festival that takes place every August (including the [[Night of the Arts]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Helsinki Festival |url=http://www.festivals.fi/en/festivaalit/helsinki-festival-2/#.WCI8lzJh2Rs |access-date=8 November 2016}}</ref>

At the [[Helsinki Senate Square|Senate Square]] in fall 2010, Finland's largest open-air art exhibition to date took place: About 1.4&nbsp;million people saw the international exhibition of ''[[United Buddy Bears]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=United Buddy Bears in Helsinki |url=https://www.buddy-baer.com/united-buddy-bears/world-tour/helsinki-2010.html |access-date=1 April 2019 |archive-date=19 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319112945/https://www.buddy-baer.com/united-buddy-bears/world-tour/helsinki-2010.html }}</ref>

Helsinki was the 2012 [[World Design Capital]], in recognition of the use of design as an effective tool for social, cultural, and economic development in the city. In choosing Helsinki, the World Design Capital selection jury highlighted Helsinki's use of 'Embedded Design', which has tied design in the city to innovation, "creating global brands, such as [[Nokia]], [[Kone]], and [[Marimekko]], popular events, like the annual {{ill|Helsinki Design Week|fi}}, outstanding education and research institutions, such as the [[Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture]], and exemplary architects and designers such as [[Eliel Saarinen]] and [[Alvar Aalto]]".<ref name="Worlddesigncapital.com" />

Helsinki hosts many film festivals. Most of them are small venues, while some have generated interest internationally. The most prolific of these is the [[Helsinki International Film Festival|Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy]] film festival, also known as Helsinki International Film Festival, which features films on a wide spectrum. [[Night Visions (film festival)|Night Visions]], on the other hand, focuses on genre cinema, screening [[horror film|horror]], [[fantasy]], and [[science fiction]] films in very popular movie marathons that last the entire night. Another popular film festival is {{ill|DocPoint (film festival)|fi|DocPoint – Helsingin dokumenttielokuvafestivaali|lt=DocPoint}}, a festival that focuses solely on [[documentary film|documentary]] cinema.<ref>{{cite web |title=Helsinki International Film Festival |url=http://hiff.fi/ |access-date=21 January 2015 |website=hiff.fi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=DocPoint |url=http://docpoint.info/ |access-date=21 January 2015 |website=docpoint.info |archive-date=19 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319113008/https://docpoint.fi/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Night Visions Film Festival |url=http://www.nightvisions.info |access-date=21 January 2015 |website=Nightvisions.info}}</ref>

===Media===
[[File:Sanomatalo - Helsinki - 13.9.2013.jpg|thumb|right|Sanomatalo, a current office building of [[Sanoma Corporation]]]]
Today,{{When|date=March 2018}} there are around 200 newspapers, 320 popular magazines, 2,100 professional magazines, 67 commercial radio stations, three [[digital radio]] channels, and one nationwide and five national [[Public broadcasting|public service radio channels]].{{citation needed|date=December 2013}}

[[Sanoma]] publishes Finland's [[Newspaper of record|journal of record]], {{Lang|fi|[[Helsingin Sanomat]]}}, the [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid]] ''[[Ilta-Sanomat]]'', the commerce-oriented ''[[Taloussanomat]]'', and the television channel [[Nelonen (television)|Nelonen]]. Another Helsinki-based media house, [[Alma Media]], publishes over thirty magazines, including the tabloid ''[[Iltalehti]]'', and the commerce-oriented ''[[Kauppalehti]]''.

Finland's national public-broadcasting institution [[Yle]] operates five television channels and thirteen radio channels in both national languages. Yle is headquartered in the neighbourhood of [[Pasila]]. All TV channels are broadcast [[Digital television|digitally]], both terrestrially and on cable. Yle's studio area houses the {{convert|146|m|ft|adj=on}} high television and radio tower, [[Yle Transmission Tower]] (''Pasilan linkkitorni''),<ref>{{cite web |url = http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=292 |title = Pasilan linkkitorni – SkyscraperPage.com |access-date  = 29 January 2022}}</ref> which is the third tallest structure in Helsinki and one of Helsinki's most famous landmarks, from the top of which, in good weather, can be seen even as far as [[Tallinn]] over the Gulf of Finland.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://yle.fi/uutiset/3-8442453 | title= Pasilan linkkitorni tyhjeni, mihin katosivat maankuulun maamerkin lautasantennit? | work= [[Yle]]| date=10 November 2015 |access-date  = 29 January 2022 | language = fi}}</ref>

The commercial television channel [[MTV3]] and commercial radio channel [[Radio Nova (Finland)|Radio Nova]] are owned by [[Nordic Broadcasting]] ([[Bonnier Group|Bonnier]] and [[Proventus]]).

{{Further|Dubberman Finland}}

===Food===
[[File:Ekbergin kahvila ja leipomon myymälä- Bulevardi 9 - Kamppi - Helsinki - m.jpg|thumb|[[Café Ekberg]], the oldest coffeehouse of Helsinki, along the [[Bulevardi]] in the [[Kamppi]] district]]
Helsinki was already known in the 18th century for its abundant number of [[inn]]s and [[pub]]s, where both locals and those who landed in the harbor were offered plenty of [[Alcoholic drink|alcoholic beverages]].<ref name="alcohol">{{cite web|url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/helsinki/art-2000008520179.html|title=1700-luvun Helsingissä ryypättiin tilanteissa, joita nykyihmisen on vaikea käsittää|trans-title=In 18th-century Helsinki, drinking was done in situations that are difficult for modern man to comprehend|first=Tuomo|last=Väliaho|work=[[Helsingin Sanomat]]|date=26 January 2022|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref> At that time, taxes on the sale of alcohol were a very significant source of income for Helsinki, and one of the most important sellers of alcohol was {{ill|Johan Sederholm|fr|Johan Sederholm}} (1722–1805), a trade councilor who attracted rural [[merchant]]s with alcohol and made good deals.<ref name="alcohol"/> Gradually, a new kind of beverage culture began to grow in the next century, and as early as 1852, the first [[Coffeehouse|café]] of Finland, [[Café Ekberg]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ekberg.fi/en/|title=Home page|website=Ekberg.fi|access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.helsinginuutiset.fi/paikalliset/1556741|title=Tässä ovat Helsingin kahvilakisan voittaja ja yli sata muuta suosikkia|first=Marketta|last=Karjalainen|work=[[Helsingin Uutiset]]|date=26 November 2016|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref> was established by confectioner {{ill|Fredrik Ekberg|fi|Fredrik Ekberg}} (1825–1891) after attending his studies in [[St. Petersburg]]. Ekberg has also been said to have created Finland's "national [[pastry]] tradition".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kansallisbiografia.fi/kansallisbiografia/henkilo/5689|title=Ekberg, Fredrik (1825 - 1891)|publisher=[[The National Biography of Finland]]|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref> At first, café culture was only a prerogative of sophisticated [[elite]], when it recently began to take shape as the right of every man.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ruokatieto.fi/ruokakasvatus/hyva-tavaton-ruoka-ja-tapakulttuuri/mista-ruokakulttuuri-koostuu/maakuntien-ruokaperinteita|title=Maakuntien ruokaperinteitä|work=Ruokatieto|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref> Today, there are several hundred cafés in Helsinki, the most notable of which is [[Cafe Regatta]], which is very popular with foreign tourists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.myhelsinki.fi/eat-and-drink/caf%C3%A9s/quirky-caf%C3%A9s-that-the-locals-love|title=Quirky cafés that the locals love|work=My Helsinki|access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.tripadvisor.fi/Restaurant_Review-g189934-d1596888-Reviews-Cafe_Regatta-Helsinki_Southern_Finland.html| title= Cafe Regatta | website= [[Tripadvisor]]| access-date = 29 January 2022 | language = fi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.city.fi/opas/cityn+suuri+ravintolaaanestys+2014+helsinki/8003| title= Cityn Suuri Ravintolaäänestys 2014: Helsinki| work= [[City (magazine)|City]]| date= 7 June 2014 | access-date = 29 January 2022 | language = fi}}</ref>

[[File:Markthalle Fisch.JPG|thumb|left|Fish for sale in the [[Old Market Hall, Helsinki|Old Market Hall]] (''Vanha kauppahalli'')]]
As an important [[port city]] on the Baltic Sea, Helsinki has long been known for its [[Fish as food|fish food]], and it has recently started to become one of the leading fish food capitals in [[Northern Europe]].<ref name="kosmos">{{cite web|url=http://www.ravintolakosmos.fi/|title=Helsingin ruokakulttuuri elää voimakasta nousukautta|work=Ravintola Kosmos|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref> Helsinki's [[Market Square, Helsinki|Market Square]] is especially known for its traditional [[herring]] market, which has been organized since 1743.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://silakkamarkkinat.fi/|title=Stadin Silakkamarkkinat|website=Silakkamarkkinat.fi|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stadissa.fi/tapahtumat/32718/stadin-silakkamarkkinat|title=Stadin Silakkamarkkinat|website=Stadissa.fi|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hs.fi/nyt/art-2000006289548.html|title=Kala maistuisi yhä useammalle, mutta kalaravintolat ovat Helsingissä harvassa – kriitikko söi niistä kolmessa|work=[[Helsingin Sanomat]]|first=Anna|last=Paljakka|date=30 October 2019|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref><ref name="helsinki-food"/> [[Salmon]] is also a typical Helsinki fish dish, both fried and [[Fish soup|souped]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hs.fi/ruoka/art-2000008198626.html|title=Perinteistä lohikeittoa tarjoillaan ravintoloissa ympäri Suomen, mutta valmistuksessa ontuu yksi vaihe – HS testasi kolmen ravintolan keiton ja löysi erinomaisen|work=[[Helsingin Sanomat]]|first=Arda|last=Yildirim|date=4 October 2021|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref> The most prestigious restaurants specializing in [[seafood]] include Restaurant Fisken på Disken.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fisken.fi/en/fisken-pa-disken/|title=Seafood bar and restaurant|publisher=Fisken på Disken|access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.helsinginuutiset.fi/paikalliset/4308497|title=Tässä ovat kaupungin parhaat kala-ravintolat – Katso asiantuntijoiden vinkit|work=[[Helsingin Uutiset]]|first=Sakari|last=Nupponen|date=29 September 2021|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref>

[[File:Työpajankatu 2, Tynnyrintekijänkatu - Helsinki 2016 - G3634 - hkm.HKMS000005-km0000okav.jpg|thumb|A terrace of the Restaurant Roslund at the [[Teurastamo]] area]]
Helsinki is currently experiencing a period of booming [[food culture]], and it has developed into an internationally acclaimed food city, receiving recognition for promoting food culture.<ref name="helsinki-food"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hs.fi/ruoka/art-2000002774443.html|title=Helsingin ruokakulttuuri palkittiin|work=[[Helsingin Sanomat]]|first=Johanna|last=Tikkanen|date=3 November 2014|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.city.fi/kulttuuri/syomaan+ruokakulttuurin+asiantuntija+milla+visuri+helsingissa+kaikki+on+mahdollista/10950|title=Syömään! Ruokakulttuurin asiantuntija Milla Visuri: "Helsingissä kaikki on mahdollista"|work=City|first=Tiia|last=Rantanen|date=20 June 2017|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref> The local food culture is made up of cuisines from around the world and the fusions they form. Various [[Asian cuisine|Asian restaurants]] such as [[Chinese cuisine|Chinese]], [[Thai cuisine|Thai]], [[Indian cuisine|Indian]] and [[Nepalese cuisine|Nepalese]] are particularly prominent in Helsinki's cityscape, but over the past couple of years, restaurants serving [[Vietnamese cuisine|Vietnamese]] food have been very popular.<ref name="kosmos"/> [[Sushi]] [[restaurant buffets]] have also made their way into the city's restaurant offerings in one fell swoop.<ref name="kosmos"/> The third prominent trend is restaurants serving pure local food, many of which specialize primarily in serving pure [[Nordic cuisine|Nordic flavors]].<ref name="kosmos"/> In past years [[Middle Eastern cuisine|Middle Eastern]] food culture rose in its popularity. Especially Helsinki's eastern part offers many different options for Middle Eastern cuisine lovers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/eat-and-drink/restaurants/journey-to-east-helsinki-to-discover-middle-eastern-and-caucasian-food|title=Journey to East Helsinki to discover Middle Eastern and Caucasian food|publisher=My Helsinki|access-date=31 January 2023|language=fi}}</ref> There is also some touches of [[Russian cuisine]], one of which is the Finnish version of ''[[blini]]s'', a thick [[pancake]]s that are usually fried in a cast-iron pan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/eat-and-drink/restaurants/top-russian-restaurants-in-helsinki|title=Top Russian restaurants in Helsinki|publisher=My Helsinki|access-date=11 February 2022|language=fi|archive-date=11 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211191126/https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/eat-and-drink/restaurants/top-russian-restaurants-in-helsinki}}</ref> One of the most significant food culture venues in Helsinki is the general public area known as [[Teurastamo]] in the [[Hermanni (Helsinki)|Hermanni]] district, which operated as the city's [[slaughterhouse]] between 1933 and 1992, to which the name of the place also refers.<ref name="helsinki-food"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://teurastamo.com/en/|title=Home - Teurastamo|website=Teurastamo.com|access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/see-and-do/sights/teurastamo|title=Teurastamo|publisher=My Helsinki|access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref>

A nationwide food carnival called Restaurant Day (''Ravintolapäivä'') has begun in Helsinki and has traditionally been celebrated since May 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kansanuutiset.fi/artikkeli/2797640-ravintolapaivan-avainsana-on-vapaus|title=Ravintolapäivän avainsana on vapaus|work=[[Kansan Uutiset]]|date=18 May 2012|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi}}</ref> The purpose of the day is to have fun, share new food experiences and enjoy the common environment with the group.<ref name="helsinki-food">{{cite web|url=https://www.hel.fi/helsinki/fi/kulttuuri-ja-vapaa-aika/kaupunkikulttuuri/herkuttele-helsingissa/|title=Herkuttele Helsingissä|publisher=City of Helsinki|access-date=29 January 2022|language=fi|archive-date=29 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129080959/https://www.hel.fi/helsinki/fi/kulttuuri-ja-vapaa-aika/kaupunkikulttuuri/herkuttele-helsingissa/}}</ref>

===Other===
[[Vappu]] is an annual carnival for students and workers on 1 May. The last week of June marks the [[Helsinki Pride]] [[human rights]] event, which was attended by 100,000 marchers in 2018.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10282658 | title = Helsingin Pride-kulkueessa jopa 100 000 ihmistä – seurasimme hetki hetkeltä| work = [[YLE]] | date = 30 July 2018| access-date = 27 January 2021 | language = fi }}</ref>

==Sports==
{{Main|Sport in Helsinki}}
[[File:2005 World Championships in Athletics 2.jpg|right|thumb|The [[Helsinki Olympic Stadium]] was the centre of activities during the [[1952 Summer Olympics]].]]
[[File:Helsinki Olympic Stadium Tower.jpg|thumb|Helsinki Olympic Stadium Tower]]
Helsinki has a long tradition of sports: the city gained much of its initial international recognition during the [[1952 Summer Olympics]], and the city has arranged sporting events such as the first [[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships in Athletics]] 1983 and 2005, and the European Championships in Athletics 1971, 1994, and 2012. Helsinki hosts successful local teams in both of the most popular team sports in Finland: [[association football|football]] and [[ice hockey]]. Helsinki houses [[HJK Helsinki]], Finland's largest and most successful football club, and [[HIFK Fotboll|IFK Helsingfors]], their local rivals with 7 championship titles. The fixtures between the two are commonly known as [[Stadin derby]]. Helsinki's track and field club Helsingin Kisa-Veikot is also dominant within Finland. Ice hockey is popular among many Helsinki residents, who usually support either of the local clubs [[HIFK (ice hockey)|IFK Helsingfors]] (HIFK) or [[Jokerit]]. HIFK, with 14 Finnish championships titles, also plays in the highest [[bandy]] division,<ref>Video from the Finnish final 2009 against OLS from [[Oulu]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn-j0t5yxIE Youtube.com]</ref> along with [[Botnia-69]]. The Olympic stadium hosted the first [[Bandy World Championship]] in 1957.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Finnish Bandy Federation |url=http://www.finbandy.fi/info.htm |access-date=2 April 2016}}</ref>

Helsinki was elected host-city of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but due to World War II they were canceled. Instead Helsinki was the host of the 1952 Summer Olympics. The Olympics were a landmark event symbolically and economically for Helsinki and Finland as a whole that was recovering from the winter war and the continuation war fought with the Soviet Union. Helsinki was also in 1983 the first city to host the World Championships in Athletics. Helsinki also hosted the event in 2005, thus also becoming the first city to host the Championships for a second time. The [[Helsinki City Marathon]] has been held in the city every year since 1981, usually in August.<ref>[https://helsinkicityrunningday.fi/helsinkimaraton/ HELSINKI CITY MARATON 40-VUOTIS JUHLAMITALI – Helsinki City Running Day] (in Finnish)</ref> A [[Formula 3000]] race through the city streets was held on 25 May 1997. In 2009 Helsinki was host of the [[European Figure Skating Championships]], and in 2017 it hosted [[World Figure Skating Championships]]. The city will host the 2021 [[FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup]].  [[American football]] and the [[Vaahteraliiga]] has a strong tradition in the city dating back to the early 1980s.

Most of Helsinki's sports venues are under the responsibility of the city's sports office, such as 70 [[sports hall]]s and about 350 [[sports field]]s. There are nine [[ice rinks]], three of which are managed by the Helsinki Sports Agency (''Helsingin liikuntavirasto'').<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.hel.fi/liv/fi/liikuntaviraston-esittely/liikuntaviraston-esittely| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210624202307/https://www.hel.fi/liv/fi/liikuntaviraston-esittely/liikuntaviraston-esittely| archive-date = 24 June 2021| title = Liikuntaviraston esittely {{!}} Helsingin kaupunki}}</ref> In winter, there are seven artificial ice rinks. People can swim in Helsinki in 14 [[swimming pool]]s, the largest of which is the {{ill|Mäkelänrinne Swimming Centre|fi|Mäkelänrinteen uintikeskus}},<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.urheiluhallit.fi/en/locations/makelanrinne.html|title=Mäkelänrinne Swimming Centre - Official Site|website=Urheiluhallit.fi|access-date=16 December 2021|archive-date=26 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226191745/https://www.urheiluhallit.fi/en/locations/makelanrinne.html}}</ref> two inland swimming pools and more than 20 [[beach]]es, of which [[Hietaniemi Beach]] is probably the most famous.<ref>[http://www.hel.fi/www/liv/fi/palvelut/liikuntaviraston-toimipisteet Liikuntaviraston liikuntapaikat] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170502083821/http://www.hel.fi/www/liv/fi/palvelut/liikuntaviraston-toimipisteet |date=2 May 2017 }} (in Finnish)</ref>

==Transport==
===Roads===
[[File:Helsinki region roads.jpg|thumb|right|Helsinki region roads]]
The backbone of Helsinki's motorway network consists of three [[semicircle|semicircular]] [[ring road|beltways]], [[Ring I]], [[Ring II]], and [[Ring III]], which connect expressways heading to other parts of Finland, and the western and eastern arteries of ''[[Länsiväylä]]'' and ''[[Itäväylä]]'' respectively. While variants of a ''Keskustatunneli'' tunnel under the city centre have been repeatedly proposed, {{as of|2017|lc=y}} the plan remains on the drawing board.

Many important [[Highways in Finland|Finnish highways]] leave Helsinki for various parts of Finland; most of them in the form of [[motorway]]s, but a few of these exceptions include ''[[Vihdintie]]''. The most significant highways are:
* [[Finnish national road 1]]/[[European route E18|E18]] (to [[Lohja]], [[Salo, Finland|Salo]] and [[Turku]])
* [[Finnish national road 3]]/[[European route E12|E12]] (to [[Hämeenlinna]], [[Tampere]] and [[Vaasa]])
* [[Finnish national road 4]]/[[European route E75|E75]] (to [[Lahti]], [[Jyväskylä]], [[Oulu]] and [[Rovaniemi]])
* [[Finnish national road 7]]/[[European route E18|E18]] (to [[Porvoo]] and [[Kotka]]).

Helsinki has some 390 cars per 1000 inhabitants.<ref>[http://www.hel2.fi/tietoa/helbro1.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111211115004/http://www.hel2.fi/tietoa/helbro1.pdf|date=11 December 2011}}</ref> This is less than in cities of similar population and construction density, such as Brussels' 483 per 1000, Stockholm's 401, and Oslo's 413.<ref>{{cite web |title=Runge |url=http://www.eaue.de/Promode/Runge.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625143315/http://www.eaue.de/Promode/Runge.pdf |archive-date=25 June 2008 |access-date=17 February 2014 |publisher=European Academy of the Urban Environment}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Tietokeskus: suunnatframe |url=http://www.hel.fi/hel2/tietokeskus/suunnat/ss405/suunnatframe2.html |access-date=8 July 2009 |publisher=Hel2.fi}}</ref>

===Intercity rail===
[[File:Helsinki Railway Station 20050604.jpg|thumb|[[Helsinki Central railway station|Central railway station]], inaugurated 1919]]
[[Helsinki Central Railway Station]] is the main terminus of the rail network in Finland. Two rail corridors lead out of Helsinki, the Main Line to the north (to [[Tampere]], [[Oulu]], [[Rovaniemi]]), and the Coastal Line to the west (to [[Turku]]). The [[Finnish Main Line|Main Line]] (''päärata''), which is the first railway line in Finland, was officially opened on 17 March 1862, between cities of Helsinki and [[Hämeenlinna]].<ref>Neil Kent: ''Helsinki: A Cultural History'', p. 18. Interlink Books, 2014. {{ISBN|978-1-56656-544-8}}.</ref> The railway connection to the east branches from the Main Line outside of Helsinki at Kerava, and leads via [[Lahti]] to eastern parts of Finland.

A majority of intercity passenger services in Finland originate or terminate at the Helsinki Central Railway Station. All major cities in Finland are connected to Helsinki by rail service, with departures several times a day. The most frequent service is to Tampere, with more than 25 intercity departures per day {{as of|2017|lc=yes}}.

Until 2022 there also was an international services from Helsinki to Saint Petersburg and Moscow. The Saint Petersburg to Helsinki route was operated by [[Allegro (train)|Allegro high-speed trains]].

A [[Helsinki to Tallinn Tunnel]] has been proposed<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 January 2016 |title=Helsinki-Tallinn tunnel proposals look to bring cities closer than ever |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/06/helsinki-tallinn-tunnel-proposals-rail-link-finland-estonia}}</ref> and agreed upon by representatives of the cities.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Feargus O'Sullivan |date=7 January 2016 |title=Helsinki and Tallinn Agree to Build the World's Longest Underwater Rail Tunnel |work=CityLab |url=http://www.citylab.com/commute/2016/01/helsinki-tallinn-rail-tunnel-baltic/423030/}}</ref> The rail tunnel would connect Helsinki to the [[Estonia]]n capital [[Tallinn]], further linking Helsinki to the rest of continental Europe by [[Rail Baltica]].

===Aviation===
Air traffic is handled primarily from [[Helsinki Airport]], located approximately {{convert|17|km|mi|0}} north of Helsinki's downtown area, in the neighbouring city of [[Vantaa]]. Helsinki's own airport, [[Helsinki-Malmi Airport]], is mainly used for general and private aviation. Charter flights are available from [[Hernesaari Heliport]].

===Sea transport===
{{Main|Port of Helsinki}}
[[File:Helsinki (23883925315).jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|The [[South Harbour, Helsinki|South Harbour]]]]
Like many other cities, Helsinki was deliberately founded at a location on the sea in order to take advantage of shipping. The freezing of the sea imposed limitations on sea traffic up to the end of the 19th century. But for the last hundred years, the routes leading to Helsinki have been kept open even in winter with the aid of [[icebreaker]]s, many of them built in the Helsinki Hietalahti shipyard. The arrival and departure of ships has also been a part of everyday life in Helsinki. Regular route traffic from Helsinki to Stockholm, Tallinn, and Saint Petersburg began as far back as 1837. Over 300 cruise ships and 360,000 cruise passengers visit Helsinki annually. There are international cruise ship docks in [[South Harbour, Helsinki|South Harbour]], [[Katajanokka]], [[West Harbour, Helsinki|West Harbour]], and [[Hernesaari]]. In terms of combined liner and cruise passengers, the [[Port of Helsinki]] overtook the [[Port of Dover]] in 2017 to become the [[List of busiest cruise ports by passengers|busiest passenger port in the world]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/pdfscache/6652.pdf|title=Maritime ports freight and passenger statistics|publisher=[[Eurostat]]|access-date=18 June 2020}}</ref>

Ferry connections to Tallinn, [[Mariehamn]], and Stockholm are serviced by various companies; very popular [[MS J. L. Runeberg|MS ''J. L. Runeberg'']] ferry connection to Finland's second oldest city, [[medieval]] old town of [[Porvoo]], is also available for tourists.<ref>[https://www.msjlruneberg.fi/cruises/helsinki-porvoo/ Helsinki–Porvoo cruise - MS ''J. L. Runeberg'']</ref> [[Finnlines]] passenger-freight ferries to [[Gdynia]], Poland; [[Travemünde]], Germany; and [[Rostock]], Germany are also available. [[St. Peter Line]] offers passenger ferry service to Saint Petersburg several times a week.

===Urban transport===
{{Main|Public transport in Helsinki}}
{{See also|Trams in Helsinki|Helsinki Metro|Helsinki City Bikes}}
[[File:Munkkisaari tram stop at Telakkakatu in Eira, Helsinki, Finland, 2021 April.jpg|thumb|right|[[Trams in Helsinki|Helsinki tram network]] is one of the most dense in Europe.]]
In the Helsinki metropolitan area, [[public transport]]ation is managed by the [[Helsinki Regional Transport Authority]], the metropolitan area transportation authority. The diverse [[Public transport in Helsinki|public transport system]] consists of [[Helsinki tram|trams]], [[VR commuter rail|commuter rail]], the [[Helsinki Metro|metro]], [[bus]] lines, two [[ferry]] lines and a [[Helsinki City Bikes|public bike system]].

[[Trams in Helsinki|Helsinki's tram system]] dates back to 1891 when the first [[horse-drawn]] trams were introduced; the system was electrified in 1900.<ref>{{cite book| title= Otavan suuri ensyklopedia, 7. osa (Optiikka–Revontulet) | page= 5563 | chapter= Raitioliikenne | publisher= Otava | year= 1973 | isbn= 951-1-02232-6 | language= fi}}</ref> {{As of|2024|01}}, the system consists of 14 routes covering the inner part of the city center and [[Helsinki light rail line 15|one]] newer [[light rail]] style line connecting [[Keilaniemi]] in Espoo with [[Itäkeskus]] in eastern Helsinki. The length of the network is [[Planned tram projects in Helsinki|planned to more than double]] during the 2020s and 2030s compared to 2021, with major projects including [[Vantaa light rail]], the [[Crown Bridges]] link to the island of [[Laajasalo]] and the [[West Helsinki light rail]] project connecting [[Kannelmäki]] to the city center.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Salomaa |first=Marja |date=2021-05-29 |title=Helsingin ratikkavallankumous nostaa asuntojen hintoja lukuisilla alueilla, asuntosijoittaja vinkkaa sijoituskohteesta – "Hymyilyttää" |url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000007985482.html |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=Helsingin Sanomat |language=fi}}</ref> Construction work on the new tram as the number line 13 (Nihti–Kalasatama–Vallilanlaakso–Pasila) has begun in May 2020, and the line is scheduled for completion in 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.helsinginuutiset.fi/paikalliset/2718947|title=Ratikka kulkee Nihdistä Pasilaan vuonna 2024|work=Helsingin Uutiset|date=25 August 2020| access-date = 30 December 2020 | language = fi}}</ref>

The [[Helsinki commuter rail|commuter rail system]] includes purpose-built double track for local services in two rail corridors along intercity railways, and the [[Ring Rail Line]], an urban double-track railway with a station at the [[Helsinki Airport]] in Vantaa. Electric operation of commuter trains was first begun in 1969, and the system has been gradually expanded since. 15 different services are operated {{as of|2017|lc=yes}}, some extending outside of the Helsinki region. The frequent services run at a 10-minute headway in peak traffic.

==International relations==
{{Multiple image
| image1            = Yhdysvaltain Helsingin-suurlähetystö.jpg
| caption1          = [[Embassy of the United States, Helsinki|Embassy of the United States]] in Helsinki
| image2            = Russian embassy Helsinki.JPG
| caption2          = [[Embassy of Russia, Helsinki|Embassy of the Russian Federation]] in Helsinki
}}

{{See also|Helsinki Accords in 1975|Helsinki Summit in 1990|Helsinki Summit in 2018}}

===Twin towns and sister cities===
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Finland}}

Helsinki has no official sister cities except [[Beijing]], China. On July 14, 2006, Beijing and Helsinki officially became sister cities. In October 2019, the two cities signed the Work Plan for Promoting the Cooperation between Beijing and Helsinki (19-2023).<ref>{{Cite web |title=City Profile |url=https://wb.beijing.gov.cn/en/sister_cities/sister_cities_of_beijing/european/european_helsinki/european_helsinki_city_profile/202007/t20200731_1968359.html#:~:text=%5BRelations%20with%20Beijing%5D%20On%20July,Helsinki%20(2019-2023) |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=wb.beijing.gov.cn}}</ref><ref name="pc" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Yan |first=Yangtze |date=14 July 2006 |title=Beijing, Helsinki forge sister city relationship |url=http://www.gov.cn/misc/2006-07/14/content_336339.htm |access-date=5 August 2013 |website=Gov.cn |publisher=Chinese Government |archive-date=9 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009105714/http://www.gov.cn/misc/2006-07/14/content_336339.htm }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sister Cities |url=http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/Sister_Cities/Sister_City/ |access-date=23 June 2009 |publisher=Beijing Municipal Government |archive-date=16 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216015454/http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/Sister_Cities/Sister_City/ }}</ref> In addition, the city has a special partnership relation with:

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*{{flagdeco|EST}} [[Tallinn]]<ref name="pc">{{cite web |title=International Relations |url=https://www.hel.fi/helsinki/en/administration/enterprises/competitive/international-activities/ |access-date=11 June 2017 |website=Hel.fi |publisher=City of Helsinki |quote=Helsinki's main bilateral city partners are St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Stockholm and Berlin. In addition, Helsinki maintains special long-term partnerships with Beijing and Moscow. Helsinki has no official sister cities. Helsinki primarily works with other capitals. |archive-date=26 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926235319/https://www.hel.fi/helsinki/en/administration/enterprises/competitive/international-activities/ }}</ref>
*{{flagdeco|SWE}} [[Stockholm]]<ref name=pc/>
*{{flagdeco|GER}} [[Berlin]]<ref name=pc/>
{{div col end}}

Until 2022, Helsinki also had an international partnership with the Russian cities of [[Moscow]] and [[Saint Petersburg]], which was suspended after [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Helsinki varautuu Ukrainan sodan vaikutuksiin |url=https://www.hel.fi/fi/uutiset/helsinki-varautuu-ukrainan-sodan-vaikutuksiin |website=Helsingin kaupunki|date=10 October 2022 }}</ref>

==Notable people==
{{Further|List of people from Helsinki}}

=== Born before 1900 ===
[[File:Karl-fazer-historia-460x560.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Karl Fazer]], the chocolatier and Olympic [[Shooting sport|sport shooter]] best known for founding the [[Fazer]] company]]
[[File:Erkki Karu.jpg|thumb|170px|[[Erkki Karu]], film director and producer]]
* [[Peter Forsskål]] (1732–1763), Swedish-Finnish naturalist and orientalist
* [[Peter Hagerstein]] (1757–1810), Swedish-Finnish sailor and the advisor to the [[Kingdom of Tahiti|Kings of Tahiti]]
* [[Axel Hampus Dalström]] (1829–1882), architect
* [[Maria Tschetschulin]] (1850–1917), clerk
* [[Augusta Krook]] (1853–1941), politician and teacher
* [[Agnes Tschetschulin]] (1859–1942), composer and violinist
* [[Jakob Sederholm]] (1863–1934), petrologist
* [[Karl Fazer]] (1866–1932), baker, confectioner, chocolatier, entrepreneur, and [[Shooting sport|sport shooter]]
* [[Emil Lindh]] (1867–1937), sailor
* [[Oskar Merikanto]] (1868–1924), composer
* [[Signe Lagerborg-Stenius]] (1870–1968), architect and member the Helsinki City Council
* [[Maggie Gripenberg]] (1881–1976), dancer
* [[Gunnar Nordström]] (1881–1923), theoretical physicist
* [[Väinö Tanner]] (1881–1966), politician
* [[Walter Jakobsson]] (1882–1957), figure-skater
* [[Mauritz Stiller]] (1883–1928), Finnish-Swedish director and screenwriter
* [[Karl Wiik]] (1883–1946), Social Democratic politician
* [[Lennart Lindroos]] (1886–1921), swimmer, Olympic games 1912
* [[Erkki Karu]] (1887–1935), film director and producer
* [[Kai Donner]] (1888–1935), linguist, anthropologist and politician
* [[Gustaf Molander]] (1888–1973), Swedish director and screenwriter
* [[Johan Helo]] (1889–1966), lawyer and politician
* [[Minna Craucher]] (1891–1932), socialite and spy
* [[Artturi Ilmari Virtanen]] (1895–1973), chemist (Nobel Prize, 1945)
* [[Rolf Nevanlinna]] (1895–1980), mathematician, university teacher and writer
* [[Elmer Diktonius]] (1896–1961), Finnish-Swedish writer and composer
* [[Yrjö Leino]] (1897–1961), communist politician
* [[Fredrika Wetterhoff]] (1844– 1905), teacher and craft school founder
* [[Toivo Wiherheimo]] (1898–1970), economist and politician

=== Born after 1900 ===
[[File:Tarja Halonen 1c389 8827-2.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Tarja Halonen]], former president of Finland]]
[[File:Hirschovits Kim Blues 2013 1.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kim Hirschovits]], ice hockey player]]
[[File:Linus Torvalds.jpeg|thumb|upright|[[Linus Torvalds]], the [[Software engineering|software engineer]] best known for creating the popular [[Open source software|open-source]] [[Kernel (operating system)|kernel]] [[Linux]]]]
[[File:Esa-Pekka at Apple store in Berlin.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Esa-Pekka Salonen]], conductor and composer]]
[[File:Sam Lake.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Sam Lake]], the video game creative director known for the ''[[Max Payne]]'' games]]
* [[Aku Ahjolinna]] (born 1946), ballet dancer and choreographer
* [[Lars Ahlfors]] (1907–1996), mathematician, Fields medalist
* [[Laura Åkerlund]] (born 1987), opera stage director
* [[Ella Eronen]] (1900–1987), actress and poetic recite
* [[Helena Anhava]] (1925–2018), poet, author and translator
* [[Paavo Berglund]] (1929–2012), conductor
* [[Laci Boldemann]] (1921–1969), composer
* [[Irja Agnes Browallius]] (1901–1968), Swedish writer
* [[Bo Carpelan]] (1926–2011), Finland-Swedish writer, literary critic and translator
* [[Tarja Cronberg]] (born 1943), politician
* [[Jörn Donner]] (1933–2020), writer, film director and politician
* [[George Gaynes]] (1917–2016), American television and film actor
* [[Ragnar Granit]] (1900–1991), Finnish-Swedish neurophysiologist and Nobel laureate
* [[Mika Waltari]] (1908–1979), writer
* [[Elina Haavio-Mannila]] (born 1933), social scientist and professor 
* [[Tarja Halonen]] (born 1943), 11th President of Finland
* [[Reino Helismaa]] (1913–1965), writer, film actor and singer
* [[Kai Hietarinta]] (born 1932), businessman and ice hockey executive
* [[Kim Hirschovits]] (born 1982), ice hockey player
* [[Bengt Holmström]] (born 1949), Professor of Economics, Nobel laureate
* [[Shawn Huff]] (born 1984), basketball player
* [[Ville Husso]] (born 1995), ice hockey goaltender
* [[Kirsti Ilvessalo]] (1920–2019), textile artist
* [[Juha Jääskä]] (born 1998), ice hockey player
* [[Tove Jansson]] (1914–2001), Finland-Swedish writer, painter, illustrator, comic writer, graphic designer
* [[Kaapo Kähkönen]] (born 1996), ice hockey goaltender
* [[Aki Kaurismäki]] (born 1957), director, screenwriter and producer
* [[Emma Kimiläinen]] (born 1989), racing driver
* [[Kiti Kokkonen]] (born 1974), Finnish actress and writer
* [[Petteri Koponen]], basketball player
* [[Lennart Koskinen]] (born 1944), Swedish, Lutheran bishop
* [[Sam Lake]] (born 1970), writer and actor; the creative director at [[Remedy Entertainment]]
* [[Olli Lehto]] (1925–2020), mathematician
* [[Samuel Lehtonen]] (1921–2010), bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
* [[Juha Leiviskä]] (1936–2023), architect
* [[Magnus Lindberg]] (born 1958), composer and pianist
* [[Esa Lindell]] (born 1994), professional ice hockey player
* [[Lill Lindfors]] (born 1940), Finland-Swedish singer and TV presenter
* [[Jari Mäenpää]] (born 1977), founder, former lead guitarist and current lead singer in [[melodic death metal]] band [[Wintersun]], former lead singer and guitarist of [[folk metal]] band [[Ensiferum]]
* [[Klaus Mäkelä]] (born 1996), cellist and conductor
* [[Susanna Mälkki]] (born 1969), conductor
* [[Georg Malmstén]] (1902–1981), singer, musician, composer, orchestra director and actor
* [[Tauno Marttinen]] (1912–2008), composer
* [[Vesa-Matti Loiri]] (1945–2022), actor, comedian, singer
* [[Abdirahim Hussein Mohamed]] (born 1978), Finnish-Somalian media personality and politician
* [[Hanno Möttölä]], Finnish basketball player
* [[Väinö Myllyrinne]] (1909–1963), acromegalic giant and at time (1940–1963) the [[List of tallest people|world's tallest living person]]
* [[Peter Nygård]] (born 1941), businessman, arrested in December 2020 for sex crimes
* [[Markku Peltola]] (1956–2007), actor and musician
* [[Kimmo Pikkarainen]] (born 1976), professional ice hockey player
* [[Anne Marie Pohtamo]] (born 1955), actress, model, [[Miss Finland|Miss Suomi 1975]] and [[Miss Universe 1975]]
* [[Elisabeth Rehn]] (born 1935), politician
* [[Einojuhani Rautavaara]] (1928–2016), composer
* [[Susanne Ringell]] (born 1955), writer and actress
* [[Miron Ruina]] (born 1998), Finnish-Israeli basketball player
* [[Kaija Saariaho]] (1952–2023), composer
* [[Riitta Salin]] (born 1950), athlete
* [[Sasu Salin]], Finnish basketball player
* [[Esa-Pekka Salonen]] (born 1958), composer and conductor
* [[Asko Sarkola]] (born 1945), actor
* [[Heikki Sarmanto]] (born 1939), jazz pianist and composer
* [[Teemu Selänne]] (born 1970), [[Hockey Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] ice hockey player
* [[Ann Selin]] (born 1960), trade union leader
* [[Birgit Sergelius]] (1907–1979), stage and film actress
* [[Alexander Stubb]] (born 1968), 13th President of Finland
* [[Teuvo Teräväinen]] (born 1994), professional ice hockey player
* [[Eeva Therman]] (1916–2004), geneticist
* [[Märta Tikkanen]] (born 1935), Finland-Swedish writer and philosophy teacher
* [[Linus Torvalds]] (born 1969), software engineer, creator of Linux
* [[Elin Törnudd]] (1924–2008), Finnish chief librarian and professor
* [[Klaus Törnudd]] (born 1931), diplomat and political scientist
* [[Sirkka Turkka]] (1939–2021), poet
* [[Jarno Tuunainen]] (born 1977), footballer
* [[Ville Valo]] (born 1976), lead singer of the rock band HIM
* [[Ulla Vuorela]] (1945–2011), professor of social anthropology
* [[Lauri Ylönen]] (born 1979), lead singer of the rock band The Rasmus

== See also ==
{{Portal|Finland|Europe|Geography|Cities}}
* {{slink|Timeline of Helsinki|Bibliography}}
* [[Helsinki metropolitan area]]
* [[Helsinki urban area]]
* [[Subdivisions of Helsinki]]
* [[Helsinki Parish Village]]
* [[Underground Helsinki]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|auto=yes|d=yes}}
*[https://www.hel.fi/en Hel.fi: Official City of Helsinki website]
*[https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en My Helsinki: Your local guide to Helsinki]
*[https://www.visitfinland.com/en/places-to-go/helsinki-region/helsinki-city/ Visit Finland: Discover Helsinki]

{{Inline audio}}

{{Geographic location
 | Centre = Helsinki
 | N = [[Vantaa]]
 | E = [[Sipoo]]
 | S = ''[[Gulf of Finland]]''
 | W = [[Espoo]]
}}
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[[Category:Helsinki| ]]
[[Category:Greater Helsinki]]
[[Category:Capitals in Europe]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Finland]]
[[Category:Grand Duchy of Finland]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in Finland]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns of the Baltic Sea]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Finland]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1550]]
[[Category:1550 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:16th-century establishments in Finland]]