Helsinki

Most of its history of Helsinki was a small provincial town. But the XIX century. opened to the future capital of Finland a new perspective. Helsinki, or, as he still called for - Swedish, Helsingfors, was founded in 1550 by decree of the ruler of Sweden, Gustav Vasa (approximately XII - XIV centuries. And until 1809 the entire country was controlled by the King of Sweden). Until the XVIII century. it was difficult to assume that one day will be the capital city of Helsinki: the living conditions here were not the best (the plague many times zahazhivala in these parts), and the first stone buildings appeared here only in the middle of the XVIII century. Moreover, poorly protected and located on the Gulf of Finland, Helsinki has always been an easy target for hostile powers, Sweden. After the Russian - Swedish War 1808 - 1809 years. By Treaty of Hamina, Finland became a Russian territory, the rights of autonomy. In 1812 the Helsinki unexpectedly moved by "corporate ladder, becoming the capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland. Motives for the ruler of the Russian empire of Alexander I (1777 - 1825) in this case were exclusively political. Swedish to know was not going so easy to produce power from their hands, and moving the capital from Turku to the southern tip of Finland could significantly restrain the geopolitical ambitions of Sweden. Was to build a city virtually from scratch, and it was important to lay communication with neighboring cities. In addition, the updated Helsinki was to become yet another clear proof of wealth and grandeur of the Russian Empire. Already in the twenties of the XIX century. saw the light of the reconstruction project of the central part of Helsinki, at the behest of Emperor Alexander I-the image and likeness of St. - Petersburg, later were taken even some of the names of streets and squares: for example, as in the Northern capital of Russia in Helsinki is Senate Square. In the sixties of the XIX century. were laid railroad tracks on which trains from Helsinki was initiated in many cities and remote corners of Finland. In 1870 railway was opened, linking the two capitals: Helsinki and St. - Petersburg during the First World War (1914 - 1918.) In Finland was restless. In 1917, after the October Revolution in Russia, the Finns there is every reason to declare their country as an independent state. Finland remained the capital of the new Helsinki. But very soon the country's civil war began (27 January -15 May 1918) the result of the irreconcilable opposition parties, the Social - Democrats (red) and Democrats ("white"). Despite the active support of the Social - Democrats of the RSFSR, was won by "white". Came to power a bourgeois government, and Helsinki has experienced another building boom. 1939 - 1940 are the years of Soviet - Finnish Winter War, which began with the invasion of the Red Army in the Finnish territory. Helsinki, remained aloof from the battlefield, but the bombs fell on him. And during the Second World War, he did not suffer major losses: the Soviet air force did attempt once again to drop their bombs on the city. After the war, Helsinki continued to grow and equip with modern conveniences. In 1952 the city passed XV Olympic Games. Helsinki occupies the peninsula with the very rugged coastline, surrounded by many small islands. Due to the proximity to the Baltic Sea the climate is relatively mild in winter the average temperature - 5 ° C.