Combination of modern and ancient buildings – that is the visage of the capital of Finland. We will begin the sightseeing of the city with the monument to Jean Sibelius. It is one of the masterpieces of abstract sculpture - a fantastic giant organ singing in the wind. It is welded from 580 steel pipes of different length. Finns called it “the iron wood”. A copy of this creation is kept in UN building in New York (the author of the sculpture Eila Hiltunen lives in the USA now).

Helsinki besides capital functions is also a large port city. Sea gulls feel like hosts here and absolutely are not afraid of people.

Temppeliaukio Church is an architectural miracle. Its rooms were carved into the rock. Outside it is possible to see only the dome for which 25 thousand metres of copper wire were used. The church was built in the year 1996 according to the project of brothers Suomalaynen. It is an active parish Lutheran church. And also the concerts are conducted here, sometimes even avant-garde ones.

We will pass by the Olympic Stadium built to host the Games of the year 1940. Since the World War II started in Europe the stadium could receive Olympians only 12 years later. It is designed for 40 thousand spectators. The watch and the sprint shoes of the most famous Finnish runner, three times Olympic champion Paavo Nurmi (died in the year 1973) occupy the place of honour in sport museum located in the stadium building. This sportsman set the 31st world record in long-distance race. A monument in his honour in the form of running athlete has been placed in front of the stadium.

The informal symbol of Finland is located in the Esplanade Park stretched from the Market Square to the Swedish theatre. It is a fountain – sculpture “Havis Amanda”. Surrounded by sea lions a fascinating bronze girl leaned her neck and turned her naked... (well, say her back) to the drug store. Maybe, such “twist” is not occasional; after all at the beginning of the last century the owner of that drug store denied the money to subscription list for this sculpture. Amanda unites both innocence and sensuality. In the year 1908 when the fountain was unveiled and the covers were taken off the figure the straight-arrow citizens were near to faint because of the overt shamelessness and vulgar, to their mind, pose of the statue. They received a second jolt when they recognized Ville Valgren’s wife in Amanda. Today, the naked girl - a marine goddess that represents Helsinki rising from the sea, does not embarrass anybody. Local citizens adore Amanda. When in early May students put on the white examination caps, the same head wear necessarily appears on Amanda’s head.

There are many buildings in the spirit of Finnish romanticism in Helsinki. There is so called Jugend style - a northern variation of modern style. Architectural ensembles are not devoid of Nordic functionality and modesty. Even after a short stay in Finnish capital there appears an ambivalent feeling: there is no habitual formality of a capital in its architecture. There is a kind of playful lightness instead of pomposity in Senate Square, and the great Cathedral, towering the earthly land absolutely does not suppress with its splendour and quite the opposite – lends you winds. What is the secret? Probably, it is in national mentality. Merry and coquettish Amanda cherishes Helsinki...

Iuri Tarabanov writes about interesting travel experiences. His Travel Reservations site is http://www.travelime.com