The Parliament in Helsinki
The Parliament in Helsinki is the seat of the Finnish Parliament and impresses with its unique architecture. The fourteen columns and massive floor plan make this landmark an unmissable landmark of the city.
From the outside, the parliament is wrapped in red granite and impresses with its columns with Corinthian capitals and a huge staircase. The building is distinctive for its massive and imposing shape.The Finnish Parliament is a unicameral parliament with 200 deputies working in the building.
Architecture and history
The architect Johan Sigfrid Sirén designed the parliament building in a mixture of the neoclassical style and an early twentieth century modernism. He began construction in 1926. It was completed five years later, in 1931, and expanded in 1978 and 2004.
The latest addition, affectionately named Pikkuparlamentti (Little Parliament), houses a visitor centre and a popular restaurant, among other things. This building also impresses with its architecture, which looks very modern due to large glass fronts. Since 2017, the parliament shines in new splendor. Previously, it was renovated for 10 years as part of the preparations for Finland's centenary declaration of independence. Especially for women, the Finnish Parliament has a symbolic value, as Finnish women were the first in the world to be granted the right to vote.
Sightseeings & Tours
From the inside, the Parliament consists of five distinctly different floors that can be visited on an English-language tour. On the ground floor, among other things, there is a restaurant and the lobby with two marble staircases leading up to the top floor. Above this is the heart of the Parliament: the Parliament Chamber. It forms the centre of this floor and has galleries that are open to the press and also to the public. There is also a cafeteria on this floor. On the upper floors there are rooms for the media and for committees, as well as various offices.
