Helsinki, Mostly the Churches

Finland is the home of the composer Sibelius, as well as other good things including innovative architecture and design, saunas, Nokia phones, ice hockey and delicious food. During our brief time in Helsinki, we hit all the famous landmarks, the monument to Sibelius (above) being just one of them. The Helsinki cathedral is a lovely one without the clutter that some cathedrals collect inside. The organ is particularly lovely; in the all the times I've visited this place (which is quite a few), I have never heard this particular instrument played.

The other major cathedral in the capital city is the Uspenski cathedral, a Russian orthodox edifice that stands proudly over the central harbor.The interior is just as beautiful, with the blue dome, more light than reaches the interior of most Russian orthodox churches, and a altar screen (I don't know what else to call it) that just sparkles. Our string quartet played in the afternoon at Temppeliaukio, which is a famous Lutheran church built into the rock. No picture can do the church justice, but here's the best one I could get of the group performing.