Helsinki Cathedral and Senate Square

Completed in 1852 to designs by the architect Carl Ludvig Engel, Helsinki Cathedral rises at the top of a broad flight of steps above Senate Square, its white walls and green domes the symbol of the city. The square is framed by neoclassical government buildings and the university, with a statue of Emperor Alexander II at its centre.

From here it is a short walk to the red-brick Uspenski Cathedral, the Orthodox church on a rocky hill, and to the Market Square on the harbour, where stalls sell berries, crafts and snacks in summer.

Climb the cathedral steps for a view over the square. The Market Square is also where ferries leave for Suomenlinna. On summer evenings, the steps become a meeting place for locals enjoying the long daylight.