Web Publications 2005:23

Web publications 2005:23 Areas in Helsinki Reykjavik Helsinki km Helsinki Region km Total area    ◆ Sea area    ◆ Land area    Oslo Helsinki Stockholm St. Petersburg Tallinn Source: City of Helsinki Urban Facts Dublin Copenhagen Riga

London Vilnius Amsterdam Berlin Minsk Warsaw Brussels Hyvinkää Prague Kiev Tuusula Paris Bratislava Nurmijärvi Järvenpää Bern Vienna Budapest Vihti Kerava Ljubljana Sipoo Sarajevo Belgrade Bucharest Vantaa Lisbon Madrid Rome Espoo Soﬁ a Helsinki Skopje Istanbul Kauniainen Kirkkonummi Metropolitan Area Athens Helsinki Region

Nature, Recreation and Sport in Helsinki Web publications 2005:23

Writers and experts Editorial group Leila Lankinen, Acting Information Manager City of Helsinki Environment Centre Sanna Ranto, Editor, Urban Facts ◆ Autio, Liisa Kaarina Heikkonen, Environmental Inspector, Environment Centre ◆ Heikkonen, Kaarina Ulla Knus, Information Secretary, Sports Department ◆ Lukin, Markus Mari Vilkki, Communications Manager, Tourist & Convention Bureau ◆ Matilainen, Marjo-Kaisa Translation ◆ Pajanen, Kaisa Magnus Gräsbeck, Stephen Skate ◆ Language revision Pakarinen, Raimo Roger Munn ◆ Salla, Antti ◆ Stén, Tiia Graphic design Olli Turunen, Tovia Design Oy ◆ Viinanen, Jari City of Helsinki Sports Department Liaison with printers ◆ Jyrkiäinen, Pekka Tarja Sundström ◆ Knus, Ulla Cover photo ◆ Snellman, Sari Helsingin kaupungin kuvapankki / Niko Soveri City of Helsinki Tourist and Convention Bureau ◆ ISSN 1458-5707 Vilkki, Mari ISBN 852-473-492-3 City of Helsinki Urban Facts ◆ Lankinen, Leila Enquiries ◆ City of Helsinki Urban Facts, Statistics and Information Service Ranto, Sanna Aleksanterinkatu 16 –18, P.O. Box 5520, FIN-00099 City of Helsinki Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council, YTV www.hel.fi/tietokeskus ◆ Aarnio, Päivi Leila Lankinen, tel +358 (0)9 169 3190 ◆ Myllynen, Maria Sanna Ranto, tel +358 (0)9 169 3205 e-mail: [email protected] Contents

Nature in Helsinki ...... 5 Seasonal changes and daylight variations Green Helsinki HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN RAKENNUSVIRASTO / MARLI MASALIN RAKENNUSVIRASTO HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN Landscape and geology Flora and vegetation Wild animals Nature protection The air is clean Helsinki citizens value urban nature

Maritime Helsinki ...... 16 The Helsinki archipelago is full of life City residents in the islands Recreation in the islands and seaside Fish and fishing Beach life The state of the Baltic Sea is important to Helsinki citizens

Leisure and hobbies ...... 24 People in Helsinki read and exercise a lot Nature interests Helsinki residents Exercise and sport hobbies are popular Ice hockey draws largest audiences LIIKUNTAVIRASTON ARKISTO LIIKUNTAVIRASTON Sports and exercise ...... 32 Sports is a wide concept Sports facilities

Tourists in Helsinki ...... 36 A number one tourist destination in Finland

Special features and characteristics of Helsinki ...... 42 A small but competitive metropolis Young and well-educated people live in Helsinki Public transport moves the city dwellers KAARINA HEIKKONEN To the reader

Helsinki is Finland’s only metropolis. The urban hobbies, and international benchmarking shows image is complemented by nature, which runs Helsinki residents as particularly standing out as between settlements and embraces the city in literature and exercise enthusiasts. The fourth the form of fields and forests. Bays and head- theme is sports, both as a hobby and competi- lands, islands and islets off the coast enrich the tively. Chapter five of the publication tells about scenery. Nature is an inherent part of everyday Helsinki as a tourist destination and presents a life and leisure time pursuits for the people of range of popular sights in the city. Last but not Helsinki. Summer activities include various ex- least is some key statistical information about cursions into the great outdoors, fishing, pick- Helsinki and the people who live there. ing berries and mushrooms or just enjoying Jointly produced by four departments of the natural landscape. On hot summer days, Helsinki City – Sports Department, City Office’s the city’s numerous beaches attract swimmers Tourist and Convention Bureau, Environment and sunbathers. In winter, recent years have al- Centre and Helsinki Urban Facts – the publica- so seen a tremendous increase in winter swim- tion is primarily aimed at the general public and ming. Many destinations are also firm favour- media representatives attending the th IAAF ites with visitors to Helsinki. World Championship in Athletics held in Helsin- Nature, Recreation and Sport in Helsinki com- ki in . Sanna Ranto from City of Helsinki Ur- prises statistics, short articles and stories de- ban Facts is responsible for the editorial work. scribing Helsinki as the home of the active out- A list of contributors appears on the first pages door people and as a great travel destination. of this publication. The publication contains six chapters, the first of which tells about urban nature, the urban landscape and vegetation, the second takes us I would like to extend my sincere thanks to eve- from the land to the sea, shores and archipel- ryone contributing to the production of this ago. The theme in chapter three is leisure and publication.

Helsinki, June 

Leila Lankinen Acting information manager

4 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki Nature in Helsinki

Seasonal changes and daylight variations

Green Helsinki

Landscape and geology

Flora and vegetation

Wild animals

Nature protection

The air is clean

HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / MIKA LAPPALAINEN KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN Helsinki citizens value urban nature

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 5 HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / MIKA ROKKA KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

Seasonal changes Monthly mean temperatures at Helsinki City and daylight variations Centre Weather Station in 1971 – 2000 Helsinki lies at a latitude of  degrees Annual mean temperature of the period 5.6°C north, which means it experiences distinct 20 climatic variations between seasons. Al- 15 though the sea moderates fluctuations 10 in temperature, making winters and sum- 5 mers more temperate in Helsinki than in- 0 Temperature °C Temperature land, a high of +.°C was recorded in the -5 capital in summer  and a minimum of -10 - .°C in the winter of . I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII Month The length of daytime in Helsinki also varies greatly across the year. Around Source: Finnish Meteorological Institute Christmas, there are barely six hours of daylight, but in return, around Midsum- mer the nights never really get dark – just Monthly sunshine hour averages a few hours of twilight. And actually Hel- at Helsinki 1971 – 2000 300 sinki ranks high among other European capitals when it comes to the number of 250 hours of sunshine per day averaged over 200 a year. Snow lies permanently in central Hel- 150 sinki for an average of  days a year. The

Hours of sunshine 100 average date for the first snowfall is  No-

50 vember and for a lasting snow cover  De-

0 I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII )) Previous page: Winter in eastern Helsinki, Uute- Month la headland. Source: Finnish Meteorological Institute

6 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki General information

Helsinki Finland Animal emblem Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) Brown bear (Ursus arctos) Floral emblem Maple (Acer platanoides) Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis) National bird .. Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) Highest point  m (Jakomäki hill)   m (Mountain Halti) Longest river  km (River Vantaa, partly in Helsinki)  km (River Kemijoki) Number of lakes (larger than  m) ..   Largest lake ..   km (Lake Saimaa) Number of islands (over  m)    Largest island  ha (Island of Santahamina)  km (Åland main island)

Source: City of Helsinki Urban Facts, Statistics Finland

Length of daylight in Helsinki in 2005 cember. The greatest depth of snow ever recorded in central Helsinki was  centi- Date Sunrise at Sunset at Length of the day metres in . Vernal equinox  March  . .  h  min Summer solstice  June  . .  h  min Autumn equinox  September  . .  h  min Green Helsinki Winter solstice  December  . .  h  min Although Helsinki is the most densely pop- ulated part of Finland, it has many green ar- Source: almanakka.helsinki.fi eas: , hectares of parks, forests or recreational areas covering over one-third of the city’s land territory give Helsinki´s residents  square metres of green area per capita. In addition, the city owns , hectares of recreational areas outside Helsinki itself. These areas are there for the benefit of Helsinki citizens for outdoor recreation and exercise. The largest of these out-of- town recreational areas lies in the Nuuksio National Park, which is situated less than  km from the city centre. The green areas in Helsinki are predom- inantly natural forest area, and thus typically do not resemble European-style parks. The oldest forests in Helsinki, which have not been touched for over half a century, lie in the northern districts.

* The predominant tree along the Helsinki coast is the

pine. KUVA-ARKISTO RAKENNUSVIRASTON HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 7 lands, coves and islands. Many former is- Green areas in Helsinki lands in Helsinki are now integrated into the mainland and bays have been filled . Green areas maintained by the City of in, thus straightening up the shoreline in Helsinki. In  a total of   hectares. . . places. Helsinki’s average altitude is  me- Parks tres above sea level, the highest point be- Scenic ﬁ elds and meadows ing  metres. . Forests Nature reserves The natural landscape in Helsinki and Other types Finland has been shaped above all by the . last Ice Age. The enormous weight of the

Green area among  ice pushed down the earth’s crust, which Helsinki’s total area. has been gradually rising ever since the ice started to melt over , years ago. Even today, the land is still rising in Helsinki, by Source: City of Helsinki Public Works Department . millimetres a year. Following the Ice Age, the Helsinki Region was submerged Landscape and geology deep under water, and gravel and boulder belts of the ancient shoreline can be seen The topography of the Helsinki Region in many places tens of metres above the represents typical Finnish southern coast: present sea level. The area features many small barren hills of rounded rocks alternate with clay-bottomed valleys. The coast- + Glacial erratic boulders, reminders of the Ice Age, can line is very indented, with a mosaic of head- be found in many places in Helsinki. HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN YMPÄRISTÖKESKUKSEN KUVA-ARKISTO / ANTTI SALLA KUVA-ARKISTO YMPÄRISTÖKESKUKSEN HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

8 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki * Nuuksio National Park is popular with hikers from Helsinki. examples of glacial erratics. Some of these boulders originate from southeast Finland or Russia. They were transported long ago by the ice, before being deposited at their present locations. The bedrock of Finland is one of the most ancient in the world. Rock types in the Helsinki Region are gneisses, schist rocks and granites that represent the deep roots of a mountain belt that stood here two billion years ago. The soil in Finland formed chiefly during and after the last Ice Age. The main types of soil in Helsinki

are till, clay and sand. ARKISTO LIIKUNTAVIRASTON Nuuksio National Park Flora and vegetation Less than  kilometres from central Helsinki lies Nuuksio National The Helsinki Region lies in the European Park, an almost untouched nature reserve of  square kilometres. zone of mixed deciduous/coniferous for- The area is from time to time extended as part of the Natura Pro- est. Thus, we find, for example, oaks among gramme. The City of Helsinki owns extensive areas in Nuuksio. the various native deciduous tree species, Nuuksio National Park lies on a lake upland. Its biodiversity is but not beeches. Northwards, this mixed based on the combination of a southern location in Finland and a forest gradually changes to more conifer- varied topographic profile. Granite cliffs and hills rounded by the ous forest. The Helsinki Region has many ice ages alternate with ravines and valleys, which conceal verdant southern plants not found farther north. groves. There are  small lakes and ponds in the area. Another factor enriching the local flora The national park is home to  endangered or specially mon- is its location between the eastern conti- itored species of animal, plant and fungus. It is most famous for its nental vegetation zone and western mar- flying squirrels (Pteromys volans), which make up one of the larg- itime zone. Bogs are typical for the zone est populations in Finland. This species is under special protection but have for the most part been drained, in Finland and the EU. a few small ones have been preserved as The  kilometres of signposted trails offers attractive hikes sites of special natural interest. through the woodlands of Nuuksio, but walking across country with In all, over a thousand species of wild a map and compass is allowed, too. There is a national bicycle route plants grow in the Helsinki area, which running right through the park, and cross-country and alpine skiing, is a surprising number this far north. The horse-riding, angling and mushroom and berry picking are popular proportion of indigenous species among pursuits. Several nature events for youngsters are arranged annual- the plants in an area is a good indicator ly. Camping facilities including chalets and saunas enable overnight of the natural state of a habitat, because stays, and guided tours are arranged for tourists. alien species usually need man-made environments such as fields, gardens, yards More information about hiking and Finnish national parks: or parks to survive. In Helsinki, the propor- www.outdoors.fi tion of native plants is still relatively large, Web pages of Nuuksio: around  per cent. On the outer islets, it www.outdoors.fi/page.asp?Section= varies between  and  per cent. Service number to Nuuksio: + ()   

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 9 HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / MIKA ROKKA KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

Most common native trees in Helsinki , Squirrel is the Helsinki City’s animal emblem. ◆ Norway spruce (Picea abies) ◆ Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) raccoon dog (Nystereutes procyonoides), are ◆ Silver birch (Betula pendula) regularly seen. Occasionally pine martens ◆ Downy birch (Betula pubescens) (Martes martes), those dwellers of the co- ◆ European aspen (Populus tremula) niferous forests, can be spotted, too. The ◆ Grey alder (Alnus incana) European elk (Alces alces) and other mem- ◆ Black alder / Common alder (Alnus bers of the deer family, are quite often seen glutinosa) in Helsinki’s forests. These animals some- ◆ Rowan / Mountain ash (Sorbus times cause problems for road traffic by aucuparia) venturing out onto the roads. Roe deer ◆ Norway maple (Acer platanoides) (Capreolus capreolus) hide more discreet- ◆ Goat willow / Great sallow (Salix ly in the woods. Brown hares (Lepus euro- caprea) paeus) are seen in almost every park, as are ◆ Bird cherry (Prunus padus) foxes, squirrels (Scirius vulgaris) and hedge- hogs (Erinaceus europaeus). Wild animals A recent bat survey commissioned by the City of Helsinki found nine of Finland’s With its large forest-dominated green ar- eleven species of bats in the city. Even the eas, Helsinki is home to many wild ani- whiskered bats (Myotis mystacinus/brandtii), mals.  species of mammals have been which prefer old forests, thrive in Helsinki. observed in the city, but the majority are The northern bat (Eptesicus nilssoni), Fin- passers-through. Large predators such as land’s most common bat species, can be the wolf (Canis lupus) and lynx (Lynx lynx) observed, for example, catching insects have paid visits to the capital, and brown around street lamps in inner Helsinki. bears (Ursus arctos) live permanently not Helsinki is home to a variety of  nest- far out of town. However, the chance of ing bird species: sea birds, wetland birds, spotting any of these animals is remote. forest birds, field birds, and even typical On the other hand, smaller predators re- wilderness species. Only species that re- siding in the city, such as the fox (Vulpes quire marshes, lakes or large woodlands for vulpes), badger (Meles meles), ermine (Mus- their habitats are absent. The black wood- tela erminea), weasel (Mustela nivalis), and pecker (Dryocopus martius) may be spot- the alien species mink (Mustela vision) and ted splitting old wood even quite near the

10 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki MARKUS VARESVUO

Vanhakaupunki Bird Wetland , The bearded tit. – a Natura 2000 area Vanhakaupunki bay lies in the geographical centre of Helsin- nesting area, Vanhakaupunki is also an important stopover ki. Where River Vantaa empties into the bay, the town of Hel- site for migrating birds. On a good day in May, an experienced sinki was founded in , and there are still some fields that bird-watcher may spot up to a hundred species. have been cultivated since the th century. North of the bay, The rapids are a favourite spot for fishing. The bay is the where the University of Helsinki has its research farm, there habitat of both sea and freshwater species. The River Vantaa is a stretch of countryside with cows grazing the waterfront is an important spawning area for many species of fish, and meadows. The area also includes an arboretum. many migrating species swim up the river to their spawning The area around the Vanhakaupunki rapids is a beauti- grounds in the autumn. For decades, fish could not pass the ful historical milieu. No traces of the old town can be seen rapids because of the dam, but in the s, the rapids were any more, but the rapids are flanked by striking old industri- altered to allow the passage of fish. Trout and salmon are al mills. For over one hundred years, the bay has been a pop- among the species spawning in the River Vantaa. ular spot with bird watchers: excursions were already being arranged in the early th century. Today, the area with its For further information in English: lookout towers and network of paths is a favourite among www.gardenia-helsinki.fi/viikkinature local bird watchers. The Vanhakaupunki nature sanctuary is an EU Natura  zone. This  hectare area alongside a shallow coastal bay surrounding the estuary of the River Vantaa, comprises extensive reed beds, shore meadows, forests and open water. Within the Natura  zone is Helsinki City´s largest protected area, the . hectare Viikki–Vanhakaupunki Bird Wetland.  bird species have been spotted in the reserve. Birds nesting in the Vanhankaupunginlahti reserve include the citrine wagtail (Motacilla citreola), bearded tit (Panurus biarmicus), water rail (Rallus aquaticus), lesser spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor), great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) and bittern (Botarus stellaris). Besides being a

* A favourite spot with birdwatchers and hikers: the wetlands

of Viikki. KUVA-ARKISTO RAKENNUSVIRASTON HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 11 ARTO NIRONEN ARTO

city centre. Last winter, several three-toed Nature protection woodpeckers (Picoides tridactylus) were reported, and two white-backed woodpeck- Helsinki has  nature reserves covering ers (Dendrocopos leutotos) – Finland’s most a total of over  hectares. Most of them endangered forest bird species. Even the are quite small, less than one hectare. The eagle owl (Bubo bubo) and the long-eared aim of the reserves is to safeguard biodi- owl (Asio otus) may be heard hooting in the versity and the natural heritage. They are city. Roofs in inner Helsinki provide homes also important for research and education, for nesting herring gulls (Larus argentatus), and for visitors. lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuskus) and The nature reserves comprise a good common gulls (Larus canus). Among new- cross section of environments native to comers are the conspicuous barnacle geese Helsinki: forests, swamps, wetlands, eskers, (Branta leucopsis). These geese, which main- islands and islets. Whereas most reserves ly nest in the Arctic tundra, can now be out in the islands are protected owing to seen by the hundreds in the autumn graz- their birdlife, other reserves focus on veg- ing park lawns in Helsinki. etation or geological features. Many reserves have scenic values, too, and some Ten birds most commonly even cultural and historical values. nesting in Helsinki Some of Helsinki’s nature reserves are ◆ White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) important nationally, for example three ◆ Mew Gull (Larus canus) of its reserves are listed on the EU’s Natu- ◆ Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) ra  Network of Protected Areas. Hel- ◆ Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe sinki also has some protected small-scale oenanthe) natural habitat types such as coastal mead- ◆ Hooded Crow (Corvus corone) ows, beaches and hazel bush groves. Many ◆ Great Tit (Parus major) of these have remained almost in a pris- ◆ Blackbird (Turdus merula) tine state on islands owned by the Finn- ◆ Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus ish Defence Forces, where the public has trochilus) not had access. ◆ Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus) A few habitats of plants enjoying pro- ◆ Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) tection have been preserved in Helsinki, Source: Helsingin lintuatlas (An Atlas of birds in Helsinki). Helsinki such as the sites where the handsome-flow- City Environment Centre publication 1/1998. ered restharrow (Ononis arvensis) grows.

12 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki ) Whooper swans in Kallahti bay in eastern Helsinki. Nature reserves in Helsinki

Conservation targets Number Area hectare There are only nine such habitats in Fin- Birds   land. Also,  natural monuments are pro- Woods   tected, mostly trees but a few geological Bog   sites, too. The most interesting ones are Endangered plant species   probably the potholes in the Pihlajamäki Meadow   district. The larger pothole has a diameter Eskers   of seven metres and a depth of eight me- Lagune   tres. They were ground into the bedrock Total   by rocks stirred by the melting waters of From which the inland ice. Dating back over , in mainland   years, they are the oldest known of their in archipelago   kind in Finland. Protected land area 1.5 %

Source: City of Helsinki Environment Centre Green and nature reserve areas and beaches

Vantaa

Viikki–Vanhakaupunki Bird Wetland Central Park

Espoo

City Centre

Green areas Residential areas Industrial areas Nature Reserve Beach

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 13 The air is clean the increasing use of natural gas and low- sulphur oil and coal mean that the concen- By international comparison, the air is very tration of sulphur dioxide is very low in the clean in Helsinki. The last few decades have air we breathe in Helsinki. seen strategic actions by the municipali- Comprehensive public transport reduc- ty to improve air quality in the city. Com- es air quality problems particularly in in- bined heat and power (CHP) production ner Helsinki. Improved combustion tech- means efficient energy production. Over nologies and fuels have already resulted  per cent of buildings are linked to the in a steady decrease in carbon monoxide district heating system. Additionally, des- in the air over the last fifteen years. Thanks ulphurization units in power stations and to the use of unleaded petrol, lead emissions have also been reduced to a fraction of earlier readings. The concentration of Monthly variation in air quality these substances in the air in Helsinki is in a busy street in central Helsinki in 2004 clearly below the maximum recommen-  dations issued by WHO.  However, some problems remain. Ni-  trogen oxide emissions from transport are  one, and suspended particles in the air an-  other, especially in spring. To reduce the  effects of ice on the roads during the win- 

% of hours per month ter, the streets and roads are gritted or salt-  ed. Moreover, vehicles must be fitted with  winter tyres, most of which are studded.  In the springtime, after the snow has melt-  I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII Month ed, dust particles from the road surface are Good Satisfactory Fair Poor Very poor often stirred up into the air. This problem is tackled by sweeping the streets as ear- Source: Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council YTV ly as possible using modern street cleans- ing equipment. Air quality in the Helsinki Metropolitan Concentration of particles (PM10) in the air in Area is indicated by means of an air qual- selected European capitals in 2003 (annual means) ity index based on international and na- Helsinki () tional recommendations. Over  per cent Dublin () of the time, air quality in central Helsinki Copenhagen () is good or satisfactory. Less than . per

London () cent of the time, the air quality is poor or very poor – primarily in springtime, when Stockholm () there is dust in the air. Berlin ()

Amsterdam () Helsinki citizens Madrid () value urban nature Brussels ()

Prague () In the year , a poll was carried out on       environmental attitudes among Helsinki PM10, annual mean, µg/m3 citizens. It revealed that  per cent of re- Brackets indicate number of gauging stations used. spondents felt urban nature is important Source: Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council YTV; EEA, AirBase database

14 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki T. RYTTÄRI T.

to them. Even small elements of nature , Restharrow Ononis Arvensis has only nine habitats may have great significance for their quali- in Finland, one of them is in Harakka island, near the ty of city life, and green areas are associat- Helsinki City centre. ed with many pleasant things: they make areas more attractive, improve air quali- During the s, many practical steps, ty and reduce noise and pollution. Urban such as waste recycling, had become a nature appears to have psychological di- part of everyday life for city residents. To- mensions, too, since citizens reported that day,  per cent of households in the Hel- green areas invigorated them and offered sinki Metropolitan Area recycle paper. ■ them aesthetical experiences. Many un- derlined the importance of a moment of tranquillity in the bustle of the city. More- over nature is often linked with exercise as Further information sources on the internet well. Closeness to nature and good oppor- Ȣ City of Helsinki Environment Centre: www.hel.fi/ymk tunities for exercise considerably improve Ȣ Information about Helsinki´s parks and green areas at the web- an area’s appeal and its inhabitants’ feel- sites of the Public Works Department: ing of well-being. www.hkr.hel.fi/english/greenareas Environmental issues have come to play Ȣ Finland’s environmental administration provides information an essential role in the attitudes and val- about nature and environment: www.ymparisto.fi ues of Helsinki citizens, and environmental Ȣ Finnish Meteorological Institute weather services: protection is today a social value as well. www.fmi.fi/en According to the poll on environmental Ȣ Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council, YTV, monitors air quality in attitudes, three-quarters of the people in Helsinki. It has a real time monitoring service at Helsinki thought environmental protection www.ytv.fi/english/air was a matter of major concern, alongside Ȣ Helsinki was the first European capital to complete a compre- the bringing down of unemployment. All hensive plan for sustainable development. This programme, social classes agreed on this point, with approved in summer , sets the targets and actions for ec- young people, in particular, underlining ological, social and economic sustainability until . Local the importance of environmental issues. Agenda  in Helsinki: www.hel.fi/ymk/agenda

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 15 The Helsinki archipelago is full of life

City residents in the islands

Recreation in the islands and seaside

Fish and fishing

Beach life

The state of the Baltic Sea is important to Helsinki citizens

Maritime

Helsinki / PHILIP DEAN KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

16 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki The Helsinki archipelago common on rocky islets. The lesser black- is full of life backed gull (Larus fuskus), which used to be the predominant seagull in offshore Hel- The area of Helsinki incorporates  sinki, has gradually been outnumbered by square kilometres of sea, with over  the herring gull (Larus argentatus). islands. While only  of these islands are In spring and autumn, Helsinki is also over three hectares, more than half are visited or flown over by large flocks of mi- small islets of less than half a hectare. grating birds. The reefs and shoals of the Over time, the islands have been sculpt- archipelago provide good resting places. ed by the forces of nature. More recently, a During the last few years, seals have in- few have even been shaped by man. Some creased in numbers in the Baltic Sea, and  kilometres offshore towards the open if you are lucky, you may spot the head of sea, the vista of larger islands and narrow a grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) in the wa- sounds and bays fringed with varied veg- ter just next to the city centre. etation gradually changes to open sea- scapes dotted with small barren islets. Al- City residents in the islands though these outer islets have few or no trees, the rocky clefts and hollows, ferti- For centuries, people in Helsinki have lised by sea bird droppings, may display turned to the sea for their livelihood – and surprising floral splendour. for recreation. In the th century, ship- Most of the islands support stands of yards and wharfs were established on some forest. Pine trees growing on rocks or sands islands, and on others summer villas. In are common, but groves of deciduous trees the late th century, many islands were are seen, too. The islands off the south- turned into public recreational areas where ern coast of Finland display a great vari- anyone could go to relax, practise sports ety of species, and almost  species of or even go Saturday night dancing. Some vascular plants have been found growing of these “people’s parks” also had an edu- in the archipelago zones. Earlier, some islands were used as pasture, which has led + Brooding oystercatcher in Harakka Island. to distinctive localities of vegetation between the rounded cliffs and rocks. Some islands have been or are still military areas, which has allowed them to remain relatively untouched by people. Birdlife is abundant in the archipelago. Species nesting on the outer islets include eider (Somateria mollissima), wigeon (Anas penelope), mallard (Anas platyrhyn- chos), goosander (Mergus merganser), tuft- ed duck (Aythya fuligula), the common tern (Sterna hirundo) and various members of the seagull family. Wagtails (Motacilla alba), wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) and oys- tercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) are

) Elisaari island in the archipelago west of Helsinki is a

public recreational area owned by the City of Helsinki. NIRONEN / ARTO KUVA-ARKISTO YMPÄRISTÖKESKUKSEN HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 17 Pihlajasaari Island HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / SCANFOTO KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

Only ten minutes by waterbus from central Helsinki, the twin Some islands off Helsinki City centre islands of Pihlajasaari are the most popular summer islands in the city. The long beach on the north side of the western is- Central Railway Station land attracts many swimmers and sunbathers, while on the Kauppatori Market Square Moorings smaller island there is a nudist beach. Pihlajasaari has a restaurant, a kiosk, rental saunas and boat moorings. Ruoholahti Moorings Saunasaari A short bridge connects the two islands, which together Merisatama Moorings measure  hectares. The topography of the islands is varied: Kaivopuisto Jetty Uunisaari Vasikkasaari in many places smooth, rounded rocks and small bays provide secluded spots. The rounded rocks on the south side are Harakka Suomenlinna home to many nesting bird species. The vegetation consists mostly of pine forest.

Waterbuses to Pihlajasaari leave every hour from Merisatama Pihlajasaari just west of Kaivopuisto park and from Ruoholahti. Return tick-

lsingin kaupunki, kaupunkimittausosasto, 041/2003 lsingin kaupunki, kaupunkimittausosasto, et, adults .. Islandkeeper: tel: + ()   e

18 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki cational mission, and today, the Seurasaa- Recreation in the islands ri Outdoor Museum and the Korkeasaari and seaside Zoo carry on this tradition. Nowadays, the seaside and the archi- Fishing and swimming are popular in Hel- pelago are an important part of Helsinki’s sinki. Various kinds of fish can be caught identity. The islands and the meandering – and eaten. Boating is also very popu- coastline with bays and headlands pro- lar in summer. The city has around , vide excellent opportunities for outdoor mooring places, one-third of which are recreation all year round. A guiding prin- rented to the public by the Helsinki City ciple in Helsinki has been to keep shores Sports Department, the remainder being and waterfront public, and little land has leased to yacht and boat clubs. The ma- been earmarked for private use. In fact, in jority of visitor marinas are administered recent years, industry and harbours have by yacht clubs. begun moving out, leaving increasing ex- In winter, when the sea freezes over and tents of sea-front for housing and recrea- the ice is thick enough, the people of Hel- tional purposes. sinki take to walking, skating and skiing, for The City of Helsinki owns over half of instance between the islands. Many enjoy the number of islands, and a majority of ice fishing through a hole drilled in the ice, these islands are for public recreation. Ap- and recently ice yachting has become pop- proximately one-tenth of island areas is tak- ular. However, great care should always be en up by privately owned summer cottag- taken when walking on the sea ice, because es. The state owns the greatest proportion currents weaken it and ships break it. Any- of land area in the archipelago, about half one going out on the ice should follow ex- of the island´s land area is used by the mil- isting paths or ski trails in the snow. itary, and thus access is restricted. The valley of the River Vantaa is another popular zone for outdoor recreation. Sev- + Skaters and other fresh-air frieds enjoying a winter’s eral paths and trails follow its course as it day and the clear ice on the frozen sea. flows through the city´s green areas, which HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / MATTI TIRRI / MATTI KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 19 in parts are protected nature areas. In win- men in the Helsinki sea area, who catch ter, ski trails run along its banks and, con- a total of over , kilogrammes of ditions permitting, on the ice, too. fish a year. The sea areas in Helsinki are home to Fish and fishing around  species of fish, including some introduced species, such as rainbow trout In hardly any other European capital is fish- (Salmo gairdneri), lake trout (Salmo trutta ing as popular as in Helsinki. Almost one- lacustris) and asp (Aspius aspius). The most third of the citizens go fishing at least oc- important game fish is perch (Perca fluvi- casionally, either in Helsinki or elsewhere. It atilis), followed by roach (Rutilus rutilus), has been estimated that recreational fish- zander (i.e. pike-perch, Stizostedion lucio- ermen from Helsinki catch a total of . perca), brown trout (Salmo trutta) and pike million kilogrammes of fish and , (Esox lucius). crayfish a year. The Vanhakaupunki rapids at the mouth Fish caught off Helsinki’s waterfront of the River Vantaa are a particularly popu- are generally considered healthy and good lar spot for fishing. A special permit is re- food. The quantity of fish caught by hook quired for the rapids, which are the place and line almost equals that caught by nets, for which most permits are sold in Hel- a clear indication of how many recreational sinki. The rapids used to be harnessed by fishermen there are. In fact, Helsinki and the a power station, but since restoration in waters of nearby municipalities are among the s, trout and salmon have started Finland’s most important angling areas. swimming upstream again. In , over , fishing permits Although the River Vantaa, which runs were sold in Helsinki. The number of rec- through extensive farming areas upstream, reational fishermen is, however, much appears muddy in Helsinki, it is actually rel- larger, because no permit is required for atively clean –  species of fish live in its angling or ice fishing (i.e. fishing through waters. Annual fish catches from the river the ice). Lure fishing is also free for anyone under  or over . There are esti- + Recreational fishing is popular in Helsinki but there mated to be , recreational fisher- are only a few professional fishermen in the city. HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / ANTERO AALTONEN / ANTERO KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

20 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki Harakka Island Harakka is a very special little island: it represents an outer archipelago environment even though it is situated just a stone’s throw off the waterfront of the city centre. It is just nine hectares of rock and sparse vegetation, but has a varied wildlife. The island used to be a garrison area closed to the public, and that is why its distinctive environment is well preserved. Today, the island is a recreational area of the City of Helsinki. The flora of Harakka Island is a blend of wild species from the outer archipelago and plants escaped from gardens. For its size, Harakka has the most varied flora of all Helsinki, with over  different vascular plants, including one species of restharrow (On- onis arvensis), which is only known to grow in nine places in Finland. Birdlife on Harakka is varied, and is easily observed because many of the birds are used to human presence. The island is an excellent example of nature conservation close by an urban zone. In spite of large numbers of visitors, plants and birdlife thrive as long as visitors are properly guided. Nesting birds

include the common gull (Larus canus), oystercatch- OLLI TURUNEN er (Haematopus ostralegus), barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis), lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuskus), ei- Harakka´s Nature Centre provides not only information but also der (Somateria mollissima), redshank (Tringa totanus), various activities for children and adults. It arranges guided tours, goosander and red-breasted merganser (Mergus mer- exhibitions, outings, courses and free outdoor schooldays for school ganser/serrator), and arctic and common tern (Sterna children and kindergartens. The island also has an Artists House and paradisae/hirundo). an artists’ society, the Harakka Association. Almost thirty artists have their ateliers on the island.

Public access to Harakka is by waterbus, from the Kaivopuisto jetty near Café Ursula, from mid April to late September. Use the sema- phore to call the vessel. Fare  for a return ticket. For boat timetables in English, see www.merenkavijat.fi/yhteysvene.htm. In winter, the island can usually be accessed across the ice.

Nature Centre open:  May to  September, Tue–Fri –, Sat– Sun –.

Information in English: www.harakka.fi Helsinki City Environmental Centre’s pages on Harakka in English: www.hel.fi/ymk/sve/organisation/Harakka_eng.html

) Nature Center in Harakka Island arranges adventure outings for

MARGIT JENSEN children.

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 21 are as high as , kilogrammes, with perch, rainbow trout, roach and pike top- ping the list.

Ten most commonly caught fish in Helsinki sea area ◆ Perch (Perca fluviatilis) ◆ Roach (Rutilus rutilus) ◆ Zander/Pike-perch (Stizostedion lucioperca)

HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / ANNELI HONGISTO KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN ◆ Trout (Salmo trutta) ◆ Seurasaari Island Pike (Esox lucius) ◆ Salmon (Salmo salar) Seurasaari is a beautiful green island of tranquillity just a few kil- ◆ Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) ometres from the city centre. Its  hectares of pine forest, rocky ◆ Powan (Coregonus lavaretus) slopes, groves and richly vegetated hollows has a large variety of ◆ Burbot (Lota lota) wildlife. Many of the animals are used to visitors, but the small is- ◆ Bream (Abramis brama) lets off the south tip are a protected area, and off limits to the public during the bird nesting time. However, it is possible to watch the Beach life birds from shore close by. As the evening darkens, numerous bats take to the skies to delight wildlife watchers. The island has also one In summer, the northern sea warms up, of Helsinki´s protected potholes, the “giant’s cauldrons”. and the smooth, flat rocks and numer- The island also features an Open-Air Museum, founded in , ous little beaches provide good oppor- which displays traditional Finnish wooden houses and old ways of tunities for sunbathing and swimming. living. All the different provinces of Finland are represented in the The City of Helsinki not only maintains well-preserved old buildings, which give an overall view of Finnish its  public beaches, keeping them ti- country life from the late th up until the th century. At present, dy, but also continuously monitors water the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum includes  separate buildings. quality. Many of the beaches have a life- Most visitors walk around on their own, though there are guid- guard. Besides these public beaches, the ed tours, too. The outdoor museum is open all year round; howev- hundred kilometres of coastline and the er guided tours are available only in summer. Seurasaari is the most archipelago offer numerous alternative popular of Helsinki’s recreational islands, with tens of thousands vis- swimming opportunities. The River Van- itors every year. The island has two beaches, one of which is a public taa also has some nice swimming places, beach and the other a naturist beach. too. The most popular mainland beach is Hietaniemi, in the Töölö district, and For further information in English and in Swedish: those most frequented in the archipela- www.seurasaari.fi go are on the islands of Pihlajasaari and Uunisaari. A pleasant alternative in cen- Helsinki City Art Museum tral Helsinki is the famous Uimastadion Urho Kekkonen Museum Tamminiemi Old Ice Hall outdoor swimming pool. Swimming Stadium Finnair Stadium Swimming is a popular pastime in Hel- Olympic Stadium sinki, and even the ice in winter does not Cafe deter the most enthusiastic swimmers Opera House from having a dip. Ice swimming has many Summer Restaurant Cafe Töölön- Nature Reserve Sibelius Park lahti Bay devotees who regularly go to special win- Cafe ter swimming places where the water is Seurasaari Open Air Museum Finlandia House kept free of ice. There are  such spots in

Nature Reserve Hietaniemi Beach

22 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki Central Railway Station © Helsingin kaupunki, kaupunkimittausosasto, 041/2003 HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN LIIKUNTAVIRASTO HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

Helsinki. The popularity of ice swimming , Beach in Uunisaari Island. has grown tremendously these last few years. The first Winter Swimming World still overfed with nutrients, because sed- Championships were held in Helsinki in iments slowly release stored substances. . In July and August, blue-green algae may Water quality at beaches in Helsinki is bloom strongly in the Gulf of Finland, if the good. With modern wastewater purifica- summer is very warm. ■ tion, the average microbiological quality has been maintained at good levels at all beaches in the city ever since . Further information sources on the internet In English and Swedish if not otherwise stated The state of the Baltic Sea is Ȣ The Katajanokka visitors marina, in the heart of Helsinki, has  important to Helsinki citizens moorings administered by the City of Helsinki. For further infor- The residents of Helsinki are concerned mation in English, Swedish and German: www.isomursu.fi about the state of the Baltic Sea, and there Ȣ Helsinki City Environmental Centre monitors water quality at is widespread opinion in favour of protect- the city´s public beaches. Current conditions can be viewed at ing the quality of the water. Over a hun- the centre’s website: dred million people live in the area around www.hel.fi/ymk/eng/customer_service/beaches.html the Baltic Sea, which is under very heavy Ȣ Finnish Maritime Administration: www.fma.fi/e pressure from municipalities, agriculture Ȣ Finnish Yachting Association: www.purjehtija.fi and industry. Unfortunately, the exchange Ȣ Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, information about fisher- of water with the Atlantic through the Da- ies: www.mmm.fi/english/fisheries nish Sounds is by no means sufficient to Ȣ Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute: reduce the effects of eutrophication. www.rktl.fi/english/fish The quality of the sea water around Ȣ Finnish Tourist Board, information about fishing: Helsinki started to improve in the s www.visitfinland.com/fishing thanks to reduced local loading resulting Ȣ Internet Portal for some fishing tourism services: from improved sewage treatment. Today, www.fishinginfinland.com  per cent of phosphorus and  per cent Ȣ Baltic Sea Portal of the Finnish Institute of Marine Research in of nitrogen in wastewaters are removed, English, Swedish and Estonian: and the waters in Helsinki only receive oc- www.fimr.fi/en/itamerikanta.html casional loads. Nonetheless, the bays are Ȣ Finnish Institute of Marine Research: www.fimr.fi/en.html

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 23 Leisure and hobbies

People in Helsinki read and exercise a lot

Nature interests Helsinki residents

Exercise and sport hobbies are popular

Ice hockey draws largest audiences HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / JOUKO VATANEN / JOUKO KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

24 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki People in Helsinki read and exercise a lot A leisure time survey carried out in –  shows that Finns spend on average a quarter of their day ( h  min) on leisure activities. One-third of that time was spent watching television ( h  min), the following two favourite pastimes being social life with friends ( min) and reading ( min). Internationally, Finns stand out as read- ers and exercisers:  per cent exercise HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / ANTERO AALTONEN / ANTERO KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN weekly. Moreover, they spend more time reading than any other nation in Europe. Library loans per resident in selected Libraries are popular: in Helsinki citizens European (EU-15) capitals borrow on average . books annually from the  municipal libraries (year ). Helsinki Copenhagen In the Helsinki Metropolitan Area,  of Dublin residents had read at least one book dur- Hague ing the previous six months, while  London had visited a public library. Interestingly as Stockholm many as nearly one-fifth had written poet- Average EU- ( cities) ry, short stories or novels themselves! Brussels Berlin + A special library for detective novels opened in Hel- Paris sinki in . 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 Loans per resident

Source: Urban Audit, , www.urbanaudit.org

Proportion of inhabitants who exercise or do sport at least once a week

Finland Sweden Denmark Ireland The Netherlands United Kingdom France Belgium Germany EU Spain Austria Italy Greece Portugal 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 % OLLI TURUNEN Source: Eurobarometer : Citizens of the European Union and sport, European Commission, November 

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 25 Leisure time activities Nature interests in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Helsinki residents

 Activity /pursuit  take exercise at least once a week in summer Allotment gardens and plots  take exercise at least once a week in winter  read a newspaper daily Number Hectare  listen to music daily Total   watch TV daily Allotment gardens     are engaged in handicraft Plots (number of grovers, approx.)     listen to music at concerts Cabins     are engaged or have been engaged in recreational dance The city’s allotment gardens are very popular and many people  are engaged in photography even spend their summers there – some plots have a small cottage. There are almost 7,000 allotments in Helsinki, with a  are or have been a member in a drama club or total area of 150 hectares. in an amateur theatre  are engaged in visual arts Source: City of Helsinki Public Works Department  are engaged in drawing and painting + Central Park is popular with outdoor enthusiasts all Persons aged over 15 years year round. Source: Cultural Statistics  (), Culture and the Media :, Statistics Finland; Leisure Survey  (), Statistics Finland, www.tilastokeskus.fi/til/vpa/index.html MIKA LAUNIS

Visits to cultural events during the previous 12 months in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area 2002

  had been to the cinema  had visited an art exhibition or an art museum  had visited historical monuments in Finland  had gone to a concert  had gone to the theatre  had visited a cultural history museum or local museum  had seen a classical ballet performance  had gone an opera  had gone to a folk dance performance

Persons aged over 15 years

Source: Cultural Statistics  (), Culture and the Media :, Statistics Finland; Leisure Survey  (), Statistics Finland, www.tilastokeskus.fi/til/vpa/index.html

26 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki Everyman’s Rights Percentage of people in the Helsinki The traditional Finnish legal concept of everyman’s right allows free Metropolitan Area who had outdoor right of access to non-inhabited land and waterways, and the right pastimes during the previous 12 to collect natural products such as wild berries and mushrooms, no months matter who owns the land. These rights also generally apply to for-  Pursuit eign nationals, with certain exceptions related to local boating, fish-  nature excursion ing and hunting rights.  picking berries Everyman’s right means that access to the land and temporary  sailing or boating camping is free of charge, and does not require the landowner’s per-  fishing mission. People taking advantage of these rights are nevertheless  picking mushrooms obliged not to cause any damage or disturbance.  hikes in wilderness or elsewhere in nature  winter swimming Booklet of Every man’s right in English, Swedish, German and French:  bird or wildlife watching hikes www.ymparisto.fi/default.asp?contentid=&lan=fi&  ice fishing clan=en  hunting

Persons aged over 15 years Berry and mushroom picking

Source: Leisure Survey  (), Statistics Finland, Collecting the fruits of the forests – mushrooms and berries – is a www.tilastokeskus.fi/til/vpa/index.html tradition dating very far back and is still a popular outdoor pursuit in Finland. Towards the end of the summer and in the autumn, forests offer a rich harvest.  edible species of berries can be picked, but most people prefer the more common berries: mainly blueber- ries, lingonberries, cloudberries and cranberries. Wild berries are very healthy food, with high contents of vitamins, minerals and flavonoids. Finnish forests are estimated to yield a total of  to , million kilos of berries every year, i.e. an average of – kilos per Finn. However, only a fraction of this amount is actually picked, although two Finns in three report they go berry picking each year (in ). Depending on the species, between one and ten per cent of berries are picked, allowing the average Finn to consume . kilos of wild berries annually. There are hundreds of edible mushroom species in Finland. The estimated annual mushroom harvest of Finnish forests is some- where around , million kilos, i.e. around  kilos per inhabit- ant. As with the wild berries, pickers prefer to collect the more common mushroom species. In ,  per cent of Finns reported they went mushroom picking. Berry and mushroom picking is not just a way of stocking the lar- der with a welcome supplement of vitamins for the winter months, it is also an excellent way of getting oneself out-of-doors and exer- cising – and enjoying the tranquillity of the nature.

See more at the website of Arctic Flavours Assosiation: www.arctic-flavours.fi (English, Swedish, German, French and

HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / MIKA LAPPALAINEN KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN Russian)

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 27 Percentages of people in Helsinki doing the most popular forms of exercise Most popular forms of exercise, over  year olds Walking Cycling Swimming Gym workout Jogging Cross-country skiing Aerobics Tennis HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / ANDREAS BACKLUND KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN Downhill skiing Football , Helsinki City Marathon is Finland’s largest running Nordic walking event. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 % Exercise and sport Most popular forms of exercise, – year olds hobbies are popular Football Swimming On aggregate, Helsinki residents exercise Cycling up to  million times a year. Over one- Floorball third exercise more than five times a week. Skating The popularity of doing sports and exer- Dancing cise as a hobby has steadily grown during Gymnastics the past ten years. If the yardstick by which Cross-country skiing to measure enough exercise is three brisk Walking walks or similar activity per week, leading Ice-hockey to a raised pulse rate and some sweating, Jogging it is estimated that  per cent of Helsinki 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 % residents get enough exercise.

Source: Helsinki Exercise Survey – The most popular forms of exercise are walking and cycling. Women do more walking and swimming, whereas team sports are more popular with men. Although no Most popular places for exercise among adults major differences seem to exist between and under 18 year olds in Helsinki male and female exercise frequency, wom- Over  year olds Pedestrian and cyclist paths en tend to exercise more, while men tend Outdoor routes to exercise more intensively. Ball sport halls Fitness centres With three-quarters of children and Swimming halls adolescents participating in two or more Other natural settings forms of exercise, they engaged in a larg- Parks Roads er variety of sports than adults did. Foot- – year olds ball and swimming were the most popu- Outdoor sport facilities Gymnasiums lar. Whilst sports and exercise among chil- Ball sport halls dren is more a social activity, a large pro- Swimming halls Yards and gardens portion of adults exercise on their own. Ice halls Over half of children exercise in a group, Pedestrian and cyclist paths and half do so in a club. Children and ad- 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 % olescents are also the most frequent visitors to various sports facilities. Source: Helsinki Exercise Survey –

28 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki Central Park of Helsinki With its , hectares, Keskuspuisto – Central Park, begins ested (around  ha), but also has fields, hills and rivers. Wild- near the Olympic Stadium in the heart of Helsinki and stretch- life is rich and varied, with many species of forest birds in par- es northwards for  kilometres all the way to the city bound- ticular. In spring, the park displays an abundance of the bright ary, making it the largest single green area in Helsinki. Central white wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa). The forests is pre- Park offers nature, sports and outdoor recreation. dominantly old, with spruce (Picea) being the most common In southern part of the park stand some of the city´s most tree. Other notable natural features in Central Park are stands important sport buildings in the spacious and green Töölön- of aspen (Populus tremula), ash (Fraxinus excelsior), hazel (Co- lahti bay area: the Olympic Stadium, the Kisahalli sports hall, rylus avellana) and larch (Larix decidua). The northern part of the old ice stadium, the swimming stadium and the football the park contains an old forest in which there are four nature stadium. Northwards from there extends the green park with reserves with total area of . hectares. its forested areas. Mammals living in Central Park include elk (Alces al- Central Park has around  km of paths and trails, some ces), badgers (Meles meles), foxes (Vulpes vulpes), arctic and of which are cleared of deep snow in winter, while others are brown hares (Lepus timidus/europaeus), weasels (Mustela ni- turned into ski tracks. Besides being a very pleasant area for valis), raccoon dogs (Nystereutes procyonoides), and musk- jogging and biking, Central Park has two sports centres for in- rats (Ondantra zibethica). In the nesting season, the park is door and outdoor pursuits. The log cabins and cafés of the park filled with birdsong. Bird species nesting in the park include are popular with hikers. Paloheinä Ski Centre in the northern- the black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius), goldcrest (Regu- most parts of the park is the most popular cross-country ski lus regulus), Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius), tits (Paridae), venue in Helsinki. Skis and other winter and summer sports dunnock (Prunella modularis), garden warbler (Sylvia borin), equipment can be hired there, and from the Töölönlahti bay wood warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) and red-breasted fly- rental centre, too. catcher (Ficedula parva). Central Park is a good example of the rich and varied nature of the Finnish south coast region. The park is largely for- More Information in English and Swedish: www.hel.fi/keskuspuisto + The River Vantaa near the Ruutinkoski rapids in the north- Recreational centre in Töölönlahti, sports equipment rentals: ern part of the Central Park. www.suomenlatu.fi/toolonlahti/ HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN RAKENNUSVIRASTO / VLADIMIR POHTOKARI / RAKENNUSVIRASTO HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 29 Exercise frequency among adults and children in Helsinki

Over  year olds  times a week or more – times a week Twice a week Once a week Less often – year olds  times a week or more – times a week – times a week Once a week Less often          

Exercise means at least half an hour of exercise or sports. HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / PAUL WILLIAMS / PAUL KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

Source: Helsinki Exercise Survey – Ice hockey draws largest audiences Ice hockey draws the largest audiences in Helsinki, football ranking a close second. Watching sports matches is more popular among men than women:  per cent of men had been to a game or competi- tion during the previous  months, compared with only  per cent of women. Al- most every other Finn goes to a match or HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / PAUL WILLIAMS / PAUL KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN championship at least occasionally. ■

Proportion of men and women having been to various sports events during the previous 12 months in Helsinki Further information sources on the internet Ice hockey Ȣ Map of outdoor recreation areas with routes and Football trails in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area:

Athletics kartta.hel.fi/ulkoilukartta Ȣ Sports equipment rentals available at Töölön- Floorball lahti Recreational Centre and at Paloheinä Cross- Basket ball country Skiing Centre: www.suomenlatu.fi Cross-country skiing Ȣ The City of Helsinki arranges nature trips on var- Car sports ious themes all year round in the city and its sur- Bandy roundings. The most popular destinations are Women Sailing the island of Harakka and the Vanhakaupunki Men Horse riding bay area. For further information about nature tours: www.gardenia-helsinki.fi and the Hel- 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 % sinki City Environmental Centre: Of Helsinki citizens in total, 54% had been to at least one kind of sports event in a past year. www.hel.fi/ymk.

Source: Helsinki Exercise Survey –

30 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki Sauna Finnish sauna culture has long traditions. It is estimated Fin- land has over two million saunas, . million of which are in dwellings (in ). This means every other Finnish home is equipped with a sauna. The sauna plays a central role also in Finnish city life. In Helsinki,  per cent of households have a sauna of their own. However, just about every block of flats has a communal sauna for use by the residents of the building. Today, more and more individual flats have their own small electric saunas in the cities, too. Sauna is an essential part of the Finnish summer, and all summer cottages have their own sauna. Midsummer sauna is particularly significant for Finns. Saunas are usually built right next to the sea or lake, allowing one to take a dip in the fresh cool water. One of the traditions is to pick fresh birch OY HELSINGIN SAUNASAARI branches, which are then used to beat the body, thus im- , Saunasaari island offers a peaceful setting for sauna culture proving blood circulation. Countryside saunas are nearly al- near the city centre. ways heated with wood, whereas most city saunas are elec- trically heated. There is even an island in Helsinki known as Sauna Island, Many Finns spend their summer holidays in their sum- i.e. Saunasaari in Finnish. With four different wood-heated mer cottages. Typically, these cottages are close by one of the saunas and some wood-heated hot tubs, the idyllic Sauna- , lakes in Finland or on the seashore. In , Helsin- saari Island in Helsinki’s archipelago offers an unforgettable ki citizens owned a total of , summer cottages, in oth- experience, where one can enjoy a sauna in a tranquil nat- er words  per cent of households in the city owned one. In ural setting – just next to the city centre. The waterbus trip Finland as a whole, there are , summer cottages, of from the Kauppatori market square takes  minutes. Saun- which over  are in Helsinki. asaari primarily receives groups and companies, but in summer, trips for the public are arranged as well. Two famous public swimming pools in Helsinki, both equipped For further information in English and German: with saunas: www.saunasaari.fi Most hotels in Helsinki have saunas for use by guests. There Yrjönkatu indoor swimming pool are also public saunas in Helsinki open to everyone. The Helsinki Yrjönkatu , tel. + ()  , Closed in August . City Tourist Office website presents traditional and modern sau- Built in , Yrjönkatu indoor swimming pool is the oldest nas in the city: www.hel.fi/tourism/EN (choose services). public pool in Finland. The interior is a fine example of clas- For comprehensive information on the sauna, please con- sicism, with Roman-style baths. Swimming is allowed with sult the following sites: or without a swimming suit. There are separate times for ◆ The Finnish Sauna Society: www.sauna.fi (in English) men and women. Sites maintained by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs: Further information in English: ◆ virtual.finland.fi/People/way_of_life.asp www.hel.fi/liv/eng/yrjonkatu.html (in English) ◆ www.info-finlande.fr/fo/visu.php/Msg____ Uimastadion (Swimming Stadium sauna) _ (in French) Hammarskjöldintie , tel. + ()  , open  May– ◆ virtual.finland.fi/People/DE (in German)  Sept, Mon–Fri .–., Sat–Sun .–.. ◆ virtual.finland.fi/finfo/espanja/sauna_.pdf Built in , the Swimming Stadium, with a swimming pool (in Spanish) and sport facilities and a public sauna, is located near the Ol- ◆ virtual.finland.fi/finfo/russian/sauna.html ympic Stadium in the Töölönlahti bay area. (in Russian)

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 31 Sports and exercise

Sports is a wide concept

Sports facilities OLLI TURUNEN

32 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki Sports is a wide concept Sport facilities in Helsinki in 2004 The terms sports and exercise mean differ- Sport Facilities Number ent things to different people. In Finland, Indoor sports facilities  exercise and sport is regarded as funda- Gymnasiums  mental and they should be available to Fitness centres and similar  everybody. Helsinki City thus views their Dance studios  provision as basic services. Exercise is ben- Halls for racket games  Specialised indoor sports facilities  eficial for both the individual and for socie- Sports and ball games halls  ty because regular exercise improves peo- Gyms for martial arts  ple’s wellbeing and performance both at Ice halls  home and at work – whilst also prevent- Bowling alleys  Outdoor fields/courts  ing illnesses. Ball game fields  Beyond its beneficial impacts on the Outdoor ice rinks – natural ice  body and mind, exercise has important so- Outdoor ice rinks – artificial ice  Basketball and volleyball courts  cial effects: it brings people together. Ex- Tennis courts  ercise can be an instructive hobby, it cre- Sports grounds (for athletics)  ates opportunities for meaningful leisure, Finnish baseball fields  offers new experiences and fosters social Cross-country sports facilities  Outdoor recreation areas  interaction. The effects of social wellbe- Golf courses  ing are particularly important to children Orienteering areas  and adolescents. Slopes for skiing and tobogganing  Motor sport areas  The majority of sports facilities in the Ski-jump hills  capital have been built by the City of Hel- Cross-country skiing centres  sinki, which also gives direct financial sup- Boating sports facilities  port to one out of two local sports clubs. Air sports areas  Water sports facilities  The promotion of health and personal per- Swimming halls  formance is considered important enough Other swimming pools  to warrant support from the society. Be- Outdoor swimming pools  sides direct financial support, the author- Spas  Beaches  ities promote sports and exercise by pro- Other swimming places  viding free or low cost facilities. Outdoor trails and routes  Various sports clubs and associations Fitness trails  Nature trails and hiking trails  provide the majority of organised exer- Activity oriented routes  cise opportunities in Helsinki. There are Specific sports facilities  about  sports associations in Helsin- Skateboarding/rollerblading ramps  ki, most of them are not very big and on- Horse riding facilities  Shooting ranges (outdoor)  ly  have over a thousand members. Yet, Rock climbing sites  total membership is nearly , peo- Velodrome  ple. One in three inhabitants of the Helsin- Dog parks  ki Metropolitan Area is active in a sports Play parks for children  Play parks, where the city organises association, and sports and exercise are, in guided activity for children  fact, the most common theme for associa- Other or unknown  tions in the region and the whole country. Total   Every other child or adolescent in Helsin- Sports facilities included here have been approved by the Ministry of ki belongs to a sports club of one form or Education. another and associations play a very im- Source: National Sport Databank in Finland, www.sport.jyu.fi/ in Eng- lish and Swedish; Helsinki City Sports Dept., Public Works Dept. and So- cial Services Dept.; Urban and Regional Indicators of Statistics Finland Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 33 ) Skiing in Helsinki.

portant role especially in the leisure and well-being of young people. Around a hundred different branches of sports and exercise are pursued in sport associations in Helsinki. Their activities are largely based on unpaid voluntary work, thus offering inexpensive opportunities for exercise.

Sports facilities Finland has a very dense network of constructed sports facilities, with , different facilities for five million people, na- tionwide, that is one for every  Finns. Municipalities own three-quarters of these facilities. In , Helsinki had , sports facilities, i.e. one for every  residents, which means that residents have fairly easy access to sport grounds, outdoor recrea-

HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / PAUL WILLIAMS / PAUL KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN tional areas and indoor sport halls, etc. The Skiing city aims to locate facilities near to residential areas. In , the number of recorded People have used skis for thousands of years in northern Europe. In visits to indoor sports facilities maintained winter, it was the easiest way to get around when there were no by the city was almost three million. ■ roads. Today, skiing is a sport pursued in many different ways. En- gaging just about every muscle in the body, cross-country skiing is Hiking trails network an excellent and cheap way of working out – and of enjoying the outdoors in winter. Hiking trails in Helsinki km Skiing is, in fact, the third most popular sport among Finns, and Principal hiking trails  its popularity seems to be growing. In , the country had , Outdoor trails  people interested in skiing, which means around  per cent of Finns Fitness trails  go skiing regularly. Skiing in Helsinki is also becoming more popular, Ski trails  in   per cent of the city residents used the city´s illuminated Cycle ways  and well maintained trails. Source: Helsinki City Sports Department Cross-country skiing can be done in many ways. Some people prefer deep pristine layers of snow, others like well laid out trails. Such trails total , km in Finland, with around  km in Hel- sinki alone, where trails can be found in many parts of town. At the Further information sources on the internet Paloheinä Ski Centre in Central Park, skiing equipment can be rented. Ȣ City of Helsinki Sports Department: Many Helsinki residents have access to a trail near their homes, even www.hel.fi/liv/eng/english.html in inner Helsinki, where the trails of the Central Park are near. Ȣ Ministry of Education, Sports affairs: www.minedu.fi/minedu/sports For more information about skiing and equipment rental: Ȣ National Sport Databank in Finland: www.suomenlatu.fi www.sport.jyu.fi

34 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki * In winter , Helsinki had  public winter swimming places.

Recreational areas

Recreational areas Extent of recreational areas in Helsinki, hectares   Estimated number of visits to these areas in     Green areas owned by the City of Helsinki outside Helsinki, hectares   Of which recreational forests, hectares   On the Nuuksio lake upland, hectares   Estimated number of visits to these areas in   

Source: Helsinki City Sports Department HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / PAUL WILLIAMS / PAUL KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN Winter Swimming When the lakes and sea freeze over, large holes are cut in the ice to allow Finns to take a refreshing dip into the water. Usually, but not always, winter swimming is done after a sauna. ‘Winter swimmers’ wear sandals or woollen socks to prevent their feet from freezing in the snow on the way to the water. Once in the water, the hardiest will actually swim, while the less brave will just dip themselves. Those who are used to winter swimming say that there is no better way to relax, refresh oneself and improve one’s tolerance to stress. Winter swimming improves blood circulation and it is believed to prevent winter colds and flu. In other words, winter swimming is actually an ideal hobby for those of us who catch cold easily!

Nordic Walking Nordic walking has rapidly become a popular form of exercise in Fin- land. Enthusiasts currently total ,, which means  per cent of Finns go Nordic walking regularly. Its popularity comes from its simplicity and efficiency. Anyone can learn Nordic walking, and it is not expensive. Like cross-country skiing, it exercises a large proportion of muscles in the body. Another advantage of Nordic walking is that it can be done just about anywhere. In Helsinki, you can spot Nordic walkers not only in parks and forests, but on streets and roads, too. Nordic walking poles can be rented at the Paloheinä Ski Centre and in a sports gear centre by Töölönlahti bay in the heart of Helsinki. Instructions for use come with the walking poles.

HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / MARI HOHTARI KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN More information in English and Swedish: www.suomenlatu.fi

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 35 Tourists in Helsinki

A number one tourist destination in Finland KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

36 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki Overnight stays in accommodation facilities A number one tourist in Helsinki in 2004 destination in Finland Country of residence Million Share of overnight stays in Finland Each year, an estimated  million tour- All .   ists visit Helsinki, the majority of whom Finland .   stay only for the day. Since , annual Foreign .   overnight stays have averaged around . Overnights spent by purpose of visit: business 53%, leisure 45% and other 2%. million, of which roughly  per cent are by foreigners. Helsinki is Finland’s number Source: Helsinki City Tourist and Convention Bureau one tourist destination – for business travel even more so. More than one-third of tourists choose Helsinki as their principal Further information sources on the internet destination in Finland. Ȣ The Helsinki City Tourist and Convention Bureau offers vis- What tourists appreciate in Helsinki and itors a broad selection of useful information, and brochures. southern Finland is the unpolluted envi- All brochures can be downloaded from this website, ronment, the feeling of security, tidiness www.hel.fi/tourism, which also features a useful calendar and friendly people. Wildlife tourism and of events, a wide range of tourist information about sights adventure holidays are growing steadi- and services, and the Helsinki Newsletter. Members of the ly: one in five tourists chooses this kind press can receive free usernames and passwords to access our of holiday today. Fishing, hiking and cy- image bank, which features thousands of high-quality pho- cling are the top pursuits, but swimming, tos of Helsinki. Go to www.aineistohotelli.com/ walking and boating, plus various kind of helsinginkaupunki. Usernames and passwords can be or- adventure events, are popular as well. In dered by e-mail from [email protected]. winter, cross-country and downhill skiing Ȣ Helsinki´s intent is to take environmental issues into account and snow mobile safaris are major attrac- when arranging mass events. For the World Athletics Cham- tions. However, although this kind of ac- pionships, a handbook for eco-efficient mass events has been tive tourism is most common in the north- compiled, and will be available for other major champion- ern parts of the country, culture-oriented ships and mass events as well. For further information: tourists tend to head for the cities in the www.dipoli.hut.fi/ymparisto/ecomass south to enjoy their architecture and cul- Ȣ Finnish Tourist Board: www.mek.fi tural events in Southern Finland. ■

) Tall Ship’s Race in Helsinki.

Some annual sports events in Helsinki

Event Number of participants in  Month Type of event Helsinki City Run   May half marathon Naisten Kymppi – Women´s  km around   May run/jog/walk for women Helsinki Cup  teams from  countries;   spectators July junior football Helsinki City Marathon   August marathon Helsinki International Horse Show  competitors;   spectators October horse-riding

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 37 HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / BOY HULDEN / BOY KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site Half a mile off the coast from central Helsinki lies the island ki residents, it is an important recreational area. On summer fortress of Suomenlinna, one of the world’s largest maritime weekends, especially, the ferries to Suomenlinna are crowd- fortresses. Its eight small islands connected by bridges ex- ed with locals going for a picnic by the sea or for a walk on tend over an area of  hectares. the eight kilometres of ramparts on the islands. The history of Suomenlinna is strongly linked to the his- The colourful history of the fortress has given the islands tory of the Baltic Sea Region, and the marks of history are still a characteristic flora, and bird life, too, is varied. Towards the very visible in the area. Construction of the fortress began in end of summer, swarms of migrant butterflies flying in across , when Finland was still the eastern part of the kingdom the sea can be seen. of Sweden. In a war in , the fortress surrendered to the Today, Suomenlinna is the home of  permanent res- Russians, and a year later Finland became a Grand Duchy in idents, who enjoy basic amenities such as a shop, a post of- the Russian Empire. During the Russian period, Helsinki be- fice, a school and a church on their islands. Ferry services to came the capital city, and Suomenlinna became a large Rus- and from the Kauppatori Market Square operate once or twice sian garrison. After Finland’s declaration of independence in an hour all year round. In addition to several museums, the , Suomenlinna became a Finnish garrison in . summer theatre and the shops for artisan products, the is- Surprisingly, the fortress has suffered little damage from land has a number of very popular cafés and restaurants, and wars and political change. Furthermore, because of its contin- even a small brewery. uous use as a garrison, the island maintains much of its orig- inal appearance. Today, -year-old Suomenlinna is one of the five UNESCO´s World Heritage Sites in Finland. Further information in English and Swedish: Suomenlinna is one of Finland’s most important tourist www.suomenlinna.fi & information about Ehrensvärd So- sights, with over half a million visitors each year. To Helsin- ciety guided tours at www.suomenlinnatours.fi

Contact information Rastila Camping Rastila Camping, Karavaanikatu ,  Helsinki An unusual place to stay in Helsinki is the camping site next tel: +    , fax: +     to Rastila metro station, just  minutes from the city centre. e-mail: [email protected] The site has  caravan spaces, over  places for tents, plus Reception open: th May–th August :  hours, a few cottages and log cabins. In addition to accommodation other times .–. services, the camping site offers a restaurant, saunas, a beach, winter swimming, and bicycle and kayak rentals. Rastila Camp- For further information in English or Swedish: ing is the most popular camping site in Finland. www.hel.fi/liv/rastila/rastila.html

38 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki * With . million visits in , Linnanmäki Amuse- ment Park is Helsinki’s and Finland’s most popular tourist destination.

Visits to main Helsinki attractions in 2004

Attraction Visitors Linnanmäki Amusement Park    Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress   Temppeliaukio Church   HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / MIKA LAPPALAINEN KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN Korkeasaari Zoo   Uspenski Cathedral   Top ten visitor nationalities in Helsinki Ateneum, National Gallery   in terms of overnight stays in 2004 Helsinki Cathedral   Casino RAY   United Kingdom Helsinki Festival   Germany Sea Life Helsinki   USA Kiasma, Museum of Contemporary Art   Sweden National Museum of Finland   Russia Museum of Art and Design   Japan Linnanmäki Museum   Italy Attractions with over 100 000 visitors China Netherlands Source: Helsinki City Tourist and Convention Bureau Norway + In , the Tourist Information Offices of the City of         Helsinki helped some , visitors. Young “Hel- Other countries account for 33.7% of all 1,527,896 overnight stays made by foreigners. sinki Help” guides patrolling in the streets also assist tourists. Source: Helsinki City Tourist and Convention Bureau

What tourists did during their holiday in southern Finland 2002

Saw historical sights

Enjoyed nature

Saw real life of people

Visited museums

Took a boat trip to another Baltic Sea country Took part in a cultural event

Sports

HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / HANS PARK KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN          

Source: Baltic Palette II (): Market analysis II Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 39 SUOMEN URHEILULIITTO / MARK SHEARMAN SUOMEN URHEILULIITTO

First IAAF World Championships , Steve Cram winning the m in the World Championships in Athletics were held in Helsinki in Helsinki . From the outset of the Olympic Games in Athens, in , athletics have been an important part of the event. The first Eu- The women’s team from the GDR, including  year old ropean athletics championships were held in , and soon long jumper Heike Daute, were a class of their own and took other continents, too, started to arrange similar events of their eight golds. West Germany surprise winner over  metres own. The IAAF World Championships, however, came along Willi Wülbeck, whose winning time  min . secs still re- only in , when they were held in Helsinki. These first IAAF mains the national record of Germany – and of Helsinki’s Ol- World Championships in Athletics were attended by a total ympic Stadium. Among other surprise winners were -year- of , athletes from  countries. Altogether,  nations old Soviet pole vaulter Sergei Bubka. won medals, with  winning gold medals. The men’s marathon was won by Australian Rob de Cas- The king of these championships was young US sprint- tella with a time of  hours  mins  secs, still the fastest er Carl Lewis, who won the  metre and long jump events time ever on Finnish soil. In the pioneering women’s mara- and anchored the US in the  x  m relay for an overwhelm- thon, Norway’s Grete Waitz took the gold. ing victory and a new world record of . seconds. Among Finland’s Arto Bryggare was awarded a silver medal in other stars of the week were power-pack Czechoslovaki- the  m hurdles event, and Martti Vainio earned a bronze an - and -metre winner Jarmila Kratochvilova, and over , m. Finland’s star moment was when Tiina Lil- Mary Decker from the USA, whose strong finish earned her lak gained a gold in the javelin with her winning throw of gold in both , and , m races. . metres.

Helsinki Cup July in Helsinki sees the Helsinki Cup, an international football event has grown steadily, and in ,  teams from  dif- tournament for children and adolescents. The event gives young ferent countries took part. Over the years, teams from  dif- Finnish players an opportunity to gain international experience ferent countries altogether have played in the tournament, and meet fellow sports enthusiasts from other parts of the which has been praised not only for its untiring promotion world. A key principle of the Helsinki Cup is to give all players of football for youngsters, but also for its work against eth- in the team an equal opportunity to play in the game. nic and racial prejudices. The first Helsinki Cup, in , gathered  teams from Helsinki Cup: www.helsinkicup.fi, in English, Swedish, five different countries. During its  years of existence, the German, French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese

40 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki Fifteenth Olympic Games in Helsinki 1952 The  Olympic Games were undoubtedly the most impor- The Helsinki Olympics were held during politically uncer- tant sports event ever held in Finland. Taking place so shortly tain times: the Korean War was at its height and the Cold War after the Second World War, these games were of great impor- at its coldest. Nevertheless, the Helsinki Games brought to- tance to Finland both culturally and psychologically. gether competitors from  nations, more than any previous Life was harsh in Helsinki in : sugar and coffee, for games. The Soviet Union participated for the first time, and example, were rationed, and war indemnities were being Germany and Japan took part again, for the first time since paid to the Soviet Union. At the time, Helsinki´s population the war. Among the participating nations,  received med- was ,. The first traffic lights in the city were installed als with  winning gold medalals. , foreign spectators in time for the Olympics, and luxuries such as Coca-Cola and came to Helsinki to watch the games. chewing gum reached the war-stricken country. The games Among the athletes, Finns still remember Emil Zátopek put Finland on the map of the world for many people, while (–), one of the greatest runners of the th Centu- for Finns it was the first time that many met a foreigner. ry. “The Locomotive” or the “Bouncing Czech”, as he came to A new airport, Helsinki-Vantaa, was inaugurated for the be known, established his reputation by winning the , occasion, and so was the new harbour terminal, today still m, the , m, and the marathon during those  Ol- called the Olympic Terminal. Helsinki had originally hoped to ympics in Helsinki. host the Olympics in , but the war intervened. Constructed in the s, the Olympic Stadium is still an important venue More about the Olympics in Helsinki in English: for major competitions. Many other facilities were also built www.urheilumuseo.org for the Olympics, such as the Swimming Stadium, the Velo- drome, the Rowing Stadium and the Tennis Palace. + Spectators on their way to the Olympic Stadium in . HELSINGIN KAUPUNGINMUSEO

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 41 42 Public transport moves dwellers the city Young and well-educated people live inHelsinki A small but competitive metropolis of Helsinki characteristics features and Special Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki

HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / MATTI TIRRI Characteristics of the economy in Helsinki, the Helsinki Region and Finland in 2004

Helsinki Helsinki Region Finland Average income per income earner (state taxable, ),        Proportion of national GNP, ,  .. .  GNP per capita, when EU average is  (–, purchase-power-weighted) ..   Employment rate in  (employed – year olds / all – year olds)    Unemployment rate, ,  . . . Men in the labour force,     Women in the labour force,     Business premises in        Jobs in , total        Percentage of all Finnish jobs    Self-sufficiency of jobs, ,     Of which: Primary production (SIC A-B),  . . . Processing (SIC C-F),  . . . Services (SIC G-Q),  . . . trade, transport, business activities (SIC G-K),  . . . public services (SIC L-Q),  . . . Information sector (production of goods, services and information content),  . . .

Source: City of Helsinki Urban Facts; Statistics Finland A small but competitive metropolis The Helsinki Region is Finland’s only metropolis, and by international standards a relatively small one. However, it is home to almost a quarter of Finland’s population and accounts for over one-third of its gross national product and almost one- third of its jobs. On a European scale, Helsinki has a small population for a capital. Neverthe- less, Helsinki is a prosperous and competitive city. In , the European Compet- itiveness Index listed the Helsinki Region as Europe’s number one in terms of competitiveness and creativity. This is largely the result of continuous investment in re-

* Although the bicycling season starts only in April and ends in October, biking is a popular means of getting around and taking exercise in Helsinki. The city authorities provide a system of “city-bikes” in

town that anyone can borrow. / MIKA LAPPALAINEN KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 43 HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / BOY HULDEN / BOY KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN

search and development: over  per cent of Finnish R&D takes place in the region. Milestones in the History of Helsinki Helsinki is a centre of highly specialized  Helsinki was founded at the mouth of the Vantaa River business, and the information sector is es-  Helsinki moved to its present location on the southern pecially vibrant. Private service industries peninsula account for every second job in the area.  The construction of the Suomenlinna Fortress started Helsinki also plays a major role as a centre  Finland became a Grand Duchy within the Russian Empire of administration and logistics, character-  Helsinki became the capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland ised by a strong higher education sector  University moved to Helsinki from Finland´s previous capital and a lively cultural life. city, Turku Between  and , the Helsinki  Regular steamship service started between Helsinki and St. Region was one of Europe’s fastest grow- Petersburg ing regions, with double the overall EU av-  The fortress of Suomenlinna bombarded by the British and erage gross value added per capita. Pro- French navies duction growth in the Helsinki Region aver-  Opening of the Helsinki-Hämeenlinna railway line aged . per cent during those years. In fu-  Opening of the first public library in Helsinki ture, growth is forecast to slow down as in  Completion of the National Theatre building most other major urban regions, nonethe-  The population of Helsinki exceeded , less Helsinki is expected to remain among  Completion of the National Museum building the fastest growing metropolises in Europe  Finland became an independent state for the coming few years.  Air services to Tallinn and Stockholm started Inauguration of the Olympic Stadium  Young and well-educated Helsinki hosts the th Olympic Games  people live in Helsinki  Population of Helsinki exceeded ,  CSCE conference in Helsinki Helsinki has a relatively young age struc-  Opening of the first metro line ture. It has a large number of people of  First IAAF World Championships in Athletics held in Helsinki working age compared with the numbers  Finland joined the European Union of children and elderly people. Today, the  Helsinki is one of the European Cities of Culture – year olds make up almost  per cent  th IAAF World Championships in Athletics held in Helsinki of the city’s population, making them the the largest age group. As a result, Helsin- Source: Klinge, Matti & Kolbe, Laura (): Helsinki, Daughter of the Baltic. A short biography, Otava; City of Helsinki Urban Facts

44 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki Characteristics of the population of Helsinki, the Helsinki Region and Finland in 2005

Population .. Helsinki Helsinki Region Finland Population         Projection of population for          Percentage of the national population    Population density (persons per sq km of land)    Life expectancy, years (Helsinki –; Finland ) . .. . Men,  . . . Women,  . . . Population of working age (– year olds),     Finnish-speaking,  . . . Swedish-speaking,  . . . Foreign language-speaking,  . . . Foreign nationals,  . . . Families among households, ,     Families with children among families, (children under ),     One-person households,     their percentage among population    Fertility rate (births per   women aged –) , , , Demographic dependency rate  (< and > year olds / – year olds) . . . Finland is a bilingual country, with Finnish and Swedish as official languages

Source: City of Helsinki Urban Facts; Statistics Finland ki has one of the lowest demographic dependency ratios among European cities. Essential for the city’s competitiveness and industrial structure is also the high overall level of education of its population: one in three Helsinki citizens has tertiary level education, which is one of the highest rates in Europe, and  per cent of those Gross value added growth and projected growth in are women. selected European metropolises (% per annum)

Public transport moves Dublin the city dwellers Warsaw Helsinki  per cent of the city’s residents com- Stockholm mute to work by public transport to the Budapest city centre, and of all trips made in mo- Prague tor vehicles in inner Helsinki,  per cent Lisbon are made on public transport. Commuter Oslo trains, the metro and trams together ac- London count for over  of the transport sys- Athens tem, which is very good for the environ- Mean of  cities ment and air quality in the city. Estimates         suggest the production of electricity for Growth in – Prospected growth in – rail transport accounts for just two or three Source: The Regional Economy of Helsinki from a European Perspective, City of Helsinki Urban Facts, Statistics :

Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki 45 International passenger traffic in Helsinki

Passangers year  Million Via Helsinki–Vantaa Airport , of which  international Via Port of Helsinki ,  to/from Sweden or Estonia Via Helsinki Main Railway Station () , of which  on commuter trains

Source: Helsinki City Urban Facts

per cent of total emissions into the air from Proportion of people having a higher education transport and traffic in the Helsinki Met- in selected European capitals in 2001 ropolitan Area. (Qualified at levels 5-6 ISCED) Besides transport over land, Helsinki Paris residents also have good sea transport Helsinki services. The ferry to the Suomenlinna for- Amsterdam tress islands operates all year round, and in London summer, there are  scheduled waterbus Berlin services daily. International ferries depart Copenhagen daily all year around to the Estonian capi- Athens tal of Tallinn and to the Swedish capital of Stockholm Stockholm. And in summer, there are al- Dublin so regular services to St. Petersburg, Ros- Lisbon tock and Visby. Average EU- Road traffic in Helsinki is relatively safe:           in a comparison between  European cities in , Helsinki had the third least Source: Urban Audit, www.urbanaudit.org number of people seriously injured or killed in road traffic. ■

Proportion of inhabitants satisfied with public transport in their city Trips made in Inner Helsinki,

Helsinki by means of transport in 2000 Vienna Berlin Amsterdam On public Paris transport Stockholm Athens  Mean of  cities Brussels   Dublin On foot, by Madrid bicycle or By car London moped Copenhagen Lisbon  Rome Other means of transport            

Source: Traffic in Helsinki, Statistics :, Source: Urban Audit perception survey, , www.urbanaudit.org/UAPSleaflet.pdf Helsinki City Urban Facts

46 Nature, Recreation and Sports in Helsinki Sources ● City of Helsinki Environment Centre, www.hel.fi/ymk. ● City of Helsinki Public Works Department, www.hkr.hel.fi. ● City of Helsinki Sports Department, www.hel.fi/liv. ● City of Helsinki Tourist and Convention Bureau, www.hel.fi/tourism. ● City of Helsinki Urban Facts, www.hel.fi/tietokeskus. ● Eurobarometer 213. Citizens of the European Union and sport (2004). European Commission. ● Finnish Meteorological Institute, www.fmi.fi. ● Helsinki City Planning Department, www.hel.fi/ksv. ● Helsinki Liikkuu / Exercise Survey 2001–2002 (2002). Unpublished manuscipt (in Finnish). City of Helsinki Environment Centre, www.hel.fi/ymk. ● Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council, YTV, www.ytv.fi. ● How Europeans spend their time (2004). Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg. ● Innovations generate regional vitality (2002), Tekes. www.tekes.fi. ● Innovation strategy, Helsinki Metropolitan area (2005). Culminatum. www.culminatum.fi. ● Klinge, Matti & Kolbe, Laura (1999). Helsinki, Daughter of the Baltic. A short biography, Otava. ● Lankinen, Markku & Sairinen, Rauno (2000). Helsinkiläisten ympäristöasenteet vuonna 2000. Tietokeskuksen tutkimuksia 6, City of Helsinki Urban Facts. ● Market analysis II (2002). Baltic Palette II, www.balticpalette.com. ● National Sport Databank in Finland, www.sport.jyu.fi. ● Nieminen, Matti & Haapanen, Eero (2000). Let´s explore nature in Helsinki. HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / PAUL WILLIAMS / PAUL KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN Helsinki City Environment Centre. ● Pakkala, Timo, Tiainen, Juha & Pitkänen, Mikko (1998). Helsingin lintuatlas , Metro station in Vuosaari. (an atlas of birds in Helsinki). Helsinki City Environment Centre publication 1/1998. ● Rajahaastattelututkimukset (1998-2002). Finnish Tourist board, Further information sources on the internet www.mek.fi. In English and Swedish if not otherwise stated ● Statistics Finland, www.stat.fi. ● Urban Audit, Database for European urban statistics, Ȣ City of Helsinki: www.hel.fi (In English, Swedish, www.urbanaudit.org. German, French and Russian) Ȣ City of Helsinki Urban Facts provides statistics and information about Helsinki: www.hel.fi/tietokeskus. Urban Facts internet publications: www.hel.fi/tietokeskus/eng/publications.html Ȣ Guide Map of Helsinki and the Metropolitan area: kartta.hel.fi Ȣ Journey Planner gives public transport routes and timetables for the Helsinki Metropolitan Area: www.reittiopas.fi Ȣ Statistics Finland is the central statistical office in Finland: www.stat.fi Ȣ Virtual Finland provides comprehensive information about Finland: virtual.finland.fi (English, French, Germany, Spain, Russian) MIKA LAUNIS Web publications 2005:23 HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN KUVAPANKKI / ANTERO AALTONEN / ANTERO KUVAPANKKI HELSINGIN KAUPUNGIN