Timeline of Helsinki

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Helsinki, Finland.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by editing the page to add missing items, with references to reliable sources.

Prior to 19th century

• 1550 - Trading town established by Gustav I of Sweden.^[1]
• 1569 - City privileges granted.^[2]
• 1570 - Fire.^[2]
• 1616 - "Diet of Finland held in Helsinki."^[2]
• 1640 - Helsinki relocated across Kluuvinlahti [fi] bay to Vironniemi"^[2]
• 1654 - Fire.^[2]
• 1695 - Famine begins.^[2]
• 1710 - Plague.^[2]
• 1713 - Helsinki taken by Russian forces.^[3]
• 1727 - Ulrika Eleonora Church [fi] built.
• 1742 - Helsinki occupied by Russians again.^[3]
• 1743 - Herring fair begins.^{[citation needed]}
• 1748 - Sveaborg fortress construction begins.^[3]
• 1757 - Sederholm house [fi] built.^[2]

19th century

Map of Helsinki, 1837

• 1808
  • Suomenlinna fortress surrenders to Russia.^[4]
  • Fire.^[2]
• 1810 - Population: 4,065.^[5]
• 1812
  • Helsinki becomes capital of Grand Duchy of Finland.^[6]
  • Esplanadi park opens.
• 1815 - Helsinki Orthodox Cemetery [fi] established.
• 1819 - Sinebrychoff Brewery founded.
• 1822 - Government Palace built.
• 1826 - Helsinki Old Church built.
• 1827 - Engels Teater, the first theatre, is built.^[2]
• 1828 - The Royal Academy of Turku relocates to Helsinki.^[3]
• 1829 - Hietaniemi cemetery and University of Helsinki Botanical Garden^[7] established.
• 1838 - Kaivohuone built.^[8]
• 1844 - The state girls' school Svenska fruntimmersskolan i Helsingfors is opened.
• 1846 - Finnish Art Society^[9] and symphony orchestra^[10] founded.
• 1847 - Suometar newspaper begins publication.
• 1848 - Drawing school established.^[9]
• 1849 - Helsinki University of Technology founded.
• 1852
  • St Nicholas' Church built.^[3]
  • "Students Library" established.^[11]
• 1860
  • Swedish Theatre built.
  • Population: 22,228.^[5]
• 1862 - First Helsinki railway station opens with service to Hämeenlinna.^[3]
• 1864 - Hufvudstadsbladet newspaper begins publication.^[12]
• 1868 - Uspenski Cathedral built.
• 1870 - St. Petersburg-Helsinki railway built.^[3]
• 1871 - University of Arts and Design founded.
• 1872 - Helsinki typesetter strike of 1872 [fi].
• 1873 - First Finnish opera, Suomalainen Ooppera, is inaugurated.
• 1875 - City Council of Helsinki established.^[2]
• 1879 - Alexander Theatre built.
• 1881 - Rikhardinkatu Library opens.^[2]
• 1882
  • Helsinki Music Institute^[13] and Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra^[14] established.
  • Population: 45,919.^[15]
• 1884 - Electric power plant begins operating.^[2]
• 1886 - Kaivopuisto park established.
• 1887 - Ateneum^[9] and Hotel Kämp built.
• 1888 - Kauppahalli built.^[16]
• 1889
  • Zoo opens.
  • Päivälehti and Helsingin Sanomat newspapers begin publication.^[12]
• 1890 - Population: 61,530.^[5]
• 1891
  • Horse-drawn tram begins operating.^[2]
  • Fazer in business.
• 1893
  • Helsinki harbour rail begins operating.
  • Winter garden opens.
• 1894 - Statue of Alexander II of Russia erected in Senate Square.
• 1895 - Demari newspaper begins publication.
• 1896 - Population: 77,484.^[17]
• 1898 - Kauppalehti newspaper in publication.^[12]
• 1900 - Electric tram begins operating.^[2]

20th century

Map of Helsinki, c. 1900s

1900s-1940s

• 1902 - Finnish National Theatre building constructed.
• 1904
  • Governor-General Nikolai Ivanovich Bobrikov assassinated by Eugen Schauman.
  • Population: 111,654.^[5]
• 1906
  • 26 February: 1906 Helsinki bank robbery.
  • Helsinki Synagogue built.
• 1908 - Helsinki Workers' House built.
• 1909 - Seurasaari Open-Air Museum and Olympia cinema [fi]^[18] established.
• 1911
  • Helsinki School of Economics founded.
  • Domestic Opera founded.^{[citation needed]}
  • Helsinki City Museum opens.^[19]
• 1912 - Helsinki Stock Exchange founded.
• 1917
  • May: 1917 Helsinki church riot [fi] occurs.
  • Helsinki Workers' Council formed.^[20]
• 1916 - National Museum of Finland opens.
• 1918
  • Civil war.^[3]
  • British submarine flotilla in harbor.
• 1919
  • 16 May: Victory day.
  • Helsinki Central railway station, designed by Eliel Saarinen, opens.^[16]
  • Population: 187,544.^[21]
• 1922 - Arthur Castrén becomes mayor.^[22]
• 1924 - Natural History Museum of Helsinki established.
• 1926
  • Yleisradio begins broadcasting.
  • Citizens' College Helsinki founded.^[13]
• 1928 - Merano cinema [fi] opens.
• 1930 - Population: 205,833.
• 1931
  • Antti Tulenheimo becomes mayor.^[22]
  • Parliament House built.
  • Hotel Torni opens.
• 1932
  • Eläintarhan ajot (motor race) begins.
  • Ilta-Sanomat newspaper begins publication.
• 1936 - Lasipalatsi built.
• 1937 - Savoy hotel founded.^[16]
• 1938
  • May: Second International Aeronautic Exhibition held.
  • Helsinki-Malmi Airport and Stadium open.
  • Klaus Kurki hotel established.^[23]
  • Tennispalatsi built.
• 1939 - Bombing by Soviets.
• 1944
  • Bombing by Soviets.
  • Eero Rydman becomes mayor.^[22]
• 1946 - Haaga, Huopalahti, Kulosaari, and Oulunkylä become part of city.^[2]
• 1947 - Helsinki Swimming Stadium built.

1950s-1990s

• 1950
  • Linnanmäki amusement park opens.^[2]
  • Population: 368,519.
• 1951 - Marimekko founded.
• 1952
  • Helsinki Airport opens.
  • 1952 Summer Olympics held in Helsinki.^[2]
• 1956 - Lauri Aho [fi] becomes mayor.^[22]
• 1957 - Kansan Uutiset newspaper begins publication.
• 1960
  • Mosque established.^[24]
  • Lake Bodom murders occur.
• 1962
  • City hosts World Festival of Youth and Students.
  • Enzo-Gutzeit building constructed.^[16]
• 1964 - Orion (cinema) [fi] active.^[18]
• 1965
  • International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition begins.
  • Helsinki City Theatre established.^[25]
• 1966 - Helsinki Ice Hall opens.
• 1967 - Sibelius Monument unveiled.^[2]
• 1968
  • Teuvo Aura becomes mayor.^[22]
  • Helsinki Festival begins.
• 1969 - Temppeliaukio Church consecrated.
• 1970 - Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council created.^[26]
• 1971 - Finlandia Hall built.^[16]
• 1973 - Population: 510,614 city; 821,505 urban agglomeration.^[27]
• 1975
  • Helsinki Accords.^[28]
  • Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre built.^{[citation needed]}
• 1979
  • Raimo Ilaskivi becomes mayor.^[22]
  • Lepakkoluola formed.
  • Helsinki Theatre Academy founded.
• 1980
  • Iltalehti newspaper begins publication.
  • Ring I highway constructed.
  • Population: 483,675.
• 1982
  • Helsinki Metro begins operating.^[2]
  • Sibelius Academy active.^[13]
• 1984 - Itäkeskus shopping mall built.^[2]
• 1986 - Mosque founded.^[29]
• 1989 - Night of the Arts begins.
• 1990 - Finnish National Gallery established.^[9]
• 1991
  • Linux software created by university student.
  • Kari Rahkamo becomes mayor.^[22]
• 1993
  • Helsinki Opera House opens.^[3]
  • National Defence College (Finland) established.^[13]
• 1995
  • Spårakoff pub tram begins operating.
  • Population: 515,765.
• 1996
  • Eva-Riitta Siitonen becomes mayor.^[22]
  • Helsinki Motor Show begins.
• 1997
  • Taloussanomat newspaper begins publication.
  • Hartwall Areena opens.
• 1998 - Kiasma museum inaugurated.^[3]
• 1999 - Finnkino Tennispalatsi (cinema) opens.^[18]

21st century

• 2002 - 11 October: Myyrmanni bombing occurs in nearby Vantaa.
• 2005 - Jussi Pajunen becomes mayor.^[22]
• 2007
  • Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences established.
  • Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences formed.
  • Eurovision Song Contest 2007 held.
• 2009
  • Helsinki Regional Transport Authority formed.
  • Kumpula Garden opens.
  • Prisma Itäkeskus shopping centre built.^[30]
• 2010 - Aalto University formed.
• 2011
  • Restaurant Day begins.^[30]
  • Sipoonkorpi National Park established.
  • Helsinki Music Centre built.
  • Helsinki Region Infoshare launched.^[31]
• 2012
  • Population: 596,233.
  • City designated World Design Capital.
• 2017
  • Jan Vapaavuori becomes mayor.^[32]

See also

• History of Helsinki
• Politics of Helsinki