Presidential Palace, Helsinki
Encyclopedia
The Presidential Palace in Helsinki
, is one of the official residences in Helsinki of the President
of the Republic of Finland
. It is situated on the north side of Esplanadi
, overlooking Market Square
.
. However, Nicholas I
desired that it should become the official residence in Helsinki of the Tsar of Russia
/Grand Duke of Finland, and the building became the Imperial Palace in Helsinki.
The necessary rebuilding and furnishing work, carried out between 1843 and 1845, was directed by architect Carl Ludvig Engel
, the creator of neoclassical
Helsinki and, after his death, by his son, Carl Alexander. All the timber storehouses behind were torn down and a new wing added. This wing, built along the north of the courtyard, contained on the second floor the chapel (the present library), ballroom, banquet hall in direct connection with the earlier reception floor of the main building, as well as a kitchen.
's younger son, Grand Duke Constantine
, stayed there for a month. His brother Nicholas
stayed there in June of the following year, after Nicholas's death. In 1856, the palace was also visited by the new Tsar's three oldest sons – Nicholas
, Alexander
, and Vladimir
. It was during the reign of their father, Alexander II
, that the Palace had its most brilliant time. He visited the city in 1863 and 1876), staying on both occasions at the Palace. In 1863 the Diet of Finland
was opened by Alexander II in the Great Ballroom. The Ballroom was accordingly converted into a Throne-Room, with the Imperial throne placed on a dais. Alexander returned to the palace again in 1876 to open that year's session of the Diet. The Throne-Room continued to be used as the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Diet until 1906.
That was the last Imperial festivity in the palace. Alexander III
did stay there in 1885 (although he resided at his Finnish residence in Langinkoski
more often). The palace was refurbished during 1904–1907 by Johan Jakob (Jac) Ahrenberg. He built a new suite of reception rooms, including a new Throne Room (the present Hall of State) where the sculpture Psyche and Zephyr by Walter Runeberg was placed, and a reception vestibule facing Mariankatu. The palace was last visited by a member of the Imperial family when Nicholas II
visited the palace for one day in 1915.
the palace was converted into Helsinki Temporary Military Hospital I in October 1915. With the February Revolution
of 1917 and the abdication of the Tsar/Grand Duke, the palace ceased to be a military hospital and became the property of the Senate
which renamed it as the Former Imperial Palace. From March 1917 to April 1918, the palace was used as the headquarters of the Executive Committee of the Helsinki Workers and Soldiers Soviet. With the victory of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War
, the Reds abandoned the Palace, which was temporarily used by German and White Finnish military staff. From June 1918 onwards, renovations and repairs were made to the palace in anticipation of its role as a royal residence for Prince Frederick of Hesse, who was elected as King of Finland in October 1918. However, the international political situation in the aftermath of World War I led to him renouncing his acceptance of the Finnish throne in December 1918. Following this, the upper floors served as the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
was passed in 1919 it was clear that the most suitable residence for the President
was the Former Imperial Palace. Complete repairs were made at speed, with the furnishings and art collections of the Palace being returned from storage in the National Museum
and the Ateneum
Art Museum, and also being supplemented. Since then, it has been the official residence of the President. The Palace was again refurbished and modernised by Martti Välikangas in 1938.
The Presidential Palace served as the official residence of all the Presidents of Finland up to 1993, except for Presidents Ryti
, Mannerheim, and Kekkonen
, who preferred to reside at Tamminiemi
. The Palace ceased to be used as the President's principal official residence during the presidency of Urho Kekkonen
. He and his wife disliked the noise of nearby traffic and the lack of gardens, and soon moved to Tamminiemi
, which remained Kekkonen's residence until his death. However, the palace again served as the principal residence of the President during the presidency of Mauno Koivisto
, until the new residence, Mäntyniemi
, was completed.
The Palace contains private apartments and reception rooms for the President on its third floor, including the Yellow Room, the Red Waiting Room, and the President's Study. The Palace also contains the Office of the President, which includes offices for the Secretary General, the Special Counsel to the President, and the Master of the Household. The Palace's State rooms include the Hall of State, the Dining Hall, and the Hall of Mirrors (the small Hall of State). They are used by the President for official functions and receptions. These include the promotion and appointment ceremony for Defence Forces and Frontier Guard cadets, State Banquets, and the Independence Day reception.
, Olav V of Norway
, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
, Juan Carlos I of Spain
, the Shah of Iran
, and Emperor Akihito of Japan
. A number of US Presidents have visited the palace, including Gerald Ford
, Ronald Reagan
, and George H. W. Bush
. Other distinguished visitors have included Pope John Paul II
, Josip Broz Tito
, Nikita Khrushchev
, Boris Yeltsin
, Vladimir Putin
, Horst Köhler
, and Conan O'Brien
.
Visiting guests do not stay at the Presidential Palace nowadays, although they did in the past. Although the palace has nearly 3 000 square metres of floor space, and private apartments for the President and their family, much of the palace is occupied by offices and accommodation for the Office of the President, including the Secretary General, Presidential Cabinet, military Aides-de-Camp, and the household staff. Foreign guests can be housed at Mäntyniemi
, the Königstedt Manor in Vantaa
, or the Finnish State Guesthouse next to the Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa Hotel in Munkkiniemi
.
The Presidential Palace is open for tours, which can be arranged through Helsinki Expert.
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, is one of the official residences in Helsinki of the President
President of Finland
The President of the Republic of Finland is the nation's head of state. Under the Finnish constitution, executive power is vested in the President and the government, with the President possessing extensive powers. The President is elected directly by the people of Finland for a term of six years....
of the Republic of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. It is situated on the north side of Esplanadi
Esplanadi
In the heart of Helsinki, the capital of Finland, the two streets constituting Esplanadi are officially named Pohjoisesplanadi and Eteläesplanadi...
, overlooking Market Square
Market Square, Helsinki
The Market Square is a central square in Helsinki, Finland, and one of the most famous market places and tourist attractions in the city....
.
Origins and early history
At the beginning of 19th century, a salt storehouse stood on the site. Johan Henrik Heidenstrauch, then one of the elite of Helsinki's merchants, purchased the entire lot and erected between 1816–1820 a stately residence designed by architect Pehr Granstedt. Heidenstrauch House more resembled a palace than a merchants house. In 1837 it actually became a palace when it was purchased for the price of 170 000 roubles to be converted into a residence for the Governor-General of FinlandGovernor-General of Finland
Governor-General of Finland ; was the military commander and the highest administrator of Finland sporadically under Swedish rule in the 17th and 18th centuries and continuously in the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland between 1808 and 1917.-Swedish rule:...
. However, Nicholas I
Nicholas I of Russia
Nicholas I , was the Emperor of Russia from 1825 until 1855, known as one of the most reactionary of the Russian monarchs. On the eve of his death, the Russian Empire reached its historical zenith spanning over 20 million square kilometers...
desired that it should become the official residence in Helsinki of the Tsar of Russia
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
/Grand Duke of Finland, and the building became the Imperial Palace in Helsinki.
The necessary rebuilding and furnishing work, carried out between 1843 and 1845, was directed by architect Carl Ludvig Engel
Carl Ludvig Engel
Carl Ludvig Engel, or Johann Carl Ludwig Engel , was a German architect known for his neoclassical style. He had a great impact on the architecture of Finland in the first part of the 19th century....
, the creator of neoclassical
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
Helsinki and, after his death, by his son, Carl Alexander. All the timber storehouses behind were torn down and a new wing added. This wing, built along the north of the courtyard, contained on the second floor the chapel (the present library), ballroom, banquet hall in direct connection with the earlier reception floor of the main building, as well as a kitchen.
Imperial Palace
The Palace was completed in 1845, though repairs had to be made from time to time as mostly it stood empty and was not regularly heated. It was visited for the first time by a member of the Imperial family nine years later, in February 1854, when Tsar Nicholas INicholas I of Russia
Nicholas I , was the Emperor of Russia from 1825 until 1855, known as one of the most reactionary of the Russian monarchs. On the eve of his death, the Russian Empire reached its historical zenith spanning over 20 million square kilometers...
's younger son, Grand Duke Constantine
Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia
Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia was the second son of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia.During the reign of his brother Alexander II, Konstantin was an admiral of the Russian fleet and reformed the Russian Navy. He was also an instrumental figure in the emancipation of the serfs...
, stayed there for a month. His brother Nicholas
Grand Duke Nicholas Nicolaievich of Russia
Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia was the third son and sixth child of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and Alexandra Feodorovna. He may also be referred to as Nicholas Nicolaievich the Elder to tell him apart from his son...
stayed there in June of the following year, after Nicholas's death. In 1856, the palace was also visited by the new Tsar's three oldest sons – Nicholas
Grand Duke Nicholas Alexandrovich of Russia
For the son of Alexander III, who succeeded his father on the throne in 1894, see Nicholas II of Russia.Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov , full title: Heir, Tsesarevich and Grand Duke of Russia was Tsesarevich —the heir apparent—of Imperial Russia from 2 March 1855 until...
, Alexander
Alexander III of Russia
Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov , historically remembered as Alexander III or Alexander the Peacemaker reigned as Emperor of Russia from until his death on .-Disposition:...
, and Vladimir
Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia
Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia ) was a son of Emperor Alexander II of Russia...
. It was during the reign of their father, Alexander II
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
, that the Palace had its most brilliant time. He visited the city in 1863 and 1876), staying on both occasions at the Palace. In 1863 the Diet of Finland
Diet of Finland
The Diet of Finland , was the legislative assembly of the Grand Duchy of Finland from 1809 to 1906 and the recipient of the powers of the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates....
was opened by Alexander II in the Great Ballroom. The Ballroom was accordingly converted into a Throne-Room, with the Imperial throne placed on a dais. Alexander returned to the palace again in 1876 to open that year's session of the Diet. The Throne-Room continued to be used as the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Diet until 1906.
That was the last Imperial festivity in the palace. Alexander III
Alexander III of Russia
Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov , historically remembered as Alexander III or Alexander the Peacemaker reigned as Emperor of Russia from until his death on .-Disposition:...
did stay there in 1885 (although he resided at his Finnish residence in Langinkoski
Langinkoski
Langinkoski is a rapid on the Kymi river in Kotka, Finland.-Imperial fishing lodge:Alexander III of Russia had a very small manor or a medium sized log house built there, between the branches of the Kymi river. He would take relatively rustic vacations there, along with his family...
more often). The palace was refurbished during 1904–1907 by Johan Jakob (Jac) Ahrenberg. He built a new suite of reception rooms, including a new Throne Room (the present Hall of State) where the sculpture Psyche and Zephyr by Walter Runeberg was placed, and a reception vestibule facing Mariankatu. The palace was last visited by a member of the Imperial family when Nicholas II
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
visited the palace for one day in 1915.
Post-imperial use
Under the political conditions of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the palace was converted into Helsinki Temporary Military Hospital I in October 1915. With the February Revolution
February Revolution
The February Revolution of 1917 was the first of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. Centered around the then capital Petrograd in March . Its immediate result was the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, the end of the Romanov dynasty, and the end of the Russian Empire...
of 1917 and the abdication of the Tsar/Grand Duke, the palace ceased to be a military hospital and became the property of the Senate
Senate of Finland
The Senate of Finland combined the functions of cabinet and supreme court in the Grand Duchy of Finland from 1816 to 1917 and in the independent Republic of Finland from 1917 to 1918....
which renamed it as the Former Imperial Palace. From March 1917 to April 1918, the palace was used as the headquarters of the Executive Committee of the Helsinki Workers and Soldiers Soviet. With the victory of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
, the Reds abandoned the Palace, which was temporarily used by German and White Finnish military staff. From June 1918 onwards, renovations and repairs were made to the palace in anticipation of its role as a royal residence for Prince Frederick of Hesse, who was elected as King of Finland in October 1918. However, the international political situation in the aftermath of World War I led to him renouncing his acceptance of the Finnish throne in December 1918. Following this, the upper floors served as the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Presidential Palace and office
After the new ConstitutionConstitution of Finland
The Constitution of Finland is the supreme source of national law of Finland. It defines the basis, structures and organisation of government, the relationship between the different constitutional organs, and lays out the fundamental rights of Finnish citizens...
was passed in 1919 it was clear that the most suitable residence for the President
President of Finland
The President of the Republic of Finland is the nation's head of state. Under the Finnish constitution, executive power is vested in the President and the government, with the President possessing extensive powers. The President is elected directly by the people of Finland for a term of six years....
was the Former Imperial Palace. Complete repairs were made at speed, with the furnishings and art collections of the Palace being returned from storage in the National Museum
National Museum of Finland
The National Museum of Finland presents Finnish history from the Stone Age to the present day, through objects and cultural history. The Finnish National Romantic style building is located in central Helsinki and operates in collaboration with the National Board of Antiquities , an association...
and the Ateneum
Ateneum
The Ateneum is a major museum in Finland. It is located in the centre of Helsinki at the Rautatientori square opposite Helsinki Central Railway Station. It has the biggest collections of classical art in Finland. Previously the Ateneum building also housed the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts and...
Art Museum, and also being supplemented. Since then, it has been the official residence of the President. The Palace was again refurbished and modernised by Martti Välikangas in 1938.
Risto Ryti
Risto Heikki Ryti was the fifth President of Finland, from 1940 to 1944. Ryti started his career as a politician in the field of economics and as a political background figure during the interwar period. He made a wide range of international contacts in the world of banking and within the...
, Mannerheim, and Kekkonen
Urho Kekkonen
Urho Kaleva Kekkonen , was a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland and later as the eighth President of Finland . Kekkonen continued the “active neutrality” policy of his predecessor President Juho Kusti Paasikivi, a doctrine which came to be known as the “Paasikivi–Kekkonen...
, who preferred to reside at Tamminiemi
Tamminiemi
Tamminiemi , is a villa located in the Meilahti district of Helsinki. It was one of the official residences of the President of Finland from 1940 until 1981. From that date, until his death, it served as the residence of President Urho Kekkonen. It is now the Urho Kekkonen Museum. It is located in...
. The Palace ceased to be used as the President's principal official residence during the presidency of Urho Kekkonen
Urho Kekkonen
Urho Kaleva Kekkonen , was a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland and later as the eighth President of Finland . Kekkonen continued the “active neutrality” policy of his predecessor President Juho Kusti Paasikivi, a doctrine which came to be known as the “Paasikivi–Kekkonen...
. He and his wife disliked the noise of nearby traffic and the lack of gardens, and soon moved to Tamminiemi
Tamminiemi
Tamminiemi , is a villa located in the Meilahti district of Helsinki. It was one of the official residences of the President of Finland from 1940 until 1981. From that date, until his death, it served as the residence of President Urho Kekkonen. It is now the Urho Kekkonen Museum. It is located in...
, which remained Kekkonen's residence until his death. However, the palace again served as the principal residence of the President during the presidency of Mauno Koivisto
Mauno Koivisto
Mauno Henrik Koivisto is a Finnish politician who served as the ninth President of Finland from 1982 to 1994. He also served as Prime Minister 1968–1970 and 1979–1982...
, until the new residence, Mäntyniemi
Mäntyniemi
Mäntyniemi , is one of the three official residences of the President of Finland besides the Presidential Palace and Kultaranta. Mäntyniemi was finished in 1993...
, was completed.
The Palace contains private apartments and reception rooms for the President on its third floor, including the Yellow Room, the Red Waiting Room, and the President's Study. The Palace also contains the Office of the President, which includes offices for the Secretary General, the Special Counsel to the President, and the Master of the Household. The Palace's State rooms include the Hall of State, the Dining Hall, and the Hall of Mirrors (the small Hall of State). They are used by the President for official functions and receptions. These include the promotion and appointment ceremony for Defence Forces and Frontier Guard cadets, State Banquets, and the Independence Day reception.
Visitors
In its role as the official residence of the President of Finland, the Presidential Palace has hosted a number of important foreign visitors and dignitaries. Royal visitors to the palace have included Carl XVI Gustaf of SwedenCarl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...
, Olav V of Norway
Olav V of Norway
Olav V was the king of Norway from 1957 until his death. A member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Olav was born in the United Kingdom as the son of King Haakon VII of Norway and Queen Maud of Norway...
, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, Juan Carlos I of Spain
Juan Carlos I of Spain
Juan Carlos I |Italy]]) is the reigning King of Spain.On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. Spain had no monarch for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the...
, the Shah of Iran
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
, and Emperor Akihito of Japan
Akihito
is the current , the 125th emperor of his line according to Japan's traditional order of succession. He acceded to the throne in 1989.-Name:In Japan, the emperor is never referred to by his given name, but rather is referred to as "His Imperial Majesty the Emperor" which may be shortened to . In...
. A number of US Presidents have visited the palace, including Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
, Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, and George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
. Other distinguished visitors have included Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
, Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
, Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
, Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
, Horst Köhler
Horst Köhler
Horst Köhler is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union. He was President of Germany from 2004 to 2010. As the candidate of the two Christian Democratic sister parties, the CDU and the CSU, and the liberal FDP, Köhler was elected to his first five-year term by the Federal Assembly on...
, and Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
.
Visiting guests do not stay at the Presidential Palace nowadays, although they did in the past. Although the palace has nearly 3 000 square metres of floor space, and private apartments for the President and their family, much of the palace is occupied by offices and accommodation for the Office of the President, including the Secretary General, Presidential Cabinet, military Aides-de-Camp, and the household staff. Foreign guests can be housed at Mäntyniemi
Mäntyniemi
Mäntyniemi , is one of the three official residences of the President of Finland besides the Presidential Palace and Kultaranta. Mäntyniemi was finished in 1993...
, the Königstedt Manor in Vantaa
Vantaa
Vantaa is a city and municipality in Finland. Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo and Kauniainen make up the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.Vantaa, with its population of , is the fourth most populated city of Finland. The biggest airport in Finland, the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, is located there...
, or the Finnish State Guesthouse next to the Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa Hotel in Munkkiniemi
Munkkiniemi
Munkkiniemi is a neighbourhood in Helsinki. Subdivisions within the district are Vanha Munkkiniemi, Kuusisaari, Lehtisaari, Munkkivuori, Niemenmäki and Talinranta.The land in Munkkiniemi was from the 17th century a part of Munksnäs manor...
.
The Presidential Palace is open for tours, which can be arranged through Helsinki Expert.