Senate Square

Our next stop was Senate Square. This town square has historical significance. Helsinki was destroyed in 1809 and was begun to be re-built in 1812. The re-building of Helsinki started at Senate Square. In the center of the plaza is a statue of some national hero. The square is surrounded by large, impressive buildings. The Lutheran Cathedral stands on one side of the square. It is accessed by an enormous set of steps that extends all the way across that side of the plaza. There are 25 steps, then a small platform, and then another 22 steps that ascend to the Cathedral, giving it a very majestic appearance. The exterior of the Cathedral is beautiful. There are columns across the front; there are statues of the 12 apostles at various points on the roof, and there is a large green dome in the center of the roof, surrounded by 4 smaller domes. The interior of the Cathedral is very simple and plain, with the two most prominent features being the pulpit and the organ. There aren't usually statues in Protestant churches, but this Cathedral contains 3 statues of what was referred to as "Protestant Saints": Martin Luther, Philip Melancthon (who was a German reformer and Martin Luther's collaborator), and Mikael Agricola (who is responsible for bringing Lutheranism to Finland). Besides the Cathedral, the other buildings that border Senate Square are the Senate Building (which is now the Prime Minister's office) and other government buildings, a cafe, the National Library, and the University of Helsinki.