Over a century ago, Finland established its Parliament 11 years before gaining independence from the former Russian Empire on Dec 6, 1917.
Perched on a hill along Helsinki’s main boulevard, Mannerheimintie, Parliament House cuts a restrained yet imposing figure in the heart of the Finnish capital.
Completed in 1931 and designed by architect Johan Sigfrid Sirén, the granite-clad building is framed by 14 towering Corinthian columns and broad stone steps leading to its main entrance.
Among its more distinctive features are landscaped gardens and a dedicated area where deer roam.
Reflecting Finnish culture, Parliament House also contains its own sauna – a space which its director of information and communication, Rainer Hindsberg, said is accessible to all staff and visitors, including some 200 accredited journalists and photographers.
“Our thinking is that…