Helsingsfors

Helsingsfors is an older or variant spelling of Helsingfors, the Swedish name for Helsinki, the capital and largest city of Finland. It is located on the southern coast of the country at the Gulf of Finland, near the border with the Baltic Sea, and is the central city of the Uusimaa region.

The city was founded in 1550 by King Gustav I of Sweden as a trading town intended to compete with Tallinn. Its name refers to the rapids (fors) of the nearby Vantaa River. Helsinki grew slowly as a port and administrative center under Swedish rule and later under Russian rule after Finland became an autonomous Grand Duchy in 1809. In 1812 the capital was moved from Turku to Helsinki, a decision that shaped the city’s early 19th-century development.

Urban planning in the 19th and early 20th centuries laid out broad streets and neoclassical monuments, notably around Senate Square and Helsinki Cathedral, with works by architects such as Carl Ludvig Engel. The University of Helsinki, founded in 1640, became a major scholarly institution in the city after it moved from Turku. The city expanded as Finland industrialized and became independent in 1917, later developing as a political, educational, and cultural hub.

Today Helsinki is the capital of Finland and its political, economic, and cultural center. It hosts national government functions, international institutions, universities, museums, and a vibrant design and technology scene. The city is served by Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and has a well-developed public transport system, with a metropolitan area that includes Espoo, Vantaa, and Kauniainen.