Something to Declare

Last Day in Helsinki: Finn-tastic!

Saturday, June 28, 2025

Yesterday (Friday) was a hard act to follow, but we gave it “the old college try”. This morning, we walked to the Temppeliaukio Church (“Rock Temple”), designed by the brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and opened in 1968.(Pictures below, top and bottom right, are from the church’s website.)

The interior was excavated and built out of solid rock, and is illuminated by natural light coming from the skylight surrounding the center copper dome. The acoustics are enhanced by the unworked rock surfaces. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city, with half a million visitors annually.

From the Rock Temple we took the tram back to the Esplanadi, where we had lunch at Café Kappeli, which may have been the role model for Tavern on the Green, the Oyster Bar, and/or the Central Park Boathouse.

Café Kappeli has served as a meeting place for Finnish poets, writers, and artists (Jean Sibelius, e.g.) since opening in 1867. Stef had a vegan selection, yrttipapupihvit saksanpähkinävinegretillä (herb bean patties with walnut vinaigrette). And I had the traditional Finnish salmon soup (not enough time this trip to sample Finnish reindeer soup).

Both were incredible. From the windows of the restaurant we could see the parade celebrating worldwide June 28 Gay Pride Day.

It seemed that everyone in Helsinki was taking part in the celebration. We had to squeeze through the parade and take some detours to make our way around, taking ganders at the Kamppi Chapel of Silence, sort of a multi-faith prayer venue (constructed in 2012 from light-finish spruce wood, inside and out) (below, left), likened to a wooden egg.

We also saw the upper portion of an underground museum, Artek (above, upper right); and another interesting stone building with a projecting gable (above, lower right).

Eventually back to the Design District, to the store Momosa, to purchase items we had previously scoped out (glass water pitcher, wooden cell phone stand, glass “corral” dish).

Then home again, via Stockmann’s to eyeball iconic Marimekko products, other Finnish designer housewares and furniture, and purchase some more local smoked salmon (equal to Zabar’s quality if not a little better–heresy, I know) and marinated herring (the stuff is habit-forming).

That’s all, folks! Tomorrow back to NYC!