A Succinct Overview of Helsinki

One month ago, on September 10, 2012, I was leaving Japan to go to Helsinki, Finland, in order to attend, as a presenter, the 18th Mathematical Views (MAVI) Conference, which took place from September 12 to 15, 2012 at the University of Helsinki’s Department of Teacher Education. Although my visit to Finland was focused on attending MAVI-18, meeting some top-of-the-line researchers in teacher's pedagogical thinking and mathematical knowledge for teaching, and writing my proposal for presenting at CERME 8, I had a few chances to visit some must-see spots in Helsinki, a vibrant city named this year the 2012 Design Capital of the world (http://wdchelsinki2012.fi/en), with high fashion, cutting-edge-technology, and classy architecture everywhere. A succinct overview of the most notorious places I visited there follows:

 

The Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral or Tuomiokirkko (http://www.helsinginseurakunnat.fi/seurakunnat/tuomiokirkkoseurakunta/touristinformation.html): One of the symbols of Helsinki, it’s a must-see destination always surrounded by tourists from all over the world. This striking white cathedral dominates the central Senate Square. It has recently been refurbished, with its 12 Apostles on the roof once again looking down at the world below.

 

 Korkeasaari (http://www.korkeasaari.fi/en/services/visitorinformation): A large island in the central Helsinki, in which the Helsinki Zoo is located. This zoo hosts 150 animal species and almost 1000 plant species. I visited this island as a part of the guided tour offered by the MAVI-18 organizers, in order to see the “Night of the Cats”, an event in which the visitors have the opportunity to get to know how feline predators are fed. We went there through a 15-minute ferry connection from the Market Square.

 

 

The House of the Estates (http://vnk.fi/ministerio/toimitilat/saatytalo/en.jsp): An impressive Neo-Renaissance building in front of the Bank of Finland, with a facade adorned like a Greek temple, this was the place where Finnish Parliament settled until early 1900’s. Nowadays the building is used to hold some governmental, scientific and academic meetings.