Дореволюционная Россия на фотографиях Хельсинки 1900-е Pre-revolutionary Russia in photographs Helsinki in 1900 Helsinki is the capital and largest city of Finland and is situated on the Shores of the Gulf of Finland. The city is also only 300 km from St. Petersburg. Helsinki was founded by Swedish King Gustav I in 1550 as the town of Helsingfors. After Russia began to assert itself in the Baltic with the foundation of St. Petersburg, Helsinki was fortified by the Swedish authorities to protect the city from Russian attacks. However, during the Finnish War, Russian captured Helsingfors in March 1808 and besieged the Sveaborg fortress until it surrendered in May.Following the Russian victory in the war, sovereignty over Finland was transferred from Sweden to Russia, rebuilding the city in a neoclassical style, intending to turn it into a stylish modern capital along the lines of St. Petersburg. With the coming of the Revolution of 1917, Finland gained her independence....... Music: Valse Triste by J. Sibelius
