Mining Park Park

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Kaivopuisto Park is not only the oldest but also the most famous park in Helsinki. It is surrounded by magnificent villas and embassies of the eponymous district. The rocky cliffs make it an ideal place for an excursion, as from there visitors can enjoy an incomparable view of the Suomenlinna sea fortress.

The Ursa Observatory (Ursan tähtitorni) is located at the highest point of the park. The observatory was built in 1926 and belongs to the largest astronomical association in Finland. When visibility is good and temperatures are above -15 degrees, public shows are held. Along the shore and on the islands, numerous cafés and restaurants offer comfortable seating for a snack in between. One of the most exclusive is Kaivohuone Restaurant, designed by Carl Ludvig Engel and completed in 1838.

A popular meeting place all year round

In summer, the green meadows invite you to enjoy a picnic, sports or live music. In winter, many people gather to go sledding. On the occasion of Vappus, the spring festival on 1 May, many Helsinkians hold picnics here. Sometimes around 45,000 people gather here and even bring their own sofas.

To celebrate Helsinki Day on 12 June, a free open-air concert is organised, children enjoy the playground or rent inline skates in the park, while the elderly pass the time playing chess. If you fancy a little adrenaline kick, don't miss the chance to bungee jump from 19 July to 11 August. With a height of 150 metres, this platform is considered the highest for bungee jumping in the whole of Finland. The jumps are completed directly on the beach, so the brave athletes land on a platform on the lake. A certificate is issued as a reward. Night jumps and beach parties are offered on weekends.

Beautiful sculptures and monuments

As you stroll through the park, magnificent sculptures catch your eye. One of the latest achievements is "Expectation" by Pekka Jylhä. The bronze statue of a pregnant woman was released on Mother's Day 2010.

In 2005, 30 new benches were added to the park, with poems by well-known Finnish poets. The faces carved into dead trees by artist Sanna Karlsson-Sutisna are also not to be missed, as they were modeled after ancient tree spirits.

The history of Kaivopuisto

The history of the park can be traced back to the 1830s. At that time, a spa with an adjacent park was built at the tip of the peninsula. At that time, the Russian nobility was not allowed to travel abroad. Since Helsinki still belonged to Russia at that time, the fountain park quickly established itself as a popular destination for the upper classes of St. Petersburg. The lifting of the travel ban after the Crimean War meant that the baths initially lost their importance. It was not until 1886 that the grounds were transformed into a public park.