FINLAND - Scandinavia - page 927

plicity andsophistication thatisemblematic oftheAaltostyle.Hisdesigns
became so popular that in 1935 he and his wife opened Artek, a company
that manufactures and sells his furniture, lamps, and textiles to this day
(see here ) .
Stockmann's entrance on Aleksanterinkatu, facing the Three Blacksmiths,
is one of the city's most popular meeting points. Everyone in Finland knows
exactly what it means when you say: “Let's meet under the Stockmann's
clock.” Tram #2 also makes a stop right at the clock (see “Tram #2/#3 Tour,”
here ) . Across the street from the clock, the Old Student Hall is decorated with
mythic Finnish heroes.
Train Station: Just past the Three Blacksmiths, look for a passageway
to your right through a shopping arcade. Walking through it, you'll emerge in
front of the harsh (but serene) architecture of the train station (by Eliel Saar-
inen; see sidebar). The four people on the facade symbolize peasant farmers
with lamps coming into the Finnish capital. Duck into the main hall and the
Eliel Restaurant inside to catch the building's ambience.
Continuing past the post office and the equestrian statue of Mannerheim,
return to Mannerheimintie, which passes the Kiasma Museum, Parliament,
and Helsinki Music Center on the way to the large, white Finlandia Hall,
another Aalto masterpiece. Across the street is the excellent little National
Museum of Finland (looks like a château with a steeple), and a few blocks
behind that is the sit-down-and-wipe-a-tear beautiful “Church in the Rock,”
Temppeliaukio. Sit. Enjoy the music. It's a wonderful place to end this
walk.
If you want to continue on to the Sibelius Monument, located in a lovely
park setting, take bus #24 (direction: Seurasaari) from nearby Arkadiankatu
street. The same ticket is good for your return trip (within one hour), or ride it
to the end of the line for the bridge to Seurasaari Island and Finland's open-air
folk museum. From there, bus #24 returns to the top of the Esplanade.