Last weekend we ventured outside and drove to have lunch in Helsinki , it’s about half hour drive, not much of an adventure. The restaurant is located in the area of Katajanokka is a neighbourhood of Helsinki, with around 5000 inhabitants. The district is located adjacent to the immediate downtown area, though in the first major town plan for Helsinki from the mid-18th century, the area fell outside the fortifications planned to encircle the city.
This us driving away from Katajannokka on one of the bridges, in the corner is the part of the The Presidential Palace.
Katajanokka was originally a headland of the Helsinki peninsula but is now an island due to the canal dug in the 19th century. Four bridges connect it to mainland Helsinki. Urban settlement expanded to Katajanokka in the 18th century, remaining largely untouched until the canal’s completion in 1844, which linked the South and North Harbours. The south side features a busy passenger harbour for ferries to various destinations, while the area consists mainly of co-operative apartment buildings and small parks. The eastern part was once a military zone with a naval base, which evolved into a commercial shipyard.
These are from the eastern side looking towards the sea, my attention was on the house on the small island as the sun was casting the last light on it. for some reason I did not take photos of the newer buildings.
Here we are leaving the area, driving towards the Helsinki Cathedral
The western part of the residential area, known as the “Old Side” of Katajanokka, is an upscale neighborhood and a well-preserved example of early 20th century Art Nouveau architecture, though up until the mid-19th century – while the centre of Helsinki was being filled with stone buildings – the area was essentially still a wooden shanty town.
Thursday doors, these are door photos 🙂
Dans Thursday Doors
The westside has some restoration going on and the area is not built for the amount of cars that we nowadays have, a bit tricky to get a parking spot here,
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography 