Helsinki was founded by King Gustav Vasa of Sweden in 1550 on the mouth of the Vantaa River. In the mid-1600s the centre was moved to its current location on the southern peninsula, where the deeper waters allowed Helsinki to compete better for Baltic Sea trade.
In 1748 Sweden built the massive Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress off the coast of Helsinki to counter the growing threat from Russia. Finland eventually became part of Russia in 1809, after which the status of Helsinki was raised to capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812. A monumental city plan was drawn up to reflect the power of Russia and the Tsar.
Helsinki rapidly grew to become a modern European city in the late 1800s. By the early 20th century, the population of Helsinki exceeded 100,000, helped by its university and growing industry.
In 1917 Helsinki became capital of the independent Republic of Finland.
As the 20th century progressed, Helsinki earned its place among the world's metropolises. The Summer Olympics in 1952, the Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe in 1975, and Finland's membership in the European Union as of 1995 are landmarks on the road to internationalisation.
Helsinki was one of the nine European Cities of Culture in the year 2000. Today, Helsinki is an archetypal 21st century city, enjoying the comforts of an ultramodern infrastructure and the reassurance of its unspoilt nature.
