May 12: Olympic Tower

On return to Helsinki from Porvoo, James and I got off the bus early to check out the iconic Olympic Stadium. The stadium was designed by Yrjö Lindgren and Toivo Jäntti and built for the cancelled 1940 Summer Olympics, then used in 1952 when the Olympics finally arrived. We went up in the tower to check out some pretty OK views.

0730

0730.jpg

A quite nice grassy hill on the edge of the stadium grounds.

0733

0733.jpg

The stadium's monumental wooden façade.

0734

0734.jpg

Whoa that is some tower for sure!

0745

0745.jpg

At the top of the tower: looking out toward Katajanokka. Can you see the cathedrals?

0748

0748.jpg

The tower "fountain," I guess.

0750

0750.jpg

UH OKAY GONNA BACK AWAY NOW

0754

0754.jpg

A digizoom, again toward Katajanokka, plus Kallio and Kruununhaka in front. To the right is the array of train tracks heading into the main station — you can see a red-and-white locomotive there.

0756

0756.jpg

Epic shadow. (Wonder how many stadia around the world have woods right next to them.)

0757

0757.jpg

The Kallio church tower, plus a train photobomb.

0760

0760.jpg

Looking out to the west or southwest, judging by the sun.

0764

0764.jpg

Almost parallel perspective!

0765

0765.jpg

Toward downtown; Oopperatalo at bottom left.

0766

0766.jpg

Toward the vast untamed north.

0771

0771.jpg

Reassuringly beefy containment bars.

0772

0772.jpg

Another stadium, the Sonera (currently) Stadium.

0774

0774.jpg

UHH

0791

0791.jpg

The front entrance.

0804

0804.jpg

Late afternoon lights.

0807

0807.jpg

The Olympic tower from the other stadium.

0808

0808.jpg

The other stadium's impressive canopy structure.

0811

0811.jpg

The other stadium's impressive canopy structure, from down the road.

0815

0815.jpg

An old factory, it would seem, along the way back toward Kamppi.

0832

0832.jpg

Late light back on Katajanokka.