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.

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

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The stadium's monumental wooden façade.

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Whoa that is some tower for sure!

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

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The tower "fountain," I guess.

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UH OKAY GONNA BACK AWAY NOW

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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.

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

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The Kallio church tower, plus a train photobomb.

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

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Almost parallel perspective!

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Toward downtown; Oopperatalo at bottom left.

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Toward the vast untamed north.

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Reassuringly beefy containment bars.

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Another stadium, the Sonera (currently) Stadium.

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UHH

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The front entrance.

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Late afternoon lights.

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The Olympic tower from the other stadium.

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The other stadium's impressive canopy structure.

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

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

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Late light back on Katajanokka.