Erottaja Street

Running north from Erottaja is Mannerheimintie, the main Helsinki thoroughfare. To the east are the Esplanade Park and the North (Pohjois-) and South (Etelä-) Esplanades. Erottaja continues south as Erottajankatu, and off to the west is the Boulevard (Bulevardi).

'Erottaja' means 'divider', and the square was so called because it once divided the town from the suburbs.

The square is dominated by 19th century buildings in Neo-Renaissance style. Adjoining the Esplanade Park is the white Swedish Theatre. There has been a theatre on this site since 1827. The present theatre was built in 1866. It was here that Finlandia, by the best-known Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius, was first performed, with the composer conducting, in 1899.