The Main Building of the University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki traces its history back to the
Royal Academy of Turku, which was established by the regency
of Queen Christina. The founding documented is dated 26 March
1640.
The great fire which devastated Turku in September 1827 also
caused considerable damage to the Royal Academy. In October
1827 Tsar Nicholas I ordered that the university be moved
to Helsinki, which had become the capital of Finland in 1812.
It was officially renamed the Imperial Alexander University
of Finland.
 The
Main Building was completed in 1832 next to the Senate Square.
The Helsinki University Library, the Observatory and the Clinics
were built shortly thereafter. The architect Carl Ludwig Engel
(1778-1840) chaired the university's building committee, which
was appointed by the tsar. This committee was responsible
for many other buildings as well.
The university originally used Latin as the language of instruction.
Swedish gradually replaced Latin as the main language. Finnish
did not begin to assert itself as a teaching and research
language until the latter half of the 19th century. A professorship
in Finnish was established in 1850. The first doctoral thesis
in Finnish dates from 1858. The university also began to accept
women around this time. The first woman student was registered
in 1870 and the first doctorate was presented to a woman in
1896 in the field of medicine.
 After
Finland gained its independence in 1917, the name of the university
was changed to its present form. During the Second World War
the Russians bombed Helsinki and in February 1944 the Main
Building was hit. The bomb and resulting fire severely damaged
the banquet room in particular. The fire also destroyed and
ruined works of art and documents.
The Main Building was not completely restored after the war.
Instead the banquet room was expanded during rebuilding. The
Senate Square side of the building is not the same as the
original design by Engel. The Fabianinkatu side was completed
in 1937, before the war. The architect was J.S Sirén,
who also designed Parliament House.
http://www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto
Photographs:
- Unveiling of the statue of Alexander II at the Senate Square
on 29 April 1894.
Photo: Helsinki City Museum's photo archives
- Main Building at the University of Helsinki in 2002.
Photographer: Mika Lappalainen, Helsinki City Information
Office.
- The University of Helsinki was damaged by bombs on 26-27
March 1944, during the Second World War.
Photographer: Aavikko, Helsinki City Museum's photo archives
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