Parliament

Finland’s Parliament House, also called Eduskuntatalo, is not only the home of the session hall that hosts the 200-seat parliament, but is also somewhat of a massive work of art within the capital of Helsinki. It’s a monumental, square building constructed in a classical style – the result of an architecture competition held in 1923 that was won by the architecture firm of Borg-Sirén-Åberg. Standing on Arcadia Hill, the exterior is dominated by strong but simple geometry, a lot of granite and tall Corinthian columns. The whole design looks more functional and industrial rather than elegant and ornate, but reflects a style that was popular in the 1920s. Noteworthy is that the building was constructed using mostly Finnish materials, such as the reddish Kalvola Granite used on the façade and furniture made of oak, curly birch and walnut.
It’s not always possible to tour the building and the parliament can only be observed in session on Tuesdays and Fridays. But even if you aren’t able to attend a tour or a session, the building is worth a visit. Especially interesting for visitors are the main lobby, the plenary chamber and the reception hall. Furthermore, for more information, the employees at the Visitors’ Centre will be happy to explain some more in-depth facts about the parliament.

Practical Info

The parliament is located in the district of Töölö and opens Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. Guided tours are usually available on the weekends, however, the building will undergo renovations until 2017, thus guided tours won’t be available during this time. The parliament can be watched in session on Tuesdays and Fridays from the public balcony.