Helsinki, Pt. 3: Hietaniemi Cemetery

One of the few places I really wanted to visit while in Helsinki was Hietaniemi Cemetery. I'm pretty sure my aunt and uncle thought I was crazy when I told them I wanted to visit it. My aunt pointed out that it was really close to Temppeliaukion Church, so it wouldn't be out of our way.

I didn't know what to except heading to the cemetery, but I should have anticipated a wall surrounding it. Eventually, we found the entrance, and I was pleasantly surprised by the view in front of me. The headstones and rocks were covered in a green lichen (a powdery-type algae). While this probably isn't good for the headstones, to me, it added to the forest atmosphere I was feeling when I walked inside.



I didn't want to visit this cemetery for any particular reason. I doubt I would even recognize a single notable interment. I was just interested in seeing a place I would have a hard time finding photos for online. The cemetery was established in 1829 and is the burial place of some of Helsinki's most notable individuals. The cemetery has an area dedicated to fallen soldiers, including those who were members of the Finnish Guard in the Russian Army and those who fought against Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

I'm sorry for the horrible quality of these photos. It was cold that day, and I was with my aunt and uncle. I always feel bad when people are with me when I take pictures because I don't want them to get bored on my account. Also, not sure why I find it a good idea to travel to northern countries in the winter. We didn't spend a lot of time here because we had other places we wanted to visit. Afterwards, I realized the cemetery was actually a lot bigger than I had anticipated, and even had an Orthodox church and burial ground nearby as well! I must go back to Helsinki and explore the cemetery more because there was so much that we missed. I'll make sure to go in the summer next time!