SENATE SQUARE

Ever since Helsinki was moved from the mouth of the Vantaa River to its present place in 1640, the Senate Square has been the centre of Helsinki. Earlier the square was smaller, but grew to its present monumental proportions in 1817. This meant death to the old buildings around it. One of them was the Church of Ulrika Eleonora (1727) which now has a memorial tablet on the northwest corner of the square.Some old buildings were saved, for example the Sederholm House (Aleksanterinkatu 16-18; tel. 169 3625). This was built by the merchant Johan Sederholm in 1757; it is the oldest stone house on the main land of Helsinki. It was probably designed by Samuel Berner who also designed the Church of Ulrika Eleonora. Now the Sederholm House serves as a museum.

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