Carved in red granite in 1931, this statue in the small park of Karhupuisto depicts Finland's national symbol, a bear, trying to prise open an anthill. The artist, Jussi Mäntynen (1886–1978), was a taxidermist at Helsinki University's Department of Zoology who was renowned for his lifelike portrayals of animals.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
2.68 MILES
Suomenlinna, the ‘fortress of Finland’, straddles a cluster of car-free islands connected by bridges. This Unesco World Heritage site was originally built…
1.01 MILES
Occupying a palatial 1887 neo-Renaissance building, Finland’s premier art gallery offers a crash course in the nation’s art. It houses Finnish paintings…
1.47 MILES
An unmissable stop for Finnish design aficionados, Helsinki's Design Museum has a permanent collection that looks at the roots of Finnish design in the…
0.94 MILES
Built in National Romantic art nouveau style and opened in 1916, Finland’s premier historical museum looks a bit like a Gothic church with its heavy…
2.31 MILES
Situated 5.5km northwest of the city centre, this excellent island-set museum has a collection of 87 historic wooden buildings transferred here from…
1.03 MILES
One in a series of elegant, contemporary buildings in this part of town, curvaceous, metallic Kiasma, designed by Steven Holl and finished in 1998, is a…
28.6 MILES
One of Finland's most enticing old quarters, this tangle of cobbled alleys and wooden warehouses is entrancing. Once a vibrant port and market, Porvoo now…
1.1 MILES
Set beneath the iconic 1936 Lasipalatsi building, art museum Amos Rex opened in 2018. Sweeping staircases take you below ground to the exhibition halls…
Nearby Kallio attractions
0.04 MILES
In the heart of Kallio, this small park is lined by maple trees and has beautiful floral displays in spring and summer. Look out for the Bear on the…
0.07 MILES
Designed by Lars Sonck and completed in 1912, this 65m-high Lutheran church is a Helsinki landmark and visible from all over the city. Built from grey…
0.3 MILES
Made from steel and measuring 3m in diameter, this minimalistic, mirror-like sphere was created by Helsinki sculptor Hannu Sirén (b 1953) in 1985 and…
0.4 MILES
In a charming wooden house built in 1909, this delightful museum shows how industrial workers lived in the early 20th century, with nine rooms decorated…
0.41 MILES
The work of Russian sculptor Oleg Kirjuhin (1929–91), this striking bronze statue stands 6.5m high and was installed in 1990 as a gift from Moscow to…
0.47 MILES
Close to Linnanmäki, Sea Life is an enjoyable aquarium complex with walk-through tunnels that let you spot sharks, rays, octopuses and myriad fish up…
0.48 MILES
Famous Linnanmäki is a real kid pleaser with rides (some free) including several roller coasters and a panoramic 75m free-fall tower, as well as nightly…
0.56 MILES
Made from glass plates set between polished aluminium, this 1977 sculpture by Helsinki artist Risto Salonen (1945–2001) stands on the Merihaka waterfront…