The making of a European capital and a Nordic metropolis, grounded in extensive research
Author: Henrik Meinander
Swedish original: Helsingfors. Historien om en stad
Publisher: Schildts & Söderströms, 2025
Number of pages: 307 pp.
Reading materials: Swedish original, full English translation
Rights sold: World English, Hurst
In Helsinki. The Story of a City History professor Henrik Meinander paints a portrait of the Finnish capital throughout history, placing the city in a European context and analysing its development over the course of 475 years, from the 16th century to the present, focusing on the key events that shaped the city as we know it today.
Meinander follows the evolution of Helsinki from a small fishing village to a Nordic metropolis in contemporary times, diving deeper than previous works on the story of the Finnish capital: it explores why Gustav Vasa founded the city in 1550, why it became the capital of Finland in 1812 and how its development has been influenced by its position by the sea, world economy, language politics, and the ambition of great powers. In this impressive overview Helsinki. The Story of a City Henrik Meinander answers key questions about the Finnish capital relying on the latest scholarly observations.
Helsinki. The Story of a City brings to life portrayals of language use, architecture, politics, daily life, and culture during the city’s 475 years of existence. Meinander brings to the fore the life of common city dwellers and creates a lively and often strikingly detailed image of the rich history of Helsinki. The work is based on comprehensive research and is richly illustrated with maps, works of art and photos.
About the author
Henrik Meinander