Svenska Teatern

The round white building of the Swedish Theatre, Svenska Teatern, is an important Helsinki landmark. The building and its surrounding shops, statues and park form a relaxing area in the city centre. The first theatre to be built in this spot was completed in 1827, but replaced later; this wooden building burnt down, and so a new theatre was constructed in 1866 after designs by Russian architect Nicholas Benois. Today, the red-and-gold decor with its lovely boxes and columns is still as it was in Benois's day. The exterior of the building was restored and smoothed out under the control of architects Jarl Eklund and Eero Saarinen in 1936. The theatre is a landmark of the times leading up to Finnish independence; it was the venue of the first-ever performance of Sibelius's Finlandia, conducted by the composer himself.

The great hall seats about 500 people, and the small hall about 100. The theatre transcends the language barrier, as evidenced by the 80,000-100,000 people who attend performances there yearly. The Swedish Theatre is known for its performances of classical drama as well as its musical repertoire.

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