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.
‘An excellent read from a deeply knowledgeable author. This lively, often funny social history guides readers through Helsinki’s past, never losing sight of the bigger picture. The city’s story is skilfully interwoven with the dramatic wars and geopolitics of Finnish history.’ — Patrick Salmon, Chief Historian, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
‘Rich in historical detail and full of colour, this is a wonderful book for anybody wanting to understand how Helsinki grew from a little sixteenth-century village by the river mouth into a modern, globally networked Nordic metropolis.’ — Kristina Spohr, Professor of International History, London School of Economics, and author of Post Wall, Post Square
‘Helsinki is one of those places simultaneously on the edge and in the middle of things. Meinander weaves a highly readable tale of this fascinating city of hidden depths.’ — Dan Kaszeta, Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and author of The Forest Brotherhood
About the author
Henrik Meinander