CChronica Maps

Helsinki: History, Former Names & Timeline

A port founded by Gustav Vasa of Sweden; under Russia capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland, then capital of independent Finland.

Map showing Helsinki in 1800Helsinki
Border map for 1800. See Europe in 1800.

Explore Helsinki in the interactive map

Former names of Helsinki

FromNameNote
1550Helsingfors / Helsinki

Timeline of Helsinki

YearEvent
1550Gustav Vasa orders the town founded
1748The sea fortress of Sveaborg is begun
1812Becomes capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland
1917Finland declares independence
1952Hosts the Summer Olympics

Who ruled Helsinki

Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.

PeriodState
500 BC–799Unclaimed / no data
800–899Finns
900–999Finno-Ugric taiga hunter-gatherers
1000–1099Suomi
1100–1199Sámi
1200–1299Sweden
1300–1399Unclaimed / no data
1400–1491Kalmar Union
1492–1499Sweden
1500–1599Kalmar Union
1600–1814Sweden
1815–1913Russian Empire
1914–1919Grand Duchy of Finland
1920–todayFinland

Nearby cities