Eläintarha
Encyclopedia
Eläintarha is a large park
in central Helsinki
, Finland
. The name "eläintarha" means "zoo
".
The park's location acts as a divisor between the districts of Töölö
to the west, and Hakaniemi
and Kallio
to the east. The southern half of the park includes two bay
s of the Baltic Sea
: Töölönlahti to the west, and Eläintarhanlahti to the east. The railroad tracks running northwards from the Helsinki Central railway station
run between these bays, effectively splitting the Eläintarha park in half.
At the north-western end of the park, near the district of Laakso
, there is a sports arena called Eläintarhan urheilukenttä, or "Eltsu" in slang. From 1932 to 1963, the Eläintarha arena hosted annual motorbike and racing car races, known as Eläintarhanajot
or "Eltsunajot", but these were later cancelled as too dangerous.
Contrary to the name, there has never been a zoo in Eläintarha. There are two theories for the misleading name. The more popular one is that Henrik Borgström, who bought the park area in the middle of the 19th century, had announced plans to build a zoo there, and by the 1880s, the name Eläintarha had been established in advance, anticipating the zoo, which never materialised. The city of Helsinki bought the park from Borgström in 1877. Another theory is that the name is simply a translation from the Djurgården park in Stockholm
, Sweden
.
The real Helsinki zoo is located on the island of Korkeasaari
.
The landscape of Töölönlahti in Eläintarha is portrayed in the famous painting The Wounded Angel
by Finnish symbolist painter Hugo Simberg
.
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
in central Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. The name "eläintarha" means "zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
".
The park's location acts as a divisor between the districts of Töölö
Töölö
Töölö is the collective name for the neighbourhoods Etu-Töölö and Taka-Töölö in Helsinki, Finland. The neighbourhoods are located next to the city centre, occupying the western side of the Helsinki Peninsula....
to the west, and Hakaniemi
Hakaniemi
Hakaniemi is an unofficial district of Helsinki, the Finnish capital. It is considered a part of the Helsinki city center. Historically, it was often associated with the working class and worker's associations. However, the cost of living has risen considerably in recent years and is now on par...
and Kallio
Kallio
Kallio is a district and a neighbourhood in Helsinki, the capital of Finland, located on the eastern side of the Helsinki peninsula about one kilometere north from the city centre. It is one of the most densely populated areas in Finland...
to the east. The southern half of the park includes two bay
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
s of the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
: Töölönlahti to the west, and Eläintarhanlahti to the east. The railroad tracks running northwards from the Helsinki Central railway station
Helsinki Central railway station
Helsinki Central railway station is a widely recognised landmark in central Helsinki, Finland, and the focal point of public transport in the Greater Helsinki area. The station is used by approximately 200,000 passengers per day, making it Finland's most-visited building...
run between these bays, effectively splitting the Eläintarha park in half.
At the north-western end of the park, near the district of Laakso
Laakso
Laakso is a neighbourhood in Helsinki, Finland. Its borders are defined by the streets of Mannerheimintie and Nordenskiöldinkatu and the Helsinki Central Park...
, there is a sports arena called Eläintarhan urheilukenttä, or "Eltsu" in slang. From 1932 to 1963, the Eläintarha arena hosted annual motorbike and racing car races, known as Eläintarhanajot
Eläintarhanajot
Eläintarhan ajot or Suomen Suurajot as it was called in 1932 was a motor racing competition arranged between years 1932 and 1963 in Eläintarha, Helsinki, Finland. The idea for the race came from a racing driver, S. P. J. Keinänen...
or "Eltsunajot", but these were later cancelled as too dangerous.
Contrary to the name, there has never been a zoo in Eläintarha. There are two theories for the misleading name. The more popular one is that Henrik Borgström, who bought the park area in the middle of the 19th century, had announced plans to build a zoo there, and by the 1880s, the name Eläintarha had been established in advance, anticipating the zoo, which never materialised. The city of Helsinki bought the park from Borgström in 1877. Another theory is that the name is simply a translation from the Djurgården park in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
The real Helsinki zoo is located on the island of Korkeasaari
Korkeasaari
Korkeasaari is an island in Helsinki, Finland where the country's biggest zoo is situated. The English name of the zoo is Helsinki Zoo.The zoo is located on a rocky island. It's connected to mainland via a bridge to Mustikkamaa, where there is access to the zoo all year round...
.
The landscape of Töölönlahti in Eläintarha is portrayed in the famous painting The Wounded Angel
The Wounded Angel
The Wounded Angel is a painting by Finnish symbolist painter Hugo Simberg. It is one of the most recognizable of Simberg's works, and was voted Finland's "national painting" in a vote held by the Ateneum art museum in 2006....
by Finnish symbolist painter Hugo Simberg
Hugo Simberg
Hugo Gerhard Simberg was a Finnish symbolist painter and graphic artist.-Life:Simberg was born at Hamina in Finland, the son of Colonel Nicolai Simberg and Ebba Matilda Simberg ....
.
Sources
- Yle question of the week: What is the history of Eläintarha's name?
- The Eläintarha park area at niksula.cs.hut.fi
- Leppänen, Marko: Maalaukseen astuminen - Haavoittunut enkeli Eläintarhassa Esoteerinen maantiede ja periferiaterapia. 16.4.2010. (Finnish)