Töölö (Finnish:[ˈtøːlø];Swedish:Tölö, formerly spelledThölö[1]) is the collective name for theneighbourhoods Etu-Töölö (Swedish:Främre Tölö,lit. 'Front Töölö') and Taka-Töölö (Swedish:Bortre Tölö,lit. 'Rear Töölö') inHelsinki,Finland. The neighbourhoods are located next to the city centre, occupying the western side of the Helsinki Peninsula.
Etu-Töölö, the southern neighbourhood, bordersKamppi and is the location of theFinnish Parliament House. Taka-Töölö, the northern neighbourhood, bordersMeilahti andLaakso, and is the location of theHelsinki University Central Hospital. Contrary to popular belief, Töölö is no longer an official name of any district or neighbourhood in Helsinki; in 1959 Töölö was divided into Etu-Töölö and Taka-Töölö.
Töölö was built in its present form, for the most part, in the period between 1900–1930 during an era of rapid expansion with the aim to provide appropriate accommodation to a growing bourgeoise population. It was the site of the first ever town planning competition in Finland in 1898–1900. Three entries were lifted out for recognition; first prize was awarded to architect Gustaf Nyström (together with engineer Herman Norrmén), second prize to architectLars Sonck, and third prize to a joint entry by Sonck together with architects Bertil Jung and Valter Thomé.[2] Nyström's scheme represented classicism with wide main streets and imposing public buildings arranged in symmetrical axial compositions, and the other two entries following two picturesque theories of town planning proposed at that time by Viennese city plannerCamillo Sitte, with the street network adapted to the rocky terrain and with picturesque compositions. Undecided what course of action to take, however, the City Council asked the prize-winners to submit new proposals. When this led to further stalemate Nyström and Sonck were commissioned to work together on the final plan combining Nyström's spacious street network and elements of Sonck's Sittesque details. The final plan (1906) under the direction of Jung, made the scheme more uniform, while the architecture is seen as typical of theNordic Classicism style. A typical street in the plan is that of Museokatu, with tall lines of buildings in a classical style along a curving street line. A still wider (24 metres) new tree-lined boulevard was that of Helsinginkatu, driven through the working-class district ofKallio, first outlined in 1887 by Sonck, but with further input from Nyström, and completed in around 1923.[3] However, despite these wide streets there are also several Sitte-inspired picturesque streets and squares, most notably Temppeliaukio square (in the centre of which is the"church in the rock").
Töölö has always been the most respected as a place to live, but the prices of apartments are high, especially in Etu-Töölö. In Töölö, the marketing times for apartments are clearly shorter and the prices per square meter are therefore higher than in the rest of Helsinki on average, which speaks of abundant demand. A square of living in Töölö costs about €8,000, which is close to the price level of the second most popular district,Lauttasaari, but clearly less than inUllanlinna, where a square of living costs closer to €10,000.[4]
Töölö is also known for its functionalist architecture, notably around Taka-Töölö. There are many parks, including Hesperia Park[1] on the Töölö Bay and alsoSibelius Park, named after composerJean Sibelius and containing amonument in his name. Töölö also has a vibrant cultural life, being the location of theFinnish National Opera, theNational Museum of Finland, Kunsthalle Helsinki, the Zoological Museum, Töölö Library, and many small galleries and bookstores. With theOlympic Stadium,Sonera Stadium, theSports Hall and theIce Hall, all within walking distance from each other, Taka-Töölö is also a significant neighbourhood for sport life in Helsinki.
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Media related toTöölö at Wikimedia Commons
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60°10′45″N024°55′26″E / 60.17917°N 24.92389°E /60.17917; 24.92389
