Helsinki is full of beautiful art nouveau builidngs. I love the doorways to these buildings. Here are a few of my favourites.
the exotic door at number 5
The stone frame around the door was obviously made to last.
was this designed to scare off unwanted visitors?
Stone was obviously very popular at the time these buildings were made.
a good solid doorway
The wooden doors are beautifully carved.
cats on the door
There were 3 fabulous stone doorways in this building.
next door
While the stone frames were the same, each door had a different motif.
it has a dog
I wonder if it was a clue to the preference of the owner, or just an easy way to identify your front door. The third one had flowers.
the door to a lovely yellow building
The houses are all very well maintained and looking beautiful.
above the door
Some of the shapes are very inventive.
I really love this one
pity about the shadow
flower detail
amazing!
This one could be opened in 2 ways. There was one hinge for a regular door and another if it needed to be a wider opening, very clever.
that's a hinge!
Wouldn’t it be great if this much thought was put into some modern buildings?
The next one is the tiny doorway to a shop on Bulevardi – a very elegant Helsinki street.
isn't it cute?
Also in Bulevardi.
a most impressive entrance
I’m not sure what this building is, but it looks very important.
Soumi is Finland
Above the door is a beautiful mother and children.
Mum and the kids
One one side of the building are the boys.
the boys
And on the other side…
the girls
I know nothing about the tape.
a curly one
The next one is my favourite. I walk past it as often as I can.
very elaborate
The detail on this door is incredible.
pressed metal birds on the doors
I would love to know more about the life of this building.
a well worn handle
The door is surrounded by stone carvings.
animal motifs are popular
I love the little fox.
cute fox
The entrance is to the Pohjola building, an iconic Helsinki building, which is under scaffolding just now.
he doesn't look happy
Helsinki is a beautiful city. If you go take the time to just wander, there is a surprise at every turn.