The (relatively) new capital

Talinn, Riga, and Vilnius have been settlements since time immemorial and have been capitals since their larger political units were founded in the 13th/14th centuries, and vied for the position of the 3rd largest city in 18th century Russia. In contrast, Helsinki wasn’t even chartered until 1550.

At the height of the construction in Sveaborg, the fortress had a population of seven to eight thousand versus only two thousand for Helsinki itself.

I thought the House of the Estates was pretty flashy for Finnish architecture. “It was built by the Russians.”

House of the Estates

You can also see the difference in style between the lutheran Helsinki Cathedral…

…and the Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral.