The city of Helsinki was founded

June 12,1550 – The city of Helsinki, Finland (belonging to Sweden at the time) is founded by King Gustav I of Sweden. Helsinki was born in 1550 as part of Sweden’s trade policy in the Baltic Sea. The new city came about through the powerful order of the Swedish king Gustav I Vasa.

The new city was to be built on the northern coast of the Baltic Sea, across from the Hanseatic city of Tallinn, with which it was due to compete over the lucrative eastern trade opportunities. These great plans did not materialise, however, and Helsinki’s role in its first 200 years was more humble than had been intended.