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Old photos of Helsinki

19 photographs of Helsinki, from 1907 to 2025 — each pinned to the exact place it was taken.

Commercial building and median island in 1914 — Kaivokatu 12 - Itäinen Heikinkatu 11 (= Mannerheimintie 7) - (hkm.HKMS000005-km0000lno7) 1914 Commercial building and median island in 2025 — Armaan kulma (Kaivokatu 12, Kluuvi, Helsinki, Finland) Feb 2025
Then and now: Commercial building and median island, 1914 vs 2025
Have an old photo of Helsinki? A family album, a postcard, a print from the attic. Pin it to the map and it becomes part of the record.
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What the photos show

The 19 photographs of Helsinki on PlaceWas span 6 decades, from 1907 to 2025. 8 of them were taken before 1980; the other 11 are recent views of the same streets and landmarks.3 spots were photographed more than once, so you can compare the same street, square or building across the years.17 of the photos carry a written caption explaining what is in the frame. Every picture is pinned to the place it was taken, so the map below shows where the photographers stood.

Pick a decade to filter the photos below and the map above. Open full map ↗

Places in Helsinki through time

Spots photographed more than once — compare the same place across the years.

Sokos Hotel Vaakuna, Helsinki — photos through time
Sokos Hotel Vaakuna 7 photos · 1930–2018
Commercial building and median island, Helsinki — photos through time
Commercial building and median island 7 photos · 1914–2025
Mannerheimintie, Helsinki, Helsinki — photos through time
Mannerheimintie, Helsinki 4 photos · 1907–1921

Stories from Helsinki

What contributors wrote about these photographs.

Kaivokatu 12 - Itäinen Heikinkatu 11 (= Mannerheimintie 7) - (hkm.HKMS000005-km0000lno7), Helsinki, 1914
Kaivokatu 12 - Itäinen Heikinkatu 11 (= Mannerheimintie 7) - (hkm.HKMS000005-km0000lno7) 1914 Kaivokatu 12 - Itäinen Heikinkatu 11 (= Mannerheimintie 7); Kaivokatu 12 - Itäinen Heikinkatu 11 (= Mannerheimintie 7). "Kaleva" -rakennus. -- negatiivi ja vedos, lasi paperi, mv
Helsingin rautatieasema Heikinkadun (Mannerheimintien) ja Kaivokadun risteyksestä nähtynä, Helsinki, 1920
Helsingin rautatieasema Heikinkadun (Mannerheimintien) ja Kaivokadun risteyksestä nähtynä 1920 Helsinki's railway station is seen from the intersection of Heikinkatu, today Mannerheimintie, and Kaivokatu in this 1920 photograph. The station, designed by architect Eliel Saarinen and largely completed in the 1910s…
Uusi ylioppilastalo - (hkm.HKMS000005-km002zdh), Helsinki, 1920
Uusi ylioppilastalo - (hkm.HKMS000005-km002zdh) 1920 Uusi ylioppilastalo; Uusi ylioppilastalo. Itäinen Heikinkatu 7 (Mannerheimintie 5). Uusi ylioppilastalo valmistui 1910, arkkitehdit Wivi Lönn ja Armas Lindgren. -- negatiivi ja vedos, lasi paperi, mv
Simonkatu 1, Heikinkatu 28, (Mannerheimintie 22 - 24). - Helsinki, Helsinki, 1930
Simonkatu 1, Heikinkatu 28, (Mannerheimintie 22 - 24). - Helsinki 1930 Oy Shell Ab:n huoltoasema, Turun kasarmi, Simonkatu 1 - Heikinkatu 28 (Mannerheimintie 22-24). Rakennettu 1928, purettu 1934. Aseman pihalla Turun ja Helsingin väliä liikennöivä linja-auto, jonka kyljessä teksti…
Commercial building and median island, Helsinki, 2018
Commercial building and median island 2018 A commercial building stands beside a median island in Helsinki, likely part of a street or tram reservation. The scene was recorded in 2018 as part of a broader documentation of the city's streetscape and transit…
This stop is not in use, Helsinki, 2018
This stop is not in use 2018 This former public transport stop in Helsinki had already fallen out of use by the time the photograph was taken in 2018, a small trace of how the city's tram and bus network has changed over time.
Retail building signs; tram; construction sign; bikes and pedestrians sign, Helsinki, 2018
Retail building signs; tram; construction sign; bikes and pedestrians sign 2018 A tram passes shopfronts on a central Helsinki, Finland street in 2018, with retail signage, a pedestrian and cyclist crossing sign, and a road-work warning visible along the sidewalk.
Pole to support trolley wire, Helsinki, 2018
Pole to support trolley wire 2018 A pole erected to support the overhead contact wire is visible in this 2018 photograph from Helsinki, part of the infrastructure used to power the city's tram network.
1900s · 3 photos
1910s · 1 photo
1920s · 3 photos
1930s · 1 photo
2010s · 8 photos
2020s · 3 photos