Council of State Building, Helsinki

The Government Palace on Senate Square in Helsinki houses the offices of the Finnish Council of State and the prime minister. Completed in 1822 as part of the grand neoclassical ensemble designed by Carl Ludvig Engel, its long yellow facade with a columned portico forms the eastern side of the square. The building has served the country's administration since the era of Russian rule. Its ceremonial halls remain in active government use, and its position among the cathedral and university makes it a defining element of the historic centre.