Presidential Palace, Helsinki

The Presidential Palace stands on the Helsinki waterfront near the market square and serves as a ceremonial venue for the President of Finland. Originally a merchant's mansion, it was rebuilt in the mid-nineteenth century as a residence for the Russian tsar and later adapted for the republic's head of state. Its restrained neoclassical facade overlooks the harbour and the Uspenski Cathedral beyond. The palace hosts the annual Independence Day reception, and its harbourfront position makes it a familiar landmark in the heart of the capital.