The Helsinki Finnish Club
The Club is a cosy and comfortable base in the heart of the capital where you can relax engaging in free conversation with the other Club members or spend time going in for several kinds of hobbies.
The Club is also a place where you can make contact with people representing various social and economic domains.
Brief history
The history of the Helsinki Finnish Club is a fascinating chapter in the history of the Finnish nationalist movement towards the end of the 19th century. During this period of time, Finland was part of Russia as an autonomic Grand Duchy, after belonging to the Swedish monarchy for centuries. After the middle of the 19th century there was a gradual change from subservience over to nationalist thinking along with the awakening of parliamentary activities and cultural life. In 1876 Luku- ja Konversationi-klubbi Helsingissä (The Reading and Conversational Club in Helsinki) was founded in the capital and its rules were ratified in the Senate on April 25th, 1876, which consequently is the birthday of our Club.
The principles and activities of the Club
The Helsinki Finnish Club is a cultural club where the men of different ages, committed to the ideology of Finnishness, meet each other. It is also a club of public utility whose extensive electronic activities reach international audiences as well. The Club is a conversational community where it is possible to obtain new stimuli from persons with various different professional backgrounds and experiences. The Club is a forum for such social ideas and actions that could not perhaps be encountered elsewhere. The Club offers its members a versatile program of cultural and other interests from choir singing to literature, from history to foreign policy, from billiards to golf etc, which interest active citizens.
Club members
At the beginning of the year 2024 the Club counted almost 3000 members accepted by the Club’s executive board on the basis of a written application and recommendation by two Club members. The members are to be male Finnish citizens of good reputation and they are to accept the objective of the Club as stated in paragraph two of the rules,
The Club premises
The Club owns an apartment house in Helsinki where it has retained the three upper floors and some basement premises for its own use. The floors from one to four have been rented out for business purposes. Many Club cabinets are suitable for small group gatherings. Similar individually furnished, comfortable rooms cannot be found in other restaurants in Helsinki. The Club has a restaurant with facilities to offer gourmet dinners as well as home cooking prepared from Finnish ingredients.
The etiquette
The Club requires certain etiquette. The members are expected to observe good manners and also show in their dressing that the Club is a place where you can bring distinguished guests. Therefore, a jacket must be worn in the main festival hall where sweaters are out of place. The atmosphere in the billiards room is more relaxed, and the game can naturally be played without a jacket. In case you have to pay an unexpected visit to the Club, you can request the use of one of the cabinets or borrow a jacket from a Club master.