STADI, AS THE LOCALS CALL HELSINKI, IS A CITY THAT HAS BEEN TRADED BETWEEN THE SWEDES AND THE RUSSIANS FOR CENTURIES. THE SOVIETS TRIED ONE LAST TIME IN WWII, FACING SIMO HÄYHÄ, THE WHITE DEATH AS THE SNIPER WAS CALLED. FINLAND LOST SOME CRUCIAL EASTERN TERRITORY INCLUDING VIIPURI WHERE AALTO’S SEMINAL LIBRARY LANGUISHED FOR YEARS. AALTO’S WORK SHINES IN THE CAPITAL WHERE THESE COVERS GRACE THE ADJACENT STREETS. THE 450 ANNIVERSARY COVER RELATES TO THE FOUNDING OF THE CITY BY SWEDISH KING GUSTAV I. A VERY DECORATIVE VERNACULAR DIAGRAM SITS AT THE CENTER OF THE COVER FROM AGUSS. A NOD TO THE CITY’S NICKNAME APPEARS ON THE PERIPHERY. HELSINGIN SEUDUN IS A RADIALLY DESIGNED COVER THAT HAS THE WORD KIPPIS MEANING CHEERS AT THE TOP. LASTLY, A COVER FROM NIEMISEN VALIMO FEATURES COBBLESTONE AROUND A SILHOUETTE OF A FOUNDRY WORKER WITH DATES THAT MATCH THE FOUNDRY’S FOUNDATION AND YEAR OF PRODUCTION.

SEE THE RELEVANT COASTERS TOO.