Senate Square

Senate Square and its surroundings make up the oldest part of central Helsinki, dating from 1757. A statue of Emperor Alexander II is located in the center of the square. The statue, erected in 1894, was built to commemorate his re-establishment of the "Diet of Finland" or Legislative Assembly in 1863 and several reforms that increased Finland's autonomy from Russia. The statue comprises Alexander on a pedestal surrounded by figures representing law, culture, and peasants.