Pyynikki Observation Tower

This tower was built in the 1920's and still very popular partly because of the cafeteria in it. I took some photos from the tower to share with you.

This is the tower. It's only 26 meters tall but it is at the highest point of a tall esker, which is why the view is great from the top.

The Lotta Svärd organization was a voluntary national defense organization for women. It had a very large number of members. Some of them served in air surveillance replacing a significant number of men needed in combat roles. The sign says the tower was used for that purpose during the Winter War. The organization had to be disbanded after the war as per the terms of the Paris peace agreement (which was stupid because the same roles will still be fulfilled by female volunteers under different organizations). Sweden still has a Lotta Svärd organization of their own. It was inspired by the Finnish model.

You'd only get to the observation floor outside by climbing this extremely steep flight of stairs.

Dizzy already?

Northeast

Näsinneula observation tower is on the left as well as Lake Näsijärvi. Särkänniemi amusement park is right next to it.

East

The building in the upper left is Kaleva church. In the lower middle you can see the railway station at the eastern end of the main street, Hämeenkatu.

East
Those chimneys belong to Naistenlahti power plant.

Southeast

The row of cars on the lower side is along the road leading up to the tower. The city has given fines to motorists whose cars have one side outside the mettle on the basis of parking "in the terrain". It's nothing but a blatant money grab. Yes, it's illegal to park in the woods. But if everyone obeyed law the result could be disastrous because fire engines could not very easily get past all the vehicles.

The district of Hervanta is on the high ground furthest away. I've lived near it almost all my life and received nearly all my education in it.