Finland became independent in 1917, i.e., the country has only about 100 years of history. Before that, Finland had been part of the Russian Empire, and before that, it had been part of Sweden for about 700 years. Knowing such a short history of Finland helps us understand the things we see and experience in Finland much better.
“History” might sound boring, but if you knew even a little bit of history, the things in front of you—sights, food, lifestyle, people—could become more interesting, I think.
I made the above timeline and included 2018, when the central library of Helsinki, Oodi, was opened. Oodi was built to celebrate 100 years of Finland’s independence, and it’s one of the sights you shouldn’t miss in Helsinki for many reasons. I will write about it in another post.