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Government Palace The Government Palace overlooking Senate Square is a national memorial and key monument of Finnish architecture and cultural and political history. The building’s name at different times: 1822–1918 House of the Senate 1918– Gover...

Visiting government buildings While government offices and official premises are not normally open to the general public, open house events are held from time to time. Open house at Kesäranta on Saturday 12 September Kesäranta, the Prime Minister’...

27.5.2026 | Starting on 2 July 2026, government sessions will be held in the Government Banquet Hall on Eteläesplanadi. During the renovation, the ministers who work at the Government Palace and the personnel of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Chancellor of Justice will mostly move to the building located next to the Banquet Hall at Eteläesplanadi 4. 

Government Banquet Hall The Government Banquet Hall, also known as Smolna, is located on Eteläesplanadi, which runs alongside Esplanade Park in central Helsinki. It serves as a banqueting and negotiating premises for the Government and the Prime M...

Government premises and art collection The main Government premises are located in the Government Palace by Senate Square. Today, the Government Palace houses the Prime Minister’s Office, the Office of the Chancellor of Justice and some department...

26.6.2025 | The Government Palace will open its doors to the public on Saturday 6 September 2025 at 8.00–17.00. More information about the open house event, along with practical instructions, will be provided in August.

19.2.2026 | Ukraine and its people have been resisting Russia’s full-scale invasion for four years. The Finnish Government will show its solidarity with Ukraine by flying the Finnish and Ukrainian flags on the anniversary of the start of Russia’s war of aggression on 24 February 2026. The Government Palace, Merikasarmi, Helsinki Cathedral, the main building of the University of Helsinki and Helsinki City Hall will be illuminated in the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

4.12.2023 | A total of 536 children from 266 municipalities took part in the children's Independence Day celebration at the Government Palace on 4 December. At the beginning of the celebration, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo shook hands with each guest and welcomed them personally to the event. The celebration was organised by the Prime Minister's Office, the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children.

24.11.2025 | The UN’s international Orange the World campaign to end violence against women begins on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November. This year, the focus of the campaign is on eradicating digital violence against women and girls.

22.9.2025 | A total of EUR 238.8 million in appropriations is proposed for the main title of the Prime Minister’s Office. The draft budget appropriations cover the operating expenses of both the Prime Minister’s Office and the Office of the Chancellor of Justice, the salary expenses of ministers, state secretaries and special advisers, as well as subsidies to political parties, among other things.

22.8.2025 | Finland’s state leadership will attend events marking Ukraine’s independence day in Helsinki.

9.9.2022 | Members of the public will have a rare opportunity to explore the Government Palace and House of the Estates at an open house event for the palace’s 200th anniversary on Sunday 25 September. The Government Palace and House of the Estates will open their doors to the public on 25 September at 9.00.

Arppeanum The Arppeanum building was designed by architect Carl Albert Edelfelt and was completed in 1869. It was originally used as a laboratory and museum by the Department of Chemistry at the Imperial Alexander University, which is now the Univ...

Presidential portraits The portraits of all the Presidents of Finland are located in the Government Palace: in the Presidential Room and its waiting room. Presidentti Sauli Niinistö Sata taiteilijaa, 2018 Presidentti Tarja Halonen Rafael Wardi, 20...

16.3.2022 | In its meeting on 16 March 2022, the Ministerial Committee on Economic Policy decided to support the plan to modernise government premises.

Instructions for visitors The visitors' entrance to the Government Palace is via the Information Desk (VN Infopiste), which is through the main entrance on Snellmaninkatu. Please make sure to arrange this in advance with the Government Security Co...

4.2.2022 | Designed by the distinguished German architect Carl Ludvig Engel, the main Government Palace building in Helsinki was completed in 1822. A new trilingual book 200 Years of the Government Palace provides an illustrated history of the building.

24.2.2025 | Ukraine and its people have been fighting against Russia’s illegal war of aggression for three years. The Finnish Government will show its solidarity with Ukraine by flying the Finnish and Ukrainian flags on the anniversary of the start of Russia’s invasion on 24 February. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ main building, Merikasarmi, will be illuminated in the colours of the Ukrainian flag. The Presid...

House of the Estates The House of the Estates is a cultural and historical monument and a government meeting and reception venue located on Snellmaninkatu in the Kruununhaka district of Helsinki, opposite the Bank of Finland. Many people are famil...

22.8.2024 | In honour of Ukrainian Independence Day on Saturday 24 August, the Government will fly the Ukrainian flag at Senate Square in front of the Government Palace and at Martti Ahtisaari Square in the courtyard of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ main building Merikasarmi, which will also be illuminated in blue and yellow in the evening.