The House of Finland in St Petersburg is the only centre of Finnish culture, science and business in Russia. It will accommodate the Institute of Finland, governments of the largest Finnish cities, a Helsinki Centre, the Finnish Association of Foreign Trade (Finpro), St Petersburg office of the Finnish-Russian Chamber of Commerce, a children's educational centre of the Finnish Consulate General and other cultural and business organisations. The complex will have rooms for the work of students, artists and researchers.
The implementation of the project began in 2006. The first part of the House of Finland (façade wing) was commissioned in October 2009, and the second is planned for mid-2010.
The opening of the House of Finland is dated to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the Finnish autonomy within the Russian Empire.
A land plot on Bolshaya Konyushennaya Street was granted to the Finnish church community by Empress Anna Ioannovna in 1734. A complex of buildings at 4, 6, and 8 Bolshaya Konyushennaya Street was designed by architect Harald Bosse in 1842-1847 and was initially intended for the Finnish church of St Mary, a town church and a Finnish school. Parish schools, orphanages and hospices were opened in the buildings. The first school principal was Uno Signeus (1810-1888), a famous Finnish pedagogue, founder of the general education system in Finland. Here a Finnish charity conducted its activities, newspapers were edited, including Peterburgskiye Vesti (St Petersburg News) in Finnish (1870-1873), and A.I. Lineberg's shop sold Finnish factory products. There was also a Swedish-Finnish bookshop founded in 1877 and a Finnish library.
The St Petersburg Foundation organised the Finland House project in St Petersburg. The Institute of Finland in St Petersburg, acting under the aegis of the Foundation, is responsible for its implementation.
The Institute of Finland in St Petersburg is an autonomous non-profit organisation, one of 17 Institutes of Finland round the world. The Institute of Finland in St Petersburg and its supporting St Petersburg Foundation were established in 1992. They were founded by 36 Finnish cities, universities, societies, churches and enterprises.
The main task of the Institute of Finland in St Petersburg is to develop cooperation between Russia, Finland and the Baltic countries in science and culture. The Institute serves as a cultural centre uniting all those who are interested in history and life in modern Finland.
The Director of the Institute of Finland in St Petersburg is Mira Pitkanen.