Olympic Village
Helsinki boasts two Olympic Villages, both of them in the district of Käpylä.
An Olympic Village composed of 23 buildings was also planned at Käpylä for the Games of the Olympiad in 1940. Although these Games were cancelled because of the Second World War, the buildings designed for around 3,200 athletes and 500 families were still built as planned and helped to relieve the housing shortage in the capital.
When Helsinki won the right to stage the 1952 Olympic Games, what became the Helsinki Olympic Village was built near the 23 buildings from 1940 at Käpylä.
The Helsinki Olympic Village was also repurposed for social housing, as originally planned, in response to Finland’s housing crisis at the time. In what is now a sought-after and tranquil part of the city, the two Olympic Villages remain popular with residents today for their beautiful, leafy surroundings as well as their high-quality construction and appealing architecture.
The Olympic Village was conveniently located near the Olympic venues and both outdoor and indoor training facilities. It housed 4,800 athletes in 545 apartments, spread across 13 buildings, but could not provide accommodation for all the competitors. With the IOC’s permission, the remaining 2,500 athletes and coaches stayed at existing sites in and around the city.