Hello again!
Did you bring your umbrella? No? Then you can join mine.
Let’s take a walk together in this beautiful cemetery.
Today we are welcomed at the cemetery of Malmi, located in Helsinki, Finland.
It is the largest cemetery in Finland in terms of burials, founded in 1894.
Approximately 2,000 burials are performed annually.
About 200,000 burials were made during the entire operation of the cemetery.
We are joined by some 50,000 graves throughout the area.
Can you feel the spirits around us?

In 1895 a 2 kilometer long funeral train-rail connection was built.
Because the cemetery was quite far outside the city area.
The train always had 2 hearses for the deceased and 4 passenger cars for the escort and priest.
Locomotives had to get to the cemetery with as little steam as possible to keep the safety valve still, which could disturb the funeral.
The tracks were dismantled in 1954.

The cemetery is divided into grave areas about the many events in history.
In the so-called “red quarter” the Red Guards who fell during the civil war are buried here.
520 finnish and 95 voluntary Estonian soldiers who fell in the Winter and Continuation War (1941 – 1944) are buried in the “Heroes’ Grave”.
Near the hero’s graves are resting spots for almost 80 people who perished in the bombings of Helsinki in 1939 – 1944.
Next to it is a memorial where another 300 victims of the bombings are buried elsewhere.
Also mentioned are the 15 children and the train crew, who died in a train accident in 1940.
The children were being transported to Sweden as war children.
Many well-known Finns rest in Malmi, including Laila Kinnunen (1939-2000), the first singer to represent Finland in the 1961 Eurovision Song Contest.

Malmi Cemetery is a carefully planned and maintained lush park.
The large old spruces, linden and oak trees lining the corridors of the cemetery create a peaceful and precious atmosphere.
Thank you for joining.
Enjoy your walk and i hope to continue our little chat at the next location.
Take care and have a nice day.
PS: A cinematic closing is included at the end 🎵