After Cronstadt the most important naval station on the Baltic

H[elsingfors] is the largest and handsomest town of Finland; the broad streets, consisting of houses painted externally yellow and green, intersect at right angles, and there are several fine public squares. Of the public buildings, the most striking are the residence of the governor, the senate-house, and the university buildings.

Chambers's Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge for the people (1863)