10. The Construction of the Stadium and the Tower

Next, Construction of the Stadium and Tower

The construction of the Olympic Stadium began well in advance. The work started in the middle of the coldest winter in 1934 and was completed well before the first planned Olympics in 1938. Jäntti and Lindgren designed the stadium's tower next to the main entrance. Building this structure took four years and required the efforts of over 3,000 people.

The construction of the tower perhaps best reflects Finnish "sisu", the quiet strength we are known for. The white plaster for the tower was delivered to the masons by a single woman, who tirelessly carried the lime plaster on her back to the top of the tower, partially using the stairs and partially using the construction elevator several times a day.

I mean, that mortar must have weighed a ton. She would have surely won gold in weightlifting at those games if she had participated.

I heard somewhere that the stadium tower is also known as the Marathon Tower because it was the first sign for long-distance runners that the finish line was ahead and it was time to gather their last strength and run back to the stadium.

The tower was, of course, intended to house the Olympic flame in 1940. However, the flame could not be lit then because the games did not take place. Instead, the tower served as a guardian of a different kind of fire.

During World War II, it was the most important observation point for air defense and protected Helsinki and its residents. The tower was closed to the public until it was reopened in 1945 when peace returned.