Hotel Torni

This article is about Sokos hotel in Helsinki, Finland. For the Sokos hotel of a similar name in Tampere, see Hotel Torni Tampere.

Hotel Torni (lit. 'Hotel Tower') is a historical hotel located in Kamppi, Helsinki, Finland, and a part of the Sokos Hotels hotel chain. When opened in 1931, it became the tallest building in Finland, a position it maintained until the completion of the new Neste headquarters in neighboring Espoo in 1976. It remained the tallest building in Helsinki until it was overtaken by Itäkeskuksen maamerkki in 1987. The interior of the building was completely renovated in 2005. It is located in central Helsinki, in the so-called Helsinki Design District.

Sokos Hotel Torni
Hotel Torni, seen from its northern side in 2007
Hotel chain	Sokos Hotels
General information
Location	Kamppi, Helsinki, Finland
Address	Yrjönkatu 26 FI-00100 Helsinki
Coordinates	60°10′04″N 24°56′18″E
Opening	1931
Height	69.5 m (228 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	14
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Jung & Jung
Other information
Number of rooms	152
Number of suites	14
Number of restaurants	4
Website
www.sokoshotels.fi

History

The hotel was designed by architects Jung & Jung in 1928, and has 14 stories. It is allegedly the place where the murder of the Mata Hari-like Minna Craucher was planned in 1932.

The hotel served the needs of air defense during the Second World War, when members of the Finnish women's paramilitary organization Lotta Svärd used it as a watchtower to spot Soviet bombers. Immediately after the cessation of the war, Hotelli Torni served as the headquarters of the Allied Control Commission monitoring Finnish compliance with the obligations of the Moscow Armistice. It became known as a center of culinary excellence.

Lee Harvey Oswald, who would later assassinate John F. Kennedy, stayed in the hotel from 10 to 11 October 1959, while on his way to defect to the USSR.

Restaurants

In Hotel Torni, there are several restaurants including Ravintola Torni (dining), Ateljee Bar (top of the tower with view over downtown Helsinki, known especially for the toilets which have scenic glass walls to the outside), American Bar (American style bar), and O'Malley's (Irish bar). The Ateljee Bar provides a monthly changing art exhibition featuring Finnish artists.

See also

• List of tallest buildings in Finland
• Hotel Kämp
• Hotel Marski
• Palace Hotel

External links

• Sokos Hotel Torni: history
• A video starring Hotel Torni
• Helsinki Design District
• Ateljee Bar Artist of the Month