Finnish national symbols

Finnish national symbols are natural symbols or Finnish national works and prominent figures that are commonly associated with Finland.[1] The most recognized national symbols include the flag of Finland and the lion featured on the Finnish coat of arms.[2]

National symbols

Type	Symbol	Image
National flag	Finnish flag[2]
Coat of arms	Finnish coat of Arms[2]
National epic	Kalevala[3][4]
National anthem	Maamme[5][6]
National day	Finnish independence day[7][8]
National instrument	Kantele[9][10]
National personification	The Maiden of Finland[11][12]
National shrine	Turku Cathedral (unofficial)[13]

National symbols from nature

Stamp featuring the brown bear, the national animal.

Type	Symbol	Image
National animal	Brown bear[14][15][16]
National horse	Finnhorse[17]
National insect	Seven-spot ladybird[16][18]
National fish	European perch[16][18]
Floral emblem	Lily of the valley[14][16]
National stone	Granite[16][19]
National dog	Finnish Spitz[20]
National bird	Whooper swan[16][18]
National butterfly	Holly blue[21]
National tree	Silver Birch[16][18]

Prominent national figures

Figure	Name	Image
National saint	Bishop Henry[22]
National poet	J. L. Runeberg and Eino Leino[23]
National philosopher	J. V. Snellman[24]
National writer	Aleksis Kivi[25]
National composer	Jean Sibelius[26]
National artist	Akseli Gallen-Kallela[27]
National athlete	Paavo Nurmi[28]

See also

• Finlandia
• Björneborgarnas marsch
• Sisu
• Folklore of Finland
• National landscapes of Finland

References

1. Halonen, Tero (2005). Aro, Laura (ed.). Suomalaisten symbolit [Finnish symbols] (in Finnish). Jyväskylä: Atena. ISBN 9517963947. OCLC 71370819.
2. Klinge, Matti (1999). Suomen sinivalkoiset värit. Kansallisten ja muidenkin symbolien vaiheista ja merkityksestä [The blue and white colours of Finland: The meanings and phases of national and other symbols] (in Finnish) (3rd ed.). Helsinki: Otava. ISBN 9789511153146. OCLC 58323536.
3. Piela, Ulla; Knuuttila, Seppo; Laaksonen, Pekka (2008). Kalevalan kulttuurihistoria [Cultural history of the Kalevala] (in Finnish). Helsinki: Finnish Literature Society. ISBN 9789522220073. OCLC 318996067.
4. Vento, Urpo (1992). "The Role of The Kalevala" (PDF). Nordic Journal of African Studies. Finland: Finnish Literature Society. 1 (2): 82–93. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
5. Kolbe, Laura; Valjus, Risto; Wrede, Johan (1998). Soi sana kultainen. Maamme-laulun viisitoista vuosikymmentä ["Sound, the golden word": Fifteen decades of the national anthem] (in Finnish). Helsinki: Yliopistopaino. ISBN 9789515703934. OCLC 40753314.
6. Gábor, Richly (February 2010). "A finn nemzeti himnusz" [The Finnish national anthem]. Kortárs (in Hungarian). Budapest. 54 (2) – via Electronic Periodical Archives and Database.
7. Närhinen, Salla; Tiitta, Allan (2006). Maamme-laulusta joulukuun kuudenteen [From the national anthem to December sixth]. Helsinki: Topelius-seura. ISBN 9789529199365. OCLC 251347680.
8. Kolbe, Laura (30 November 2011). "Linnan juhlia vuodesta 1919" [The castle celebrating since 1919]. Tiede (in Finnish). Retrieved 29 November 2017.
9. Pekka, Jalkanen; Laitinen, Heikki; Tenhunen, Anna-Liisa; Blomster, Risto (2010). Kantele (in Finnish). Helsinki: Finnish Literature Society. ISBN 9789522221018. OCLC 650841341.
10. Rahkonen, Carl (December 1989). The Kantele Traditions of Finland (PhD thesis). Bloomington, Indiana: Folklore Institute, Indiana University – via Carl Rahkonen's Kantele Site.
11. Aimo, Reitala (1983). Suomi-neito. Suomen kuvallisen henkilöitymän vaiheet [The Finnish maiden: The stages of Finnish pictorial personification] (in Finnish). Helsinki: Otava. ISBN 951107430X. OCLC 13022040.
12. Tommila, Päiviö (2008). "Kuinka Suomi-neidon muotoinen kartta-Suomi syntyi?" [How come the Finnish maiden was born in the shape of Finland's map?] (PDF). Maankäyttö (in Finnish). Retrieved 29 November 2017.
13. "Kansallispyhäkkö" [National shrine] (in Finnish). Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
14. Poutanen, Terho (27 March 1996). "Karhu on kansalliseläimemme" [The bear is our national animal]. Luonnonsuojelija (in Finnish). Helsinki. 4: 12. ISSN 0788-8708. OCLC 925103096. Archived from the original on 6 June 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2019 – via Finnish Association for Nature Conservation. Slightly abridged.
15. "Karhu on Suomen kansalliseläin" [The bear is Finland's national animal]. Yle Oppiminen (in Finnish). Yle. 16 September 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
16. "Sanotaan että joutsen on Suomen lintu. Onko näin?" [It's said that the swan is Finland's national animal. Is that so?]. Kysy.fi (in Finnish). Helsinki Metropolitan Area Libraries. 10 December 2004. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
17. "Suomenhevosesta Suomen kansallishevonen" [The Finnhorse, Finland's national horse]. Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Yle. 13 February 2007. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
18. "Suomen kansalliset luontotunnukset" [Finnish national symbols from nature]. arkisto.sll.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Association for Nature Conservation. Archived from the original on 6 June 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
19. "Maakuntakivet" [The province stones]. gtk.fi (in Finnish). Geological Survey of Finland. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
20. "Suomenpystykorva: Rotukuvaus - Yleistä" [Finnish Spitz: Breed description - Overview]. Suomen Pystykorvajärjestö (in Finnish). Retrieved 5 December 2017.
21. "Paatsamasinisiipi äänestettiin Suomen kansallisperhoseksi – "pieni mutta sisukas"" [The Holly blue was voted to be Finland's national butterfly - "small but mettlesome"]. Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 14 June 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
22. Palola, Ari-Pekka (1997). "Henrik (1100-luku)" [Henry (12th century)]. Studia Biographica (in Finnish). Finnish Literature Society. 4. Retrieved 5 December 2017 – via Suomen kansallisbiografia.
23. Rahikainen, Esko (January 2004). "Kansallisrunoilijan syntymästä 200 vuotta" [200 years since the birth of the national poet]. Verkkari (in Finnish). 4 (1). OCLC 971571888 – via Helsinki University Library.
24. "Tämä mies virallisti markan ja suomen" [This man formalized the Finnish markka and the Finnish language]. Uusi Suomi (in Finnish). 12 May 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
25. Nieminen, Kirsti (2003). "Kansalliskirjailijaa muistetaan lokakuussa". Ajastaika (in Finnish) (3). Ajasto. Archived from the original on 1 September 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
26. Lindfors, Jukka. "Kansallissäveltäjä Jean Sibelius". yle.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 5 December 2017.
27. "Matkalla Ainon maisemissa" [Traveling through the landscapes of Aino]. Kaleva (in Finnish). 11 September 2002. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
28. "Paavo Nurmi - Olympic Athletics" [Paavo Nurmi is one of the most successful male athletes in Olympic history and one of only four athletes to win nine Olympic gold medals.]. Olympic. Retrieved 2 December 2020.