The incredible Burger King in the middle of Helsinki’s Central Station is often considered “the most beautiful” fast food chain building in the world.
It is not often that tourists flock to an American-owned fast food chain while sight-seeing in Finland – but this Burger King is an exception. Tourists claim that the spacious, cathedral-ceiling hall looks more like a museum than a burger spot.
Burger King drew controversy in Finland when it moved into the site in 2014 – opening only its second restaurant in the Finnish capital. Dozens of people filed complaints with the Finnish Heritage Agency voicing concerns that the fast food restaurant would damage the building’s historic qualities.
The historic building was built in the middle of World War 1, the Russian Revolution, and the Finnish Civil War before opening in 1919.
But the fast food chain is set to leave the site this year after the Finnish state rail company VR did not renew its contract with the burger giant.
Burger King will instead open a kiosk in the station while VR will transform the grand hall back into a meeting place for travellers.
The railway station was originally designed by famous architect Eliel Saarinen to be the Russian Empire’s westernmost station, but by the time it was opened, it was the main train station of the newly independent Republic of Finland.
When it moved in, the fast food giant kept the grand hall’s distinct character, including an impressive fresco painting from Finnish painter Eero Järnefelt which hangs above the order station.
It also houses a chandelier and features an Art Deco entrance with an ornate glass archway.
YouTuber Dave Seminara, also known as Mad Traveler, visited the fast food chain’s restaurant while in Helsinki, describing it as a must-visit spot in the Finnish capital.
He said: “I think we just stumbled across the most beautiful Burger King in the world. It’s inside the art deco Helsinki Central Station. This is beautiful, check it out.
“Could you believe this is a Burger King? Look at this place. Absolutely the fanciest Burger King in the world, it’s got to be.”
One of the staff members Dave was interviewed in the video and said the hall’s beauty was “why I came to work here”.
On Reddit, the Burger King site is regularly praised for its unique features. User lostonyou posted: “That has to be the best looking fast food restaurants.”
Along with its beautiful decor, the Finnish Burger King restaurant also have unique menu items that cannot be bought in other countries. This includes a pineapple and bacon chicken burger as well as a popcorn and caramel-flavoured milkshake.
However, tourists do not have much time left to enjoy a burger in the historic building.
