Helsinki’s historic Uusi ylioppilastalo building closes after 116 years

The Eteläsuomalainen Osakunta (ESO) student guild shut the doors of Helsinki’s landmark Uusi ylioppilastalo for the last time on Wednesday evening, ending 116 years of student life in the Mannerheimintie building, Yle reports.

The Helsinki University Student Union (HYY), which owned the property, sold the building following failed real estate investments, forcing ESO and other student organizations to vacate. Around 50 current and former guild members gathered for a farewell celebration, toasting with sparkling wine as the doors closed for the final time.

ESO, representing students from southern Finland, was among the original tenants when the building was completed in 1910. “It is right that we are the last to close the door,” said current guild curator Riina Leinikki.

The event drew alumni from past decades, including former curators Laura Kolbe and Arja Kosonen, who described the moment as “the end of an era.” Kolbe, who also served as the guild’s university liaison, called student guilds “the best possible training for working life,” emphasizing their role in teaching responsibility.

A dusty wine bottle hidden in a radiator in 2017 by former member Juha Savolainen was uncovered during the festivities. Savolainen, who had long waited for its discovery, admitted he no longer recalled why he had concealed it.

Professor Tuomas Heikkilä, ESO’s current liaison and a member since 1992, struck a hopeful note in his speech. “Student guilds have improved the world for 400 years,” he said. “The very idea of Finland and Finnish identity comes from them. We still have a future ahead.”

Heikkilä acknowledged the building’s symbolic weight—its staircases trodden by generations—but urged members to focus on what lies ahead. “Soon the nameplate and coat of arms will be gone. The new owner will likely erase every academic trace from these steps. But ESO already has its sights set on a new address.”

Student guilds in Finnish universities, such as ESO, are regional associations where members from the same home area gather. Helsinki University alone hosts 15 such guilds, spanning all faculties.