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 Jär.