This statue along the esplanade is to Johan Ludvig Runeberg, the Finnish national poet (1804-1877). Runeberg is depicted wearing a priest’s coat. His right arm is resting on his chest with the thumb underneath the coat as if he is about to begin a speech.
He was the author of the lyrics to Vårt land (Our Land) that became the Finnish National Anthem. He was also involved in the modernization of the Finnish Lutheran hymnal.
It is worth noting that the granite pedestal has a statue of the Maiden of Finland, wrapped in a bearskin and in her left hand is holding a tabled with the words of the Finnish national anthem in Swedish. In her right hand, a laurel wreath.
[Review 10071 overall, 1656 of 2018.]
Link: J. L. Runebergin patsas, Helsinki, FI (11-24-2018)
