A chapel at a bookshop? A pool table? Why not, welcome to Arkadia International Bookshop in the heart of Helsinki. Operating since 2008, Arkadia is a large second-hand bookshop, a gallery and a venue for a wide range of events. They “offer space for tranquility, writing and thought” (more about the shop here), and are a true cultural phenomenon of the Finnish capital. Located in a stone’s throw from the famous Rock Church, the place might seem small from a first glance, but it is actually very spacious, with two stories: a bright reception space in the ground floor and several spaces in the basement connected in an intricate way!
We were greated by a friendly owner who was very interested to know where we came from and when we told him, shared that his wife worked on a thesis on Gustav Shpet, a philosopher born in Kyiv in the end of the nineteenth century. The owner explained what spaces the bookstore consists of and invited us to stay, relax, browse the shelves or read in one of the comfy leather armchairs. He told that their space is often used by students for studying.
The choice of books is great, the amount is huge, topics are different and the languages vary from English to Russian and Arabic. What I found amazing was that some of the tomes dated way back to the beginning of the twentieth century and looked like true antiquities. I did not dare to purchase something this old for my collection, but opted for a five-euro copy of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Americanah”, which had been on my wish list for a long time.
Unfortunately, I did not see many books on Finland or Finnish history/culture, which was a bit surprising. But other than that, I definitely recommend Arkadia for stocking up with inexpensive high-quality literature, catching up on your studies or speding a quiet reading afternoon. Or perhaps a pleasant chit-chat with an owner 🙂
Location: Nervanderinkatu 11, Helsinki, Finland
