Munkkivuori

Munkkivuori
Munkshöjden
Position of Munkkivuori within Helsinki
Position of Munkkivuori within Helsinki
Country Finland
RegionUusimaa
Sub-regionGreater Helsinki
MunicipalityHelsinki
DistrictWestern
Subdivision regionsis a quarter of the Munkkiniemi neighbourhood
Area
114 km2 (44 sq mi)
Population
4 958 (31 December 2,021)[1]
Postal codes
00350
Subdivision number304
Neighbouring subdivisionsVanha Munkkiniemi
Talinranta
Tali
Pitäjänmäen teollisuusalue
Etelä-Haaga
Niemenmäki

Munkkivuori (Swedish: Munkshöjden, literally 'Monk Mountain') is a quarter of the Munkkiniemi neighbourhood in Helsinki. The buildings and the plan of site are typical of the late 1950s. Most of the residential buildings in Munkkivuori are within a loop formed by Ulvilantie ring road. The automotive traffic to the residential buildings is routed along Ulvilantie whereas Raumantie no through road terminating in the center of the Ulvilantie loop provides access to public services and limits the through-traffic in residential areas. A designed network of crushed stone walkways provides easy accessibility around Munkkivuori for cyclists, pedestrians and other non-automotive traffic.

Munkkivuoren ostoskeskus (Munkkivuori shopping centre), the first shopping centre in Finland, was built in 1959. The small shopping center, known as "Ostari" amongst the locals, is the focal point of Munkkivuori and is the home to some 40 companies.[2] Many everyday services are available at the viable shopping center. These services include two grocery stores, a cafeteria, a nearby church, a couple of barber shops and fast food restaurants, a pharmacy, a privately owned health center, ATM, a bookstore and an Alko liquor store. There are three educational institutions in Munkkivuori; the Franco-Finnish school, the Munkkivuoren Ala-Aste comprehensive school and a pre-school with a kindergarten. A youth center is located in the same building with the pre-school. Helsinki City Transport buses number 20, 30, 33, 34, 35, 52, 57 and 500 provide public traffic connections to Munkkivuori.

The Industrial zone of Pitäjänmäki limits Munkkivuori geographically in the North whereas the national road number 1 to Turku separates Munkkivuori from Vanha Munkkiniemi in the South. In the East, Huopalahdentie road draws a border between the neighbouring quarters of Niemenmäki and Etelä-Haaga. A footpath from Munkkiniemen puisto park to the mansion of Tali, excluding the mansion itself, lines the border of Munkkivuori in the West.

Tali outdoor walking area with its sports facilities such as tennis, squash, soccer and bowling centers forms roughly half of Munkkivuori. All of the sports centers have indoors facilities providing all-year access to these sports. Additionally, outdoor soccer, tennis and rugby fields exist for summertime use. The soccer fields occupy a large area of Munkkivuori and are among the biggest in Helsinki. Both sand and grass soccer fields are available. Apart from the sports facility buildings there are no buildings in the outdoor area. The Tali 18-hole golf course is partially in Munkkivuori although the majority of the golf course resides in Tali quarter. The Tali allotment gardens, the main horse racing track of Finland, Vermo, and a couple of disc golf courses are in the vicinity of Munkkivuori.