Kaivopuisto (Swedish: Brunnsparken), or, if you speak English, Brunsan, is one of the oldest and most famous parks in central Helsinki, Finland, and in the area with a population of about 500 people.
In the south of Kaivopuisto, it borders the Gulf of Finland. In the north there is a residential area with official private residences of several foreign ambassadors to Finland, including the USA, Estonia, Spain, France, Belgium, Brazil, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK.
Kaivopuisto offers several hectares of parks, both on flat ground and on rocks. The park also includes traces of stone fortifications built in the 18th century. Every summer thousands of Helsinki citizens come to Kaivopuisto to sunbathe, have a picnic or go in for sports. The biggest hill in the park is a favorite sledding slope in winter.
Kaivopuisto's popularity peak is on Wappu Day (May 1), just after the previous Walpurgis Night celebrations in the city centre. Wappu Kaivopuisto is filled with tens of thousands of Helsinki citizens who come for a picnic with their friends and family. Fancy costumes, loud music and excessive alcohol consumption are routine for a picnic in Wappu. All participants who have completed the Finnish Matriculation Exam usually wear hats for students on a picnic. A yellow student hat is perceived as a sign of prestige.
Since the mid 1970s, there have been several concerts in the park in summer with classical music, but more often with pop and rock music, usually with Finnish artists.
Kaivopuisto also includes Kaivohuone, a famous restaurant and night club from the 1830s, the Ursa and Villa Kleineh observatories, the oldest villa in the area.
In 2020, the traditional May holidays in Kaivopuisto were abolished in favor of online events.
