Finland - Turku Åbo

Elodie

Sep 14, 20163 min read

Turku is located in the southwest of Finland. It is the 6th largest city in Finland with 175 000 inhabitants (after Helsinki, Espoo, Tampere, Vantaa, and Oulu).

There is about 160 km between Helsinki (2 hours by bus) and Turku. It is also very close to Stockholm (Sweden) and Tallinn (Estonia), which both can be reached by ferry.

Finland has two official languages, Swedish and Finnish, so everything here is written in both languages. The Swedish name of Turku is Åbo.

Turku is a city on a human scale. Most trips can be done on foot or by bike. There is also a very good bus network.

The city center is located on the market square, called Kauppatori, and the river Aura.

History

Turku is the oldest city of Finland (built in the 13th century). Turku was the Capital of the country before Helsinki. Turku was selected as European Capital of Culture in 2011.

For centuries, Finland has been successively influenced by Sweden and Russia. Sometimes a Swedish duchy, sometimes a Russian occupation, it declared its independence only in 1917. In 1556, the king of Sweden Gustav Vasa erected Finland in Grand Duchy, with Åbo as its capital. Three centuries later, Finland belonged to Russia. In 1812, Tsar Alexander I decreed that Turku was too close to Sweden, and therefore named Helsinki as the new capital of Finland.

A great fire devastated Turku in 1927. There are practically no buildings dating from before the reconstruction of the city.

In 1920 the University of Turku, the country's first Finnish-speaking university, was established.

Monuments

Aura river / Aurajoki

Along the river, there are several boats, open during summer, where you can eat and enjoy a party !

Cathedral / Turun tuomiokirkko

The cathedral was inaugurated in 1300. Then Turku becomes the religious center of Finland. It is a really central monument in Turku, and you will pass by every time you will go downtown.

There are also plenty other religious monuments, such as an Orthodox Church, the Finnish Lutheran Church,a synagogue, the Lutheran Evangelical Churches, a Buddhist temple, etc.

Turku Castle / Turun linna (here and here) :

The history of Turku Castle goes back to 1280's. The Castle has played many roles : defensive bastion, barracks, prison, luxurious palace, warehouse and the seat of the government. Today it is a really important historical monument and it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Finland.

Like the cathedral, it dates from the Middle Ages. It was burnt and ravaged many times (6 times in the 16th century alone, the last fire took place in 1941).

The Castle is arranged for children.

You will be able to see Stone Age Exhibition, Bronze Age Exhibition, Iron Age Exhibition and Medieval Exhibitions (Knights Hall children --> costume of a knight, garments of castle maiden, medieval wooden sculptures), the scale models of “Duke John and Catherina Jagellonica” displaying Renaissance court life, the prison where King Eric XIV was kept, fire fighting equipment and the collections of old toys. If you are interested in guns and medals, there is also plenty to see.

Museum

For those who love museums, you will be happy. Indeed, there is so many museums at Turku : The Museum of Handicrafts, the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Sibelius Museum (on the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius), the museum of the pharmacy, etc...

Turku Museum Centre (here)
The Old Great Square (here)
The Biological Museum (here)
Pharmacy Museum and The Qwensel House (here)
Luostarinmäki Handicrafts Museum (here)
Kylämäki Village (here)
Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art (here) : The Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art is named after the famous sculptor Wäinö Aaltonen (1894–1966).
Concert hall / Turun konserttitalo (here)
Market square / KappatoriTheater : Next to Kauppatori is Kauppahalli, halls dating from 1896.