The main Christmas tree in Finland is traditionally set up in Turku and this is where most of the country's festive events take place. The city has been known as a cultural and scientific center of the Scandinavian Peninsula since the 13th century. Even then, schools operated in Turku, and in the first half of the 17th century, the first university in Finland, the Abo Royal Academy, was opened here, where teaching was conducted in Latin, and students studied mathematics, natural history, law and theology. If you decide to spend your winter holidays in Finland and are looking for information on what to see in Turku, pay attention to the large number of museum exhibitions dedicated to the most different aspects of city and country life. Musical festivals take place in Turku in summer, and famous European groups come to city theaters on tour.
TOP 10 attractions in Turku
Old square
The historical square of Turku originated in the early Middle Ages and throughout its history served as an important political, commercial, administrative and cultural center of the city. The most significant buildings in Turku are located here - the Abo Academy, the secretariat of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Swedish Lyceum. The façade of the Brinkkala mansion opens onto the square, from the balcony of which the traditional "Christmas world" is proclaimed.
In summer, Old Square hosts the Medieval Days festival, and in winter, New Year's fairs with souvenirs and Christmas treats open.
Abor Castle
The first crusade to Finland was made by the Swedish monarch Eric IX in the middle of the 12th century, and half a century later, the Pope recognized the right of the Swedish king to appoint bishops to Finland, which meant the country's transfer to the complete protectorate of a neighbor. It was then that the Swedes began construction of the castle, which is now called a model of medieval fortified buildings in the Scandinavian region.
In the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance, the small fortress was rebuilt and expanded several times. The appearance that Turku Castle has today was acquired in the 16th century.
The fortress was intended for military purposes, and a garrison was quartered in the castle. In addition, the building served as an important administrative center, and during their stay in Finland, Swedish monarchs stayed here.
Gradually losing its original purpose in the era of the onset of the Renaissance, the building was converted into a residential palace, but it did not have to stay like that for long. As a result of family strife in 1563, brother Eric XIV ascended the throne, who turned the castle into a prison.
Today, the city history museum is open in the Turku fortress.
Cathedral
In 1300, the temple, now called the main Lutheran church in Finland, was solemnly consecrated in honor of the Virgin Mary. Today it houses the bishop's pulpit, and the cathedral is the city's cathedral. It took almost half a century to build the temple, but the result was worth it. The cathedral is called an example of the Scandinavian North Gothic style in architecture:
- The height of the vaults of the central nave is 24 m.
- The tower of the cathedral, rebuilt after a severe fire in 1827, rises 101 m.
- The temple is the architectural dominant of Turku and is visible from almost anywhere in the city.
- The interiors were designed by the outstanding architect of German origin Karl Engel. It is he who owns the projects of most of the buildings in Helsinki, built in the classicism style.
- The vaults and walls above the altar are decorated with frescoes by Robert Wilhelm Ekman, who used scenes from the Kalevala folk epic in his work. The theme of the frescoes in the cathedral is the expulsion of Christianity from Finland.
In the southern gallery of the main temple of Turku, you can see the exhibits of the Cathedral Museum.
Luostarinmaki Crafts Museum
Fans of open-air museums, the Finns are right in their own way: in such places you can feel the spirit of the country, feel its history, get acquainted with the customs of local residents and see their way of life. The Handicraft Museum in Turku is also no exception, and during its visit, guests will find a fascinating excursion into the history of Finnish artisans.
Three dozen authentic wooden houses, located in several blocks, have been carefully preserved in their original places. They represent the traditional craft traditions of the inhabitants of this region of Finland - carpentry, growing crops, fishing science, the art of repairing watches and other useful skills and abilities.
The first houses in this area of Turku were built in the 18th century. The uniqueness of Luostarinmäki lies in the fact that all buildings previously existed on this site. Such a genuine integrity can no longer be found in the famous ethnographic museums of the world.
Pharmacy Museum
The only pharmacy museum of its kind in Finland in Turku is small but very interesting and cozy. It was opened in 1958 in the house of the burgher Quensel. The building is of no less interest than the actual museum exposition. The restored mansion was built in the 18th century. in a typical urban style. The gable roof with chimneys is covered with tiles. The windows are decorated with white shutters, and the house itself is hidden behind a hedge of bushes.
The exposition of the museum is devoted to the history of pharmacology. The stands showcase the original equipment of the pharmacy laboratory of the 1920s. of the last century, in which prescription mixtures, potions, powders and other medicines prescribed by zemstvo doctors to patients were made.
Moomin country
The most famous children's writer from Finland Tove Jansson glorified the fabulous Moomins, making them the favorites of children and adults all over the world. Unsurprisingly, the country has a theme park dedicated to Moomin Heroes. It is located a few kilometers west of Turku near the town of Naantali and is very popular with tourists.
The location of Moomin-country is Kylo Island in the historic center of Naantali. The island is connected to the mainland by a pontoon bridge, and in winter time the park can be accessed by ice. True, in winter Moomin Country is closed: you can walk there, but no events are held, and the attractions are closed.
But in the period from the first week of summer to its last days, Moomin Park is revitalized. Guests are greeted by the heroes of the books of Tove Jansson, numerous entertainments help to have fun and interesting time, and in the open-air theater several times a day there are performances on the themes of books about Moomins.
The lovers use the park territory for the wedding ceremony. This service is available and the administration is happy to arrange Moomin style weddings.
Art Museum
If you are into painting, a tour of the Fine Arts Museum will surely interest you. In Turku, you can see a collection of paintings from famous Finnish and Swedish artists.
The undoubted pearls of the collection are the works of Axel Gallen-Kallela, who illustrated the Karelian epic "Kalevala", Albart Edelfelt, who painted canvases in the stele of monumental painting, and Helena Schjerfbeck, the famous Scandinavian representative of Art Nouveau.
Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova
The first museum from the Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova complex appeared in Turku in 1995. It was founded in the mansion of a former tobacco magnate, but during the restoration work in the Rettig Palace, where it was planned to open an exhibition of works of modern art, it became clear that it was time to invite archaeologists. It turned out that the palace was built on the ruins of a medieval city. After the excavations and their restoration, a second museum dedicated to the archeology of the old city appeared at the famous address.
The collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art presents over 500 works of contemporary Finnish and international sculptors and artists. At Aboa Vetus, guests are greeted by the carefully guarded ruins of medieval Turku - an entire city quarter built in the 15th century.
Center for the Study of Navigation
Forum Marinum opened in 1991 as a result of the merger of two museums - maritime and maritime history. Its tasks are to study the history of navigation and shipbuilding and museum activities aimed at promoting knowledge among the younger generation.
The permanent exhibition invites museum visitors in Turku to look at rarities that illustrate a whole layer of the history of maritime affairs:
- The exhibition "At the shipyards" tells about the technologies of building ships from the era of sailing ships to the present day.
- The exposition "At the Engine Plant" acquaints visitors with the history of the emergence of power engines.
- The exhibition "Five Lives of National Treasure" is dedicated to the history of the sailing ship Suomen Joutsen - a training ship of the Finnish Navy.
- An exposition about cruise tourism has been opened on board the motor ship Bore.
- The history of the fight against maritime smuggling can be found at the exhibition dedicated to the Customs Service.
The museum houses the largest collections of sea mines and outboard motors in the country.
Suomen Joutsen
This is how the name of the sailing ship sounds in the Russian transcription, which the Finns dubbed a national treasure. There is a museum on board the legendary vessel, located next to the Center for the Study of Navigation in Turku.
For the first time, the now training ship was launched in 1902. It was a cargo ship and worked on shipments in the North Atlantic. The sailboat experienced storms more than once, collided with other ships and flew into stone docks, until in 1930 it became a training ship. In this capacity, the frigate was much more fortunate, and he was able to record eight long-term oceanic expeditions to its credit.
In the second half of the twentieth century. there was a professional sailing school on board, and since 1991 Suomen Joutsen has become a joke and turned into a museum.
