Turku Castle
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Turku Castle (Finnish: Turun linna, Swedish: Åbo slott) is a medieval building in the city of Turku in Finland. Together with Turku Cathedral, the castle is one of the oldest buildings still in use and the largest surviving medieval building in Finland. It was founded in the late 13th century and stands on the banks of the Aura River. The castle served as a bastion and administrative centre in Eastland, as Finland was known during its time as a province of Sweden. Only once did the castle figure in the defence of the realm, when Russian invaders from Novgorod destroyed Turku in 1318. It more frequently played a role in internal struggles for power within Sweden and the Kalmar Union. The castle's heyday was in the mid-16th century during the reign of Duke John of Finland and Catherine Jagellon. That was when the Renaissance Floor and King's and Queen's hall were built, along with other features. It lost its status as an administrative centre in the 17th century after Per Brahe's period as governor-general of Finland came to an end. Turku castle is today Finland's most visited museum, with attendance reaching 200,000 in some years. In addition, many of the larger rooms are used for municipal functions. The Turku Castle is the setting for the fairy tale The Tomten in Åbo Castle written by Zachris Topelius in 1849. At the time of writing, Turku Castle was badly damaged, and just like Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre-Dame in the case of Notre-Dame de Paris, the story of Topelius had a major influence on the desire to restore this important landmark of Turku. The walls of the castle or the castle itself are also featured in many Finnish films. These include the adventure film Sadan miekan mies from 1951 directed by Ilmari Unho and drama film The Girl King from 2015 directed by Mika Kaurismäki.
Ngo Hai AnhNgo Hai Anh
40
I bought the museum card and visited several museums on my trip to Finland, and this was easily my favorite of them all. It was so much more extensive than I expected. At first, I thought it was just a walk-through of the medieval castle, but there was a lot more to see than just that. The portion showcasing historical items and especially historical clothing was excellent. Considering that this isn’t even a museum specializing in historical clothing, the displays were very thorough, with really interesting descriptions that included more than just basic information. I also loved how the mannequins were styled with “hair” to give the full impression of the historical style. I don’t typically see that in displays of historical clothing. I also liked the part of the castle where there were recreations of rooms in the castle through different periods of history. Unfortunately by that point, I was running short on time, so I only got to look at each one briefly. If you are interested in these kind of things, make sure to allow yourself enough time here. All the staff were very nice throughout the museum, and there are free lockers and restrooms.
Samantha TSamantha T
00
Despite Turku Castle's rich history and knowledgeable staff, our overall experience was marred by an unexpected policy regarding ticket validity. On our first visit, we purchased tickets in the late afternoon but didn't have time to explore the entire castle. When we returned the following day to continue our tour, we were informed that we needed to purchase new tickets, despite having paid €14 each for the original tickets. While some of the staff members were genuinely passionate about sharing the castle's history, our encounter with the older lady at the reception left a sour taste. Her dismissive attitude and the lack of flexibility regarding ticket validity tarnished our overall impression of the castle. It's disheartening to see a place with such a rich heritage adopting a money-oriented approach that prioritizes ticket sales over customer satisfaction. We suggest that Turku Castle consider extending the validity of their tickets to 24 hours, allowing visitors to fully explore the castle at their own pace without the burden of purchasing multiple tickets. This change would be more customer-friendly and align with the spirit of a historical landmark that deserves to be appreciated and understood in its entirety.
Ohayō PhilOhayō Phil
00
It is one of the tourist spots in Turku . It was initially built as a forward post in the thirteenth century . The place was then an island . Later the area joined up with the land . It later served as office , ammunition store & even as the Ducal palace . The checkered history of the castle is quite fascinating . It changed hands a few times between the Danes , the Swedes & the Russians . It was destroyed badly in the Russo Finnish war of 1939-40 . It was later restored over a period of several decades . The structure is bold but minimalistic . You don’t find the usual opulence of European castles . However it has been converted into an excellent museum . The museum not only houses the history of this castle but the history & culture of the Finns across centuries . It took us more than two hours just to stroll through all the rooms . Guides are available , there are downloadable audio apps , but one may or may not need them . The staff is friendly , we had a nice chat with one of them about the Finnish history of 20th century .
susruta bandyopadhyaysusruta bandyopadhyay
10
You think you have seen castles and all kind of museum, then you see what Turku prepared for its tourists in this castle. Definitely worth a visit, but take your time and plan with at least 4 hours for it. It seems so small, but then you spend easily 4 hours in this castle. Room after Room, exhibition after exhibition, and everything well prepared and described. We booked the tour with a human guide in english, which was a good friendly and well educated tour guide. She went into details, answered all questions, and even connected the dots to Swedish and Finish legends/tails that we knew from other castle tours in Poland, Finland and Sweden. Some exhibitions had no text in english, but with the mass of stuff to see there, it could be neglected. Very cool we found the idea with interactive multilingual tablets to support the exhibition items explanation. I hope it stays this way, we will certainly recommend it and come back to this castle. :-)
T. H.T. H.
10
Turku Castle is often highlighted as a main attraction in Turku. From the outside, it’s a beautiful historic building that catches the eye, and we decided to check it out. Tickets cost us 21 Euros for one adult and one student, which seemed reasonable at first. Inside, there were various exhibits [featuring medieval artifacts, armor, and period furniture], but honestly, the experience didn’t quite meet expectations. The setup was more subdued, and I was hoping for something a bit more interactive or adventurous—maybe a climb up a tall tower to get a view over Turku. Instead, the interior was relatively flat in experience, and the outside area offered little more than some benches. Overall, the visit didn’t feel like it was worth the ticket price, and if you’re looking for an exciting castle experience, there are other options in Finland that might offer more.
Isuru ChamaraIsuru Chamara
00
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Address
Linnankatu 80, 20100 Turku, Finland
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Phone
+358 2 2620300
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Website
turunlinna.fi
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Description
Turku Castle is a medieval building in the city of Turku in Finland. Together with Turku Cathedral, the castle is one of the oldest buildings still in use and the largest surviving medieval building in Finland. It was founded in the late 13th century and stands on the banks of the Aura River.
attractions: Forum Marinum, Suomen Joutsen, Linnanpuisto – Castle Park, restaurants: Nobi
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