Turku (volume I)

Europe » Finland » Southwest Finland » Turku

Sergey Kuznetsov
December 31st 2006

[h2]Introduction[/h2]
We went to Turku on our Scandinavian way from Russia to Germany. The First day: Moscow-Vyborg. The second day: Vyborg-Turku.
The city of Turku is an administrative centre of a province the Western Finland, is located in a southwest of the country in a mouth of Aurajoki River.
The city is widely stretched on the both coasts of Aurajoki close to its mouth. The river crosses Turku from northeast to southwest. A lay-out in the city centre is rectangular - all streets last either in parallel the river, or perpendicular to it. Central square Kauppatori (i.e. Market-square) is located in a right-bank part of Turku. All the main sights are concentrated at Aurajoki's coasts.
The atmosphere of this region in many respects is defined by the sea. The coastal area around of present city Turku refers to Varsinais - Suomi, in translation "Actual Finland", or "Native Finland" because it was one of the centres, gradual settling the country whence had begun from there.
From the XVIIth century Swedes founded trading numerous settlements on the coast, basically for export of wood and pitch necessary for military fleet of the country.
Swedes concern to this region with curiosity, naming it "parallel Sweden"

Turku Castle - Irina, Vinika and Pilar

(Parallels verige).
Turku is the basic port connecting Finland with Sweden and Aland islands. Numerous sea vessels ply along southern coast of the country.
Ferry moorings are in 3 kilometres to a southwest from the city centre. We have taken advantage of ferry Silja-line to go from Turku to Stockholm.

[h2]The province of the Western Finland[/h2]

The province of the Western Finland is a special, Sweden-Finnish part of the country - first of all, from the point of view of history and culture as it is located close to Sweden though has no overland border with it.
They say that the most part of the population speaks in-Sweden there, and settlements have two names - Finnish and Swedish, and Swedish is used more often.

[h2]History I[/h2]
"Turku" in-Finnish means "a tender, a market" (with a loftily-poetic shade). It is the oldest city in the territory of Finland. Originally on this place there was a Finnish trading settlement Korojnen.
For the first time it was mentioned in 1154 in the Arabian sources and already in the XIIth century it was a brisk centre of trade. According to Russian Novgorod annals, in 1198 the settlement was burnt with a

Turku Castle

team of Russians from Novgorod led by Prince Mstislav Davydovich. The Swedes who won these territory in 1229 carried a residence of bishop there and gave the name - Abo to this settlement.
Originally the city was settled down in some kilometres to the north, on a present place - from the beginning of the XIIIth century. From the middle of XIII Abo - a stronghold of Catholicism and the centre of the Swedish administration in Finland. In 1280 a construction of a fortress began. In 1318 Russians from Novgorod again made an attack to Abo and burnt it completely. In 1509-1523 it was in hands of Danes. Abo received the city rights in 1525.
In the beginning of the Russian-Swedish war 1590-1593 Russian armies approached to the city, but could not take it. In 1640 the first Finnish university was established there. In 1828 the university was transferred to Helsingfors. In the beginning of XVII Abo became a residence of Swedish general-governor in Finland.
From 1713 and till the ending of the Northern war in 1721 the city was occupied by Russian armies. They came there again in 1742 and up till the conclusion of peace-treaty the city was

Turku Castle

a residence of a Russian general-governor.
Under the treaty provisions, in the end of the Russian-Swedish war of 1741-1743, the border of Russian empire with Sweden was removed to the West up to the Kjumene river (Kumijoki), the structure of Russia included the strengthened cities of Southeast Finland Friderichsham (Hamina), Wilmandstrand (Lappenranta), Neishlodt (Savonlinna) and others.
In 1808 Abo surrendered to Russian armies without fight and since then more then a century was in structure of Russian empire. In 1809-1812 (actually up till 1819) it was the capital of the Great Finnish princedom, in 1811-1917 - an administrative centre of the Abo-Bjorneborg province.
In August of 1812 the Russian emperor Alexander I came in the city. He met the Swedish crown prince Bernadot there and approved the treaty between Russia and Sweden.
Old Abo was wooden and practically was completely burned down in 1827 then it was built up anew under plans of architect K.L.Engel in neo-classic style with a rectangular lay-out and wide streets.
Turku has strongly suffered during the Second World War. Up till the end of war the city was a base of the Soviet submarines, which were acted in Baltic.
After war all the basic sights

Turku Castle

were restored, and now it is one of the most beautiful city of Scandinavia. Now Turku is the large industrial and cultural centre, the fifth on a population city of the country and the largest winter port.
There is a residence of archbishop of Evangelic Lutheran church of Finland (from XVII century). There are two universities - Swedish (from 1918) and Finnish (from 1920).

[h2]Turku Castle[/h2]
The most ancient and biggest castle of Finland stands on the right (northern) coast of Aurajoki near its mouth. It is one of the beautiful monuments of the Finnish national culture, leading its history from 1280 when Castle was constructed by Swedes.
Originally it represented a quadrangular strengthened camp and served as a residence for the deputy of the Swedish king.
The basic construction was completed in 1570 when it found shape of the magnificent stone castle of an epoch of the Renaissance, and in this view it was kept up till now. The castle maintained long sieges repeatedly. Blossoming of the castle became in the XVI - the period of board of Finnish duke Johan, the son of the Swedish king Gustav I Vasa and his wives Ekaterina Jagellonka (the sister of

Turku Castle Park - Irina, Vinika and Pilar

the Polish king Sigizmund II August. The true court life reigned there.
At that time there were more than 500 persons of servants. In 1630th the castle was a residence of the general-governor of Finland, and then it was partially used as prison and a quartermaster warehouse.

The castle of Turku (Turun linna)
(Linnankatu 80) It is opened: the middle of April - the middle of September daily 10.00 - 18.00. The rest of the year Tuesday - Sunday 10.00-15.00.

[h2]Turun kaupungin historiallinen museo[/h2]
In 1890th a prison was removed from the castle then it was turned to a museum. In 1941 the castle strongly suffered from bombardments, and it should be restored. Restoration works came to an end in 1961. Celebrations are spent in memory of Duke Johan in the castle annually in August-September in medieval spirit.
Constantly operating exposition of the City historical museum acquaints with the history of Turku (Turun kaupungin historiallinen museo). Exhibits give representation about suits, traditions and a decor of interiors XVII-XIX centuries. Archaeological finds, historical suits, the weapon ornaments and so forth are exposed in halls of the main building. The collection of a medieval wooden sculpture is collected in the