Ever wanted to rule an empire? Well now you can, virtually at least. Register with Historvius and you can be the king of the castle, or the emperor of the Colosseum! Sign up now and start uploading comments and photos to historic sites you've visited. You'll get points for your activity and those with the most points on any historic site get to rule. Don't get complacent though, as any ruler knows, there's always someone waiting in the wings to usurp your crown…
Turku Castle
« back to search results | add to shortlist
user rating
Gallery
- Name
- Turku Castle
- Continent
- EUROPE
- Alt Name:
- Turun Linna
- Country:
- Finland
- Period:
- High Medieval (1000AD–1300AD)
- Sub-Region:
- Northern Europe
- Date:
- 1200AD - 1299AD
- City/Town:
- Turku
- Figure:
- -
- Resorts:
- Turku,
- Related:
- Hame Castle, Kastelholm Castle,
Raseborg Castle, Suomenlinna Fortress,
about Turku Castle
Turku Castle (Turun Linna) is a large medieval castle in Finland which has served as a stronghold as well as a granary and a prison. In fact, it is said to be Finland’s largest intact medieval building.
Begun in approximately 1280, Turku Castle was constructed at a time when Finland, then Eastland, was part of Sweden. The castle’s role was as a centre of administration and a way to defend this territory.
Turku Castle would be expanded and further fortified over the coming centuries, eventually reaching a recognisable state in the 16th century, under Gustav Vasa and his son. In fact, whilst it has had to be repaired several times since then, its structure remains very similar to as it was then.
In terms of military action, Turku Castle often featured in local or regional battles. In 1318, it also played a more international role when it was attacked by Russian invaders. Yet, over time, Turku Castle’s military importance waned and it became a 18th and 19th century prison before coming a museum of its own history and that of the Turku region, a part it still plays today.
Just as empires rise and fall so do entry fees and opening hours! While we work as hard as we can to ensure the information provided here about Turku Castle is as accurate as possible, the changing nature of certain elements mean we can't absolutely guarantee that these details won't become a thing of the past. If you know of any information on this page that needs updating you can add a comment above or now.
contact details
Address: Turku Castle, Linnankatu 80, 20100 Turku, Finland
Phone: +358 (0)2 262 0300
E-Mail: museokeskus@turku.fi
useful information
Directions:
Located in southwest Turku. Reachable via Bus 1 from Market Square. There’s also a rail station nearby.
Ticket Information:
Generally open Tues-Sun 10am-6pm (check ahead for 12 noon opening). Last entry 30 min. before closing. Closed Mondays, 24-25 and 31 Dec, 1 Jan. Entry €8 adults, €4.50 children, free for under 7s. Family/group rates available.
Links:
http://www.turunlinna.fi/en/index.html
http://www.nba.fi/en/turku_castle
http://www.turku.fi/public/default.aspx?nodeid=4537&culture=en-US&contentlan=2
Historvius is not responsible for the content of external sites.
USER COMMENTS
You must register or sign in to post comments.
You must register or sign in to post comments.
No Comments Available.