Turku Tourist Attractions
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The southern Finnish town of Turku (Swedish Åbo), the country's oldest town and once its capital, lies on the Gulf of Bothnia, at the mouth of the Aurajoki, sheltered by a number of larger islands and a swarm of skerries.
Market Square
The hub of Turku's traffic is the Market Square (Kauppatori), on the north bank of the Aurajoki. Flanking the square are the Swedish Theater (1838), the glass-roofed Hansa shopping center, offering an endless variety of wares, and the Orthodox church (by C. L. Engel, ca. 1840).
Museum of Art
From Turku's Market Square the busy Aurakatu runs northwest to the Museum of Art (Taidemuseo), an imposing granite building (by G. Nyström, 1904) standing on high ground surrounded by gardens. It contains a varied collection of pictures and sculpture, mainly by Finnish artists. On the steps leading up to the entrance are figures by Wäinö Aaltonen of the Finnish painters R.W. Ekman (1809-73) and V.A. Westerholm (1860-1919).To the west of the Museum is the Central Station.
Town Hall
Aurakatu ends at the bridge in Turku over the river Aura (Aurasilta). On the banks of the river, to the right, stands the Town Hall (Kaupungintalo; 1885).
Pharmacy Museum
Near the Turku Town Hall is the town's oldest surviving timber building (restored 1957), Qwensel House (named after its first known owner, Wilhelm Qwensel, appointed an assessor to the Court of Appeal in 1694), which now houses the Pharmacy Museum. Part of the furnishings of the museum came from an old pharmacy in Oulu. Here too are a tourist information office and the departure point of the water-buses which sail to the skerries.
Municipal Library
Upstream on the Aura from the Turku Town Hall, also on the near bank of the river, is the Municipal Library (by C. Wrede, 1903), modeled on the House of the Nobility in Stockholm, with an attractive fountain.
Old Town Hall
Upstream from the Turku Municipal Library a bridge crosses the river to Cathedral Square, on the west side of which are a bronze statue of the Finnish historian H. G. Porthan (1739-1804), the Swedish Lyceum (founded 1630; present building 1724) and the Old Town Hall, from the balcony of which the peace of Christmas is proclaimed in December every year.
Turku Cathedral
Standing on the east side of Turku's Cathedral Square, on Unikankari Hill, the Cathedral (Tuomikirkko; formerly St Henrik's) was founded about 1230 and consecrated in 1290. It is a massive brick church in Late Romanesque style with Gothic and Renaissance additions and a 98m/320ft high tower.
Interior
The interior of Turku's Cathedral (restored after a fire in 1827) contains the monuments of many notable figures. To the right of the main entrance is the burial chapel of Torsten Stålhandske (d. 1644), the Swedish commander of the Finnish cavalry during the Thirty Years War, and to the left is the Tavast Chapel, with the tombs of Bishops Magnus Tavast (d. 1452), Olaus Tavast (d. 1460) and Magnus Stjernkors (d. 1500). To the left of the choir is the Kankas Chapel, the finest in the church, built for the Horn and Kurck families, in the center of which is the granite sarcophagus of the much-tried Queen Katharina Månsdotter (d. 1612), daughter of a poor common soldier, whom Eric XIV raised to the throne. To the right of the choir is the Tott Chapel, built by Per Brahe in 1678, with the tombs of the Swedish general Åke Tott (d. 1640) and his wife Sigrid Bjelke.
Cathedral Museum
The Cathedral Museum in Turku exhibits objects depicting the Cathedral's construction stages, medieval wooden sculptures, chasubles and other church textiles, as well as church utensils. Many items date back to the Middle Ages.
Sibelius Museum
To the north of the Turku Cathedral, in Piispankatu, is the Sibelius Museum, in a low modern building, with a collection of musical instruments and periodic concerts. In the same street is the "Ett Hem" museum, a reconstruction of a 19th century middle-class house with furnishings of the period.
Finnish University
500m/550yd northeast of the Turku Cathedral is the Finnish University (Turun Yliopisto), opened in 1922; the present buildings were erected between 1954 and 1960.
Provincial Government Offices
Facing the Turku Cathedral to the southeast, in Hämeenkatu, can be found the former Academy (1802-15), occupied by the University until its transfer to Helsinki in 1827. It now houses the offices of the provincial government, the Court of Appeal and the Cathedral chapter.
Swedish University
Immediately southwest of the Academy in Turku, at the corner of Uudenmaankatu, is the Swedish University (Åbo Akademi), opened in 1919. In the gardens in front of the building can be seen a bronze statue (by W. Runeberg, 1888) of Per Brahe, Swedish governor of Finland 1637-40 and 1648-54; on the base is the inscription "Jagh war med landett, och landett med mig wääl tillfreds" ("I was well satisfied with the country, and the country with me".
Kupittaa Park
From Cathedral Square in Turku, Uudenmaankatu runs southeast to Kupittaa Park. In the southern half of the park are a swimming pool and St Henry's Spring, with whose water the first Christians in Finland are said to have been baptized.
Vartiovuori
Southwest of Turku's Old Town Hall, at the foot of Vartiovuori, are the headquarters of the Economic Society, founded in 1797 to promote the development of agriculture, the arts and industry. Diagonally opposite this, in the little Runeberg Park on the banks of the Aurajoki, is a sculpture by Wäinö Aaltonen, "Lilja". On Vartiovuori itself are attractive public gardens, a World War II anti-aircraft position and the very interesting Maritime Museum, housed in the former Observatory (by C. L. Engel, 1819) and an old water tower of 1903 (astronomical collection; art collection).
Handicraft Museum
On the south side of the Turku hill (which escaped the great fire in 1827) is a group of old wooden houses, which form the very interesting Handicraft Museum (Käsityölaismuseo). The craftsmen working here produce a variety of everyday objects which make very attractive souvenirs.There are about 30 workshops representing different trades and telling their tales about the old occupations and the way of life in the town.In the area there are two shops and in summertime also a post office. There is a cafeteria next to the museum.
Zoological Museum
On Sampanlinna Hill in Turku are an open-air theater, an old windmill and (on the west side) the Swimming Stadium. Beyond Neitsytpolku is the Zoological Museum, which offers an excellent survey of the fauna of Finland (including birds which nest there). To the southwest extends a sports park.
Municipal Theater
Northwest of Turku's Swimming Stadium, in Itäinen Rantakatu, which runs along the south bank of the Aurajoki, stands the Municipal Theater (1962). In front of it is a statue of the writer Aleksis Kivi (by Wäinö Aaltonen, 1949).
Aaltonen Museum
West from the Municipal Theater, at Itäinen Rantakatu 11, is the Wäinö Aaltonen Museum (1967), with a collection of sculpture and other works of art.
Sailing Ships - Suomen Joutsen and Sigyn
Moored at St Martin's Bridge (Martinsilta) in Turku are two old sailing ships - the "Suomen Joutsen", now a training school for seamen, and the baroque "Sigyn" (built 1887, restored 1971-78) - which are open to the public in summer. On the banks of the river are a number of old vessels which have been converted into restaurants and the landing-stage used by the steamer "Ukko- Pekka", which sails to the skerries.Southwest of the "Sigyn", in Vilhonkatu, is St Martin's Church (1933).
Cemetery Chapel
The New Cemetery, on the eastern outskirts of Turko, has a notable chapel by the Turku- born architect E. Bryggman (1941), a showpiece of the romantic variant of functionalism.
Turku Castle and Historical Museum
On the west side of Turku (reached from Aurakatu by way of Linkankatu), on the right bank of the Aurajoki near the harbor, stands Turku Castle (Turunlinna). It was built about 1300 on what was then an island at the mouth of the river and was enlarged in the 16th/17th century (renovated 1959-61). It now houses the Turku Historical Museum, which offers an excellent survey of the development of Finnish culture (portraits, furniture, tapestries, costumes, arms and armor, etc.).
Forum Marinum Maritime Centre
Highlights of the maritime history in Southwestern Finland as well as the history of the Finnish Navy are found at the Forum Marinum.During the summer months, visitors can board the Full-rigger Suomen Joutsen, Barque Sigyn and Minelayer Keihässalmi and Corvette Karjala for an additional admission fee.
Kuralan Kylämäki
Kuralan Kylämäki is a living history museum featuring rural life in the 1940s and 1950s. Children can shop, visit with the animals, and play in the museum yard. Prehistoric hunting weapons are on display and visitors can try out their hunting skills.
Museum Ett Hem
Ett Hem was the 19th century home of Consul Alfred and Hélène Jacobsson. The museum presents an upper class lifestyle through paintings, scultpures, decorative arts and furniture displays.
Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art
The Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art contains Finnish contemporary art collections and permanent exhibition obtains sculptures of Wäinö Aaltonen.
Events
Events and festivals in Turku.
Turku Music Festival
The Turku Music Festival, part of the Finland Festival, is held in the first half of August.This annual 10-day festival takes place in mid-August. The festival was founded in 1960, making it one of Finland's oldest. There are usually two daily performances, including orchestra, choral and chamber performances, recitals, organ concerts and lectures.The highlight of the festival is the "Night of the Arts", which features all types of arts, including visual and performing, in the museums, galleries and cafes throughout the city.The repertoire of the festival varies from classical to modern, and often features numerous world-premieres.The main venues for the performances are the Turku Cathedral and Castle, the Concert Hall, the Swedish Theater and the Sibelius Museum, as well as local churches and halls.
City Tours
City sightseeing tours in Turku are run in summer; departure from tourist information office.
Ruisrock
Rock concerts are held in late June or early July.The event began in 1970 and presents 50 artists in a three day period.
Airisto International Regatta
Turku Airisto International Regatta is held in July.
Boat Show
Turku Boat Show is in March.
Craft Weeks
Turku Craft Weeks are from June to August.
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Map of Turku Attractions
Map - Turku / Åbo
