Turku Castle
Encyclopedia
Turku Castle is a monument of Finnish history
situated in the city of Turku
in Finland. Together with Turku Cathedral, the castle is one of the oldest buildings still in use in Finland. Turku Castle is the largest surviving medieval building in Finland and one of the largest surviving medieval castles in Scandinavia. It stands as a national monument, on the banks of the Aura River
, as it has done since the 14th century.
and administrative centre in Eastland, as Finland was then known, during the Swedish period. The main part of the castle was extended considerably during the 16th century after Gustav Vasa had ascended the Swedish throne and his son John
headed the Finnish administration following his promotion to duke. The bailey
was also supplemented and the round tower at the southeast corner of the bailey was added. Since then no part of the castle has been added or extended, only repaired.
The castle was ruled in different stages of its history by the castle sheriff, commander, regent, duke or governor-general. Its significance as a defensive fortress and administrative centre varied throughout the ages according to the political situation. Only once did the castle actually figure in the defence of the realm. This was when Russian
invaders from Novgorod destroyed Turku in 1318. On the other hand, it frequently played a role in internal struggles for power within Sweden-Finland
and the Kalmar Union
. Not until the end of 16th century did it really enjoy peace. The castle 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.
Many accidents have assailed the castle, especially numerous siege
s. In 1614, when King Gustav II Adolf visited the castle, a tremendous fire destroyed the wooden structure of the main castle almost completely. After this the main castle was abandoned and used partly as a store, partly just stood empty. A new accident beset the castle in the summer of 1941 soon after the Continuation War
had begun when an incendiary bomb hit the main castle.
The bailey functioned as an administrative centre when the main castle stood empty. In addition to the governor-general the lord-lieutenant lived there during the 17th century and after the period of Greater Wrath
it housed the provincial government for some time. One of the most colourful periods in the castle's history was when it was a prison from the 18th century to the end of 19th century. When the Finnish war began in 1808 the castle was used by the Russian navy and only handed over to the Finnish authorities after the country had been granted autonomous status within the Russian empire a couple of decades later. The Turku Historical Museum founded in 1881 began its occupation of the bailey immediately after the museum was founded and later it was given quarters in the castle itself.
The renovation
of the castle, which was begun before the Second World War and interrupted by Finland's two wars with the Soviet Union
, was completed in 1987. The castle was handed over to its users completely restored on 12 October 1993. The building is owned and maintained by the Finnish state and is entrusted to the use of the city of Turku. The castle functions in its entirety as a historical museum as part of the Turku provincial museum. In the main part of the castle are banquet
rooms for the city of Turku, a church for the local congregation and also restaurants in both the main castle and the bailey. Today the castle is once more experiencing a heyday as it has achieved the status of being one of Finland's most visited museums.
(päälinna) and Renaissance bailey
(esilinna). The keep consists of a square fort with two square gateway towers; the thickness of the walls at the base is some 5 m.
In the Middle Ages the castle was surrounded by a moat
conjoining on the River Aura
, the castle effectively lying on an island. The keep was completed in the early 15th century. The construction of the bailey was begun in the late 15th century and finished in the 16th. The bailey is not as heavily fortified as the keep, but it has several turret
s. The Renaissance construction work included heavy modification of nearly all the rooms in the older medieval part of the castle. Since the Renaissance no additions have been made to the castle.
Over the next few centuries, the modest military fortification
grew into a massive greystone castle
, whose solid walls have witnessed many milestones in Nordic history. The castle has been subject to numerous siege
s and several battles have been waged aside its walls. Of all Finnish castles, Turku castle has the most warlike history besides Vyborg castle and Olavinlinna
.
The Castle's heyday was in the mid-16th century during the reign of Duke John of Finland and Katarina Jagellonica. That was when the Renaissance
Floor and King's and Queen's hall were built, along with other features.
The castle was the center of the historical province
of Finland Proper
, and the administrative center of all of Finland. Its strong walls and dungeons also served as the state prison for centuries; even today, a prison
is colloquially referred to as linna (castle) in Finnish. The castle has been the place of many historical events; in 1573-1577, for example, the deposed Swedish queen Karin Månsdotter
were kept prisoner here.
The castle was damaged by Soviet aircraft in the beginning days of the Continuation War
1941. Restoration of the castle to its former Renaissance glory had begun before the war and went on gradually after it, over the decades. The renovation was complete in 1987 and the castle was handed over on October 12, 1993 to the City of Turku which is entrusted with its operation for the Finnish state, its owner.
The castle is 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.
History of Finland
The land area that now makes up Finland was settled immediately after the Ice Age, beginning from around 8500 BCE. Most of the region was part of the Kingdom of Sweden from the 13th century to 1809, when it was ceded to the Russian Empire, becoming the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland. The...
situated in the city of Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
in Finland. Together with Turku Cathedral, the castle is one of the oldest buildings still in use in Finland. Turku Castle is the largest surviving medieval building in Finland and one of the largest surviving medieval castles in Scandinavia. It stands as a national monument, on the banks of the Aura River
Aura River
The Aura River is a river in south-western Finland. Its sources are in the town of Oripää, and it flows through Pöytyä, Aura and Lieto before discharging into the Archipelago Sea in the middle of the city of Turku. The total length of the river is about , and it contains eleven rapids, the biggest...
, as it has done since the 14th century.
History
A start was made on building the castle in about 1280. The Swedish conquerors of Finland intended it originally as a military fortress. During the next two centuries its defences were strengthened and living quarters were added. The castle served as a bastionBastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
and administrative centre in Eastland, as Finland was then known, during the Swedish period. The main part of the castle was extended considerably during the 16th century after Gustav Vasa had ascended the Swedish throne and his son John
John III of Sweden
-Family:John married his first wife, Catherine Jagellonica of Poland , house of Jagiello, in Vilnius on 4 October 1562. In Sweden, she is known as Katarina Jagellonica. She was the sister of king Sigismund II Augustus of Poland...
headed the Finnish administration following his promotion to duke. The bailey
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
was also supplemented and the round tower at the southeast corner of the bailey was added. Since then no part of the castle has been added or extended, only repaired.
The castle was ruled in different stages of its history by the castle sheriff, commander, regent, duke or governor-general. Its significance as a defensive fortress and administrative centre varied throughout the ages according to the political situation. Only once did the castle actually figure in the defence of the realm. This was when Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
invaders from Novgorod destroyed Turku in 1318. On the other hand, it frequently played a role in internal struggles for power within Sweden-Finland
Sweden-Finland
Sweden–Finland is an outdated Finnish historiographical term referring to the Swedish Kingdom from the Kalmar Union to the Napoleonic wars, or the period from the 14th to the 18th century. In 1809 the realm was split and the eastern half came to constitute the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, in...
and the Kalmar Union
Kalmar Union
The Kalmar Union is a historiographical term meaning a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway , and Sweden under a single monarch, though intermittently and with a population...
. Not until the end of 16th century did it really enjoy peace. The castle lost its status as an administrative centre in the 17th century after Per Brahe
Per Brahe
Per Brahe may refer to:*Count Per Brahe the Elder , Swedish statesman*Count Per Brahe the Younger , Swedish soldier and statesman* The Swedish steamer ferry Per Brahe, wrecked in 1918...
's period as governor-general of Finland came to an end.
Many accidents have assailed the castle, especially numerous siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
s. In 1614, when King Gustav II Adolf visited the castle, a tremendous fire destroyed the wooden structure of the main castle almost completely. After this the main castle was abandoned and used partly as a store, partly just stood empty. A new accident beset the castle in the summer of 1941 soon after the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
had begun when an incendiary bomb hit the main castle.
The bailey functioned as an administrative centre when the main castle stood empty. In addition to the governor-general the lord-lieutenant lived there during the 17th century and after the period of Greater Wrath
Greater Wrath
The Greater Wrath is a term used in Finnish history for the Russian invasion and subsequent military occupation of Eastern Sweden, now Finland, from 1714 until the treaty of Nystad 1721, which ended the Great Northern War, although sometimes the term is used to denote all of the Great Northern...
it housed the provincial government for some time. One of the most colourful periods in the castle's history was when it was a prison from the 18th century to the end of 19th century. When the Finnish war began in 1808 the castle was used by the Russian navy and only handed over to the Finnish authorities after the country had been granted autonomous status within the Russian empire a couple of decades later. The Turku Historical Museum founded in 1881 began its occupation of the bailey immediately after the museum was founded and later it was given quarters in the castle itself.
The renovation
Renovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...
of the castle, which was begun before the Second World War and interrupted by Finland's two wars with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, was completed in 1987. The castle was handed over to its users completely restored on 12 October 1993. The building is owned and maintained by the Finnish state and is entrusted to the use of the city of Turku. The castle functions in its entirety as a historical museum as part of the Turku provincial museum. In the main part of the castle are banquet
Banquet
A banquet is a large meal or feast, complete with main courses and desserts. It usually serves a purpose such as a charitable gathering, a ceremony, or a celebration, and is often preceded or followed by speeches in honour of someone....
rooms for the city of Turku, a church for the local congregation and also restaurants in both the main castle and the bailey. Today the castle is once more experiencing a heyday as it has achieved the status of being one of Finland's most visited museums.
Construction
The layout of the castle consists of the Medieval keepKeep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
(päälinna) and Renaissance bailey
Ward (fortification)
In fortifications, a bailey or ward refers to a courtyard enclosed by a curtain wall. In particular, an early type of European castle was known as a Motte-and-bailey. Castles can have more than one ward. Their layout depends both on the local topography and the level of fortification technology...
(esilinna). The keep consists of a square fort with two square gateway towers; the thickness of the walls at the base is some 5 m.
In the Middle Ages the castle was surrounded by a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
conjoining on the River Aura
Aura River
The Aura River is a river in south-western Finland. Its sources are in the town of Oripää, and it flows through Pöytyä, Aura and Lieto before discharging into the Archipelago Sea in the middle of the city of Turku. The total length of the river is about , and it contains eleven rapids, the biggest...
, the castle effectively lying on an island. The keep was completed in the early 15th century. The construction of the bailey was begun in the late 15th century and finished in the 16th. The bailey is not as heavily fortified as the keep, but it has several turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
s. The Renaissance construction work included heavy modification of nearly all the rooms in the older medieval part of the castle. Since the Renaissance no additions have been made to the castle.
Over the next few centuries, the modest military fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
grew into a massive greystone castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
, whose solid walls have witnessed many milestones in Nordic history. The castle has been subject to numerous siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
s and several battles have been waged aside its walls. Of all Finnish castles, Turku castle has the most warlike history besides Vyborg castle and Olavinlinna
Olavinlinna
Olavinlinna is a 15th century three-tower castle located in Savonlinna, Finland. It is the northernmost medieval stone fortress still standing.- Construction :...
.
The Castle's heyday was in the mid-16th century during the reign of Duke John of Finland and Katarina Jagellonica. That was when the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
Floor and King's and Queen's hall were built, along with other features.
The castle was the center of the historical province
Historical provinces of Finland
The historical provinces of Finland are a legacy of the country's joint history with Sweden. The provinces ceased to be administrative entities in 1634 when they were superseded by the counties, a reform which remained in force in Finland until 1997. The provinces remain as a tradition, but have...
of Finland Proper
Finland Proper (historical province)
Finland Proper, , is a historical province in south western Finland, centred on the historic city of Turku and the Turku Castle. It borders Satakunta, Tavastia and Uusimaa. It is also bounded by the Baltic sea facing Åland. There is also a modern region by the name Finland Proper...
, and the administrative center of all of Finland. Its strong walls and dungeons also served as the state prison for centuries; even today, a prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
is colloquially referred to as linna (castle) in Finnish. The castle has been the place of many historical events; in 1573-1577, for example, the deposed Swedish queen Karin Månsdotter
Karin Månsdotter
Karin Månsdotter was Queen of Sweden, first a mistress and then the spouse of King Eric XIV of Sweden...
were kept prisoner here.
The castle was damaged by Soviet aircraft in the beginning days of the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
1941. Restoration of the castle to its former Renaissance glory had begun before the war and went on gradually after it, over the decades. The renovation was complete in 1987 and the castle was handed over on October 12, 1993 to the City of Turku which is entrusted with its operation for the Finnish state, its owner.
The castle is 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.
Medieval castellans
Various castellans, bailiffs, military commanders, governors who held Turku castle in the Middle Ages:- 1280s Carolus Gustavi
- early 14th century Nils Andersson and Harald Torsteinsson
- 1315-22 Lyder van Kyren, from Holstein
- 1324-26 Matts Kettilmundsson (concentrated commerce in Turku, brought a courtly and knightly culture
- 1326 Karl Näskonungsson
- 1340 Dan Nilsson
- c 1348 Gerhard Skytte
- 1358 Nils Turesson Bielke
- 1359 King Magnus IV, represented by bishop HemmingBishop HemmingBishop Hemming was the Roman Catholic Bishop of Turku during 1338-1366. He was born in Sweden.-External links:* by Finnish Literature Society...
- c 1360 Narve Ingevaldsen from Norway
- 1375 Bo Jonsson Grip, died 1386
- 1387 Jeppe Abrahamsson Djäkn
- 1395 Knut Bosson (Grip)
- 1399 the Union monarchs (Margarethe & Erik)
- 1411 Klaus Lydekesson Djäkn
- 1435 Hans Kröpelin
- 1441 Karl Knutsson (the future Charles VIII of SwedenCharles VIII of SwedenCharles VIII of Sweden , Charles I of Norway, also Carl, , was king of Sweden and king of Norway ....
) - 1457-63: Kristofer Bengtsson Oxenstierna
- 1465 Erik Axelsson Tott
- 1469 Sten Sture the ElderSten Sture the ElderSten Sture the Elder was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden from .-Background:...
- 1499 Magnus Frille (appointed by king Hans)
- 1501 Sten Sture the Elder
- 1503 Svante Nilsson
- 1512 Kristofer Klasson Horn
Trivia
- The Castle is the symbol of Finland's most popular brand of mustardMustard (condiment)Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant...
, called Turun sinappiTurun sinappiTurun sinappi is a mustard, originally made in Finland but nowadays in Poland. It is often used with makkara ....
(Turku mustard). - Turku Castle provides scenery for numerous Medieval reenactmentMedieval reenactmentMedieval reenactment is a form of historical reenactment that focuses on re-enacting European history in the period from the fall of Rome to about the end of the 15th century. The second half of this period is often called the Middle Ages...
events every year. - The Northern shore of river Aura, where the castle lies, is called tois pual jokke ("the other side of the river") in Turku dialect. The Southern shore (the Cathedral of TurkuCathedral of TurkuTurku Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, and the country's national shrine. It is the central church of the Archdiocese of Turku and the seat of the Archbishop of Finland, Kari Mäkinen...
side) is called täl pual jokke ("this side of the river"). In the Middle Ages the flow of the river Aura was on the north side of the castle; today it flows on the southern side. - Turku castle was used as state prison into mid-19th century, until superseded by Kakola prison in 1853. Some of its more famous prisoners have been Eric XIV and Jaakko IlkkaJaakko IlkkaJaakko Pentinpoika Ilkka was a Finnish yeoman and trader. He is remembered for leading the Cudgel War of 1596; at its end, and the peasants' defeat on January 1–2, 1597, he escaped, but was soon recaptured and executed for his part in the fighting.Ilkka was the subject of an opera by Jorma...
. - The chapelChapelA chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
of Turku Castle is a popular place for weddings in Turku, second only to the Cathedral of Turku.
External links
- Website of Turku Castle
- Official site: Turku Castle at the Finnish National Board of Antiquities
- Medieval castles in Finland
- Photos of Turku castle
- History of the castle (in Finnish)
- Turku Castle - photos