4 - Turku
STORY OF TURKU
Turku, or Åbo in Swedish, is the city where I spend one year for my study. The city lost its status as capital in 1812 to Helsinki after two and a half centuries of hegemony over the Duchy of Finland. Tsar Alexander I, master of the country after Russia's victory over Sweden in 1809, considered the city much too close to Stockholm. Helsinki therefore emerged as the new administrative and political centre.
Nicknamed "Finland's little Paris", the city is built on seven hills linked by wide avenues and is also considered the culinary capital of the country. With 187,637 inhabitants in 2017, Turku is the fifth largest city in the country. Active, culturally dynamic (it was the European Capital of Culture in 2011!) and very student oriented (about 1/5 of the population), Turku is still very much oriented towards Sweden. The cathedral (Tuomiokirkko) and Turku castle (Turunlinna) in particular both date from the 13th century. The very orthogonal aspect of the city centre is, on the other hand, not medieval for a penny ... Carl Ludwig Engel, the architect of Helsinki's city centre, will once again impose his hand more on straight lines and angles than on curves! He gave all the more free rein to his obsession with straightness as the city was almost entirely destroyed by fire in 1827. The major cultural sites are located on the banks of the Aurajoki River where it is good to stroll or spend the evening in one of the many restaurants and bars. The east bank around the cathedral is older than the modern west bank with its lively market (Kauppatori). The oldest part of Luostarinmäki, which dates back to the 18th century, is now a beautiful open-air museum. Helsinki and Turku in Finland are often pitted against each other ... However Turku is much more authentic and endearing than Helsinki. It is easy to walk around it and you will quickly become familiar with it. The atmosphere is generally warmer: the buildings are more colourful and the people are more accessible. Finally, although it is smaller than the capital, Turku abounds in excellent restaurants, bars sometimes more lively than those in the capital and superb museums. But don't ever repeat this to a Helsinki resident, you're in danger of a diplomatic incident.
Let's talk now about some monuments or some places you should heard about it before to come.
THE STUDENT VILLAGE WITH TYS
The student village, TYS has several student housing locations in the Turku area including shared apartments, studio apartments and family apartments. Most apartments are not furnished but for exchange students TYS offers also furnished apartments and shared apartments.
I personally live there, the atmosphere is very pleasant, and I meet a lot of exchange students there.
Personally, I live in the buildings where I share the kitchen with the people on my floor. I strongly recommend you to do the same because that's how I met a lot of people. We meet in our kitchen, cook together, eat together and discuss our cultural differences. This is a picture of the room where I live with the basics furnitures they gave to you.
THE SCHOOL TUAS
I'm studying business in Turku in the University of TUAS : Turku University of Applied Sciences. And this picture is the building of Lemminkäisenkatu. In the University there is three different building and depend of what your are studying you will be in one of them.
All my courses there are in English.
I meet there a lot Finnish students of course but also a lot of exchange students like me. Don't worry you will not be the only on which come abroad ! Trust me !
THE CATHEDRAL
From my point of view, the cathedral is a beautiful example of the city of Turku: original, ancient, slender. All Finns will tell you: "you will love Turku". In fact, it is the oldest city in Finland and as the French are supposed to be lovers of authenticity... At the end of the main square, a small bar in the building offers a very nice terrace in summer, just a few steps (really a few steps!!) from the cathedral.
The oldest building in the city is the seat of the evangelical archbishopric. Its construction, begun in 1280, was not completed until 200 years later. For centuries it represented, together with Lund, Nidaros and Roskilde, one of the high places of northern Christianity. At the time, it shone on the terra incognita that was, beyond Turku, the immense Finnish territory covered with lakes and forests: from Lapland to the Russian Orthodox border. The cathedral houses a monument to the Finnish reformer and Luther disciple Michael Agricola, who later became Bishop of Turku. It was he who made Finnish a written language when it was only spoken. The organ concerts are impressive, ask at the tourist office for the dates. The entire cathedral district is a magnificent neoclassical ensemble. The most imposing of its buildings, the former Academy, has a superb festival hall with granite columns. The Turku Academy was for a long time the only relay of European humanism in Finland, until the change of capital in 1812 on the orders of the Russian Tsar Alexander I. From the heights of the city, there is a beautiful view of the Aurajoki River and its banks, which border the Sibelius Museum, the cultural centre, the library and the municipal theatre.
TURUN LINNA - TURKU CASTLE
Turunlinna, built in 1280 to defend Turku (the Hanseatic city), is one of Finland's most important historical monuments. The powerful grey granite construction consists of two main buildings joined by two massive towers. A large exhibition on the castle's chronology through the centuries with medieval sculptures in the nun's chapel and Sturen Church, royal visits, courtly pomp and ceremony, the prison, etc. are all worth seeing. Since 1881, the castle's secondary precinct has housed a museum devoted to the history of the town and to popular arts and traditions between the 17th and 19th centuries. Also worth seeing is the collection of weapons and jewellery, as well as a series of beautiful period clothes.
I myself have been to visit it several times, don't expect to see the Palace of Versailles of course this one is a bit more rustic. However it is still very interesting and there are many things to see and discover. Allow at least 2 hours, as the castle is huge (you can't get lost as many guides in medieval dress are there to help you). Children are not forgotten during the visit with disguises at their disposal to play at being a lord. Route with a recommended guide.
KAUPPAHALLI - COVERED MARKET
It dates back to 1896 and features some 70 stalls selling fish, meat, cheese, fruit and vegetables, pastries, ecological products and souvenirs.
I'm talking to you about it here because if my Finnish friend hadn't told me that building was the market, I probably never would have gotten into it.
The city's covered market is the place to be for gourmets to discover the typical culinary specialties of the city and the country. I'm particularly fond of markets when I travel, and as a big fan of street food, I never miss a place where I can enjoy a cheap meal.It is a real pleasure to stroll through the market alleys, to see the multitude of local products on the stalls, to be mixed with the Finnish population.Take the opportunity to take a break at Mbakery's, voted best Finnish pastry shop in 2015, and taste the delicious Kiss My Turku, a blueberry cake to die for!
Turku, or Åbo in Swedish, is the city where I spend one year for my study. The city lost its status as capital in 1812 to Helsinki after two and a half centuries of hegemony over the Duchy of Finland. Tsar Alexander I, master of the country after Russia's victory over Sweden in 1809, considered the city much too close to Stockholm. Helsinki therefore emerged as the new administrative and political centre.
Nicknamed "Finland's little Paris", the city is built on seven hills linked by wide avenues and is also considered the culinary capital of the country. With 187,637 inhabitants in 2017, Turku is the fifth largest city in the country. Active, culturally dynamic (it was the European Capital of Culture in 2011!) and very student oriented (about 1/5 of the population), Turku is still very much oriented towards Sweden. The cathedral (Tuomiokirkko) and Turku castle (Turunlinna) in particular both date from the 13th century. The very orthogonal aspect of the city centre is, on the other hand, not medieval for a penny ... Carl Ludwig Engel, the architect of Helsinki's city centre, will once again impose his hand more on straight lines and angles than on curves! He gave all the more free rein to his obsession with straightness as the city was almost entirely destroyed by fire in 1827. The major cultural sites are located on the banks of the Aurajoki River where it is good to stroll or spend the evening in one of the many restaurants and bars. The east bank around the cathedral is older than the modern west bank with its lively market (Kauppatori). The oldest part of Luostarinmäki, which dates back to the 18th century, is now a beautiful open-air museum. Helsinki and Turku in Finland are often pitted against each other ... However Turku is much more authentic and endearing than Helsinki. It is easy to walk around it and you will quickly become familiar with it. The atmosphere is generally warmer: the buildings are more colourful and the people are more accessible. Finally, although it is smaller than the capital, Turku abounds in excellent restaurants, bars sometimes more lively than those in the capital and superb museums. But don't ever repeat this to a Helsinki resident, you're in danger of a diplomatic incident.
Let's talk now about some monuments or some places you should heard about it before to come.
THE STUDENT VILLAGE WITH TYS
I personally live there, the atmosphere is very pleasant, and I meet a lot of exchange students there.
THE SCHOOL TUAS
I'm studying business in Turku in the University of TUAS : Turku University of Applied Sciences. And this picture is the building of Lemminkäisenkatu. In the University there is three different building and depend of what your are studying you will be in one of them.All my courses there are in English.
I meet there a lot Finnish students of course but also a lot of exchange students like me. Don't worry you will not be the only on which come abroad ! Trust me !
THE CATHEDRAL
From my point of view, the cathedral is a beautiful example of the city of Turku: original, ancient, slender. All Finns will tell you: "you will love Turku". In fact, it is the oldest city in Finland and as the French are supposed to be lovers of authenticity... At the end of the main square, a small bar in the building offers a very nice terrace in summer, just a few steps (really a few steps!!) from the cathedral.The oldest building in the city is the seat of the evangelical archbishopric. Its construction, begun in 1280, was not completed until 200 years later. For centuries it represented, together with Lund, Nidaros and Roskilde, one of the high places of northern Christianity. At the time, it shone on the terra incognita that was, beyond Turku, the immense Finnish territory covered with lakes and forests: from Lapland to the Russian Orthodox border. The cathedral houses a monument to the Finnish reformer and Luther disciple Michael Agricola, who later became Bishop of Turku. It was he who made Finnish a written language when it was only spoken. The organ concerts are impressive, ask at the tourist office for the dates. The entire cathedral district is a magnificent neoclassical ensemble. The most imposing of its buildings, the former Academy, has a superb festival hall with granite columns. The Turku Academy was for a long time the only relay of European humanism in Finland, until the change of capital in 1812 on the orders of the Russian Tsar Alexander I. From the heights of the city, there is a beautiful view of the Aurajoki River and its banks, which border the Sibelius Museum, the cultural centre, the library and the municipal theatre.
TURUN LINNA - TURKU CASTLE
Turunlinna, built in 1280 to defend Turku (the Hanseatic city), is one of Finland's most important historical monuments. The powerful grey granite construction consists of two main buildings joined by two massive towers. A large exhibition on the castle's chronology through the centuries with medieval sculptures in the nun's chapel and Sturen Church, royal visits, courtly pomp and ceremony, the prison, etc. are all worth seeing. Since 1881, the castle's secondary precinct has housed a museum devoted to the history of the town and to popular arts and traditions between the 17th and 19th centuries. Also worth seeing is the collection of weapons and jewellery, as well as a series of beautiful period clothes. 
I myself have been to visit it several times, don't expect to see the Palace of Versailles of course this one is a bit more rustic. However it is still very interesting and there are many things to see and discover. Allow at least 2 hours, as the castle is huge (you can't get lost as many guides in medieval dress are there to help you). Children are not forgotten during the visit with disguises at their disposal to play at being a lord. Route with a recommended guide.
KAUPPAHALLI - COVERED MARKET
It dates back to 1896 and features some 70 stalls selling fish, meat, cheese, fruit and vegetables, pastries, ecological products and souvenirs.I'm talking to you about it here because if my Finnish friend hadn't told me that building was the market, I probably never would have gotten into it.
The city's covered market is the place to be for gourmets to discover the typical culinary specialties of the city and the country. I'm particularly fond of markets when I travel, and as a big fan of street food, I never miss a place where I can enjoy a cheap meal.It is a real pleasure to stroll through the market alleys, to see the multitude of local products on the stalls, to be mixed with the Finnish population.Take the opportunity to take a break at Mbakery's, voted best Finnish pastry shop in 2015, and taste the delicious Kiss My Turku, a blueberry cake to die for!
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