Page 659 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

HELSINKI  657

this popular Lutheran place of
worship is also used for organ
concerts and choral music.
0 Suomenlinna Sea
Fortress
4 from Market Square to residential
area of island. Tel 295-338 410. 8 by
appointment. 7 limited. 0 =
∑ suomenlinna.fi
Constructed by the Swedes
between 1748 and 1772, this
island fortress is the biggest in
Scandinavia, and is now a Suomenlinna Sea Fortress, the largest sea fortress in Scandinavia
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Designed to defend the Finnish remains the center of Finland’s Moominworld
coast, Suomenlinna offered second language, Swedish. Naantali. @ 6, 7 from Turku.
security to Helsinki’s burghers Completed in 1300, Turku Tel 02-511 1111. Open Jun–Aug:
and merchants, enabling the Cathedral is the principal place daily; w/ends for rest of Aug. &
city to flourish. The fortress of worship for the Evangelical- ∑ muumimaailma.fi
contains about 200 buildings, Lutheran Church of Finland.
most of which date from the The museum holds many
18th century. Until the early ecclesiastical treasures. 3 Savonlinna
19th century, the fortress had Work on Turku Castle began * 36,000. £ @ 4 in summer.
more residents than Helsinki. in the late 13th century, but n Puistokatu 1 (015-517 510).
Eight hundred people still live reached its prime in the mid- _ International Opera Festival (Jul).
on the islands which receive 1500s with the addition of ∑ savonlinna.travel
more than 800,000 visitors a further rooms. The history
year who come to enjoy the of Turku and the castle are A good base from which to
cobbled courtyards and sea presented in Turku Castle. A make excursions into the
views. There are many eateries, double museum comprising Saimaa Lakelands, Savonlinna
galleries, and museums, Aboa Vetus and Ars Nova also has charms of its own.
including a toy museum. focus on life in medieval Turku Spread over several islands,
and 20th-century Finnish and the town boasts the castle of
international art respectively. Olavinlinna (St. Olav’s Castle),
2 Turku Other attractions include one of the best-preserved
the west bank of the River medieval castles in Scandinavia.
* 184,000. k £ @ 4 g
n Aurakatu 2 (02-262 7444). _ Aura with its many restaurants, The castle is home to the world-
Medieval Market (late Jun), Turku cafés, and river boats. The old renowned Savonlinna
Music Festival (Aug). ∑ visitturku.fi Market Hall is well worth a visit. International Opera Festival.
Archipelago cruises are also Founded in 1475, the castle
Turku (Åbo in Swedish), a available in summer. consists of three towers and a
bustling port with a modern bailey with an encircling wall
city center, was Finland’s + Turku Castle reinforced by more towers. There
principal city during the Linnankatu 80. Tel 02-262 0300. are two museums: the Castle
sovereignty of Sweden, and Open Tue–Sun. Closed public hols. Museum illustrates the history of
8 in summer. & 0 = the castle, while the Orthodox
∑ museumcentreturku.fi Museum displays items of
E Aboa Vetus and Ars Nova Russian Orthodox iconography
Itäinen Rantakatu 4–7. Tel 02-250 from both Finland and Russia.
0552. Open daily. Closed public hols.
& 8 7 (limited). + Olavinlinna
∑ aboavetusarsnova.fi Tel 040-128 6043. Open daily.
Closed some public hols. 8 &
Environs (free for children under 7). =
Just west of Turku lies Naantali,
a popular seaside resort with Environs
cruises available from the From Savonlinna harbor,
harbor. Moominworld, a steamships make excursions on
childrens’ theme park based Haapavesi and Pihlajavesi lakes,
The late 13th-century Turku Cathedral, on Tove Jansson’s creations, widely considered Finland’s
Finland’s main Evangelical-Lutheran church is also here. most beautiful scenery.

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