A Brief History of Turku Castle

ERA OF GROWTH AND BUILDING

In the Middle Ages, Sweden annexed most of present-day Finland, which was divided into nine administrative provinces known as ‘castle counties’. Fortifications were built to serve as provincial centres. The first castles built were Turku, Häme, and Vyborg. Construction of Turku Castle began at the end of the 13th century. The chosen site was a rocky island at the mouth of the Aura River, strategically suited for defence.

Castle governors were appointed from among the King’s trusted vassals. The governors ruled over their appointed regions, represented the King and, with their bailiffs, collected taxes from the local population. During the Middle Ages, the partially wooden fortified camp developed into a magnificent stone castle from which it was possible to oversee the trading posts along the river and the traffic heading to Turku. The most extensive construction works on Turku Castle in the late 15th century were commissioned by the regent Sten Sture the Elder.

During the Middle Ages, the castle island expanded as a result of land uplift. Fortifications were built on the newly emerged land to protect the castle, and the construction of the bailey began. Turku Castle reached its present extent in the 16th century. By then, the castle’s defensive significance had declined, and it was converted into a Renaissance-style residential palace.

FROM DEFENSIVE STRONGHOLD TO PALACE RESIDENCE

King Gustav Vasa of Sweden considered the Castle an unpleasant place, writing in a letter dated 1556 of the ”castle’s decrepit houses and rooms”. The castle’s position, however, was still of great strategic importance during Vasa’s time. King Gustav Vasa divided his realm into four duchies. The Finnish duchy was given to his second eldest son, John, to govern.

Duke John of Finland moved into Turku Castle in 1556, and the castle underwent extensive renovations in the Renaissance style. Old wooden walkways were replaced by staircase towers, and the eastern entrance of the Main Castle was updated by replacing the drawbridge with a staircase tower in 1558. An impressive Renaissance floor was constructed in the main castle, including the Duke’s Hall and the Duchess’s Hall. Turku Castle became both the residence of Duke John and the seat of his government.

The status of the bailey, originally built as a fortification, changed when it was extended and more rooms were added. There were rooms for servants in the bailey, as well as housekeeping facilities and livestock sheds. The gatehouse was moved in 1549 from the riverside to its present location at the bailey. A dirt road led from the gate to the centre of the town.

THE CASTLE’S CHANGING ROLES

In the 17th century, the bailey at Turku Castle was the seat of provincial government, the Governor General’s office and the Court of Appeal. Sweden had set its sights on becoming a major power through warfare, and needed more revenue and soldiers, including from Finland. The post of Governor General was established to manage the civilian and military administration of the country. The idea was to improve the general conditions in the realm and to oversee the work of officials.

The most famous of the Governor Generals was Count Per Brahe, who was appointed in 1637. He moved to Turku Castle with his wife. The rooms in the bailey were renovated for them and furnished in the latest fashion. Apart from the private quarters, the Governor General’s office too was in the bailey. The main keep was used very little in Brahe's time, because it had been damaged in the great fire in 1614. Life in the castle grew quieter on Count Brahe’s departure in 1651 and when the Court of Appeals and provincial administration moved from the castle to the centre of the town towards the end of the century.

When civilian government moved to the town of Turku in the late 17th century, the castle remained in use as a military base and a prison. Turku Castle was used by both the Swedish and the Russian troops in turn. The offices of army units and their workshops were situated in the bailey. With the exception of the chapel, the keep was only used for storing grain, gunpowder, guns and munitions. The military vacated the castle in the 1830s, and it was then used as a prison up to the end of the century.

THE CASTLE AS A MUSEUM

Turku Castle was first used for museum purposes in 1881 when the Historical Museum of Turku was given some of the rooms in the bailey as its offices. The museum opened to the public in 1885. In the early days of the museum, the bailey was also used as a prison. The museum extended its facilities when the last prisoners were transferred to the new Kakolanmäki prison in 1891.

The museum was a success and there was a desire to renovate the Main Castle and open it to the public. However, the museum’s activities in the castle were interrupted by the Second World War and the destruction caused by bombings during the Winter War. On the first day of the Continuation War in 1941, the Main Castle was hit by an incendiary bomb that thoroughly destroyed the wooden structures and, among other things, the church built in the 18th century. The Castle lay in ruins for five years, after which extensive research and restoration work was begun. The bailey was reopened to the public soon after the war, and so was the Main Castle after repairs were completed in 1961.

Today, Turku Castle’s exhibitions tell the story of the castle and the people who lived there, while also presenting the extensive object collections of the Turku City Museum. Every room and exhibit has its own story, offering visitors a glimpse into life within the castle walls centuries ago.