Castle · Savonlinna, Finland
Olavinlinna Castle
A 15th-century three-tower castle on an island in Savonlinna, the northernmost medieval stone fortress still standing. Built 1475.
Photo: Tulipasylvestris via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Savonlinna, Finland |
|---|---|
| Type | Castle |
| Built | 1475 |
| Elevation | Elevation: 78 m |
| Coordinates | 61.8639° N, 28.9011° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Olavinlinna Castle is known for
A 15th-century three-tower castle on an island in Savonlinna, the northernmost medieval stone fortress still standing.
About Olavinlinna Castle
Olavinlinna, also known as St. Olaf's Castle, is a 15th-century three-tower castle located in Savonlinna, Finland. It is built on an island in the Kyrönsalmi strait that connects the lakes Haukivesi and Pihlajavesi. It is the northernmost medieval stone fortress still standing and also the best preserved of all the medieval castles in the Swedish realm. The castle forms a spectacular stage for the Savonlinna Opera Festival, which was held for the first time in the summer of 1912.
History
The fortress was founded by Erik Axelsson Tott in 1475 under the name Sankt Olofsborg, in an effort to profit from the political turmoil following Ivan III's conquest of the Novgorod Republic. The three-towered keep was completed in 1485, and the construction of the outer curtain walls with two towers was initiated immediately and completed in 1495. Olofsborg withstood several sieges by the Russians during the First and Second Russian-Swedish wars. While the castle was never captured by force, its garrison agreed to terms of surrender twice, first to invading Russians on 28 July 1714 and the second time on 8 August 1743, and the region was ceded to Russia. Several devastating fires destroyed much of the castle's decor in the 19th century, and all of its original furnishings were destroyed.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Olavinlinna Castle website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Savonlinna |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Savonlinna Airport (SVL) |
| Distance from the airport | 6.2 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark's coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Lappeenranta Airport (LPP) · Lappeenranta, Finland · 61.9 miles away
- Kuopio Airport (KUO) · Kuopio / Siilinjärvi, Finland · 86.5 miles away
- Pulkovo Airport (LED) · St. Petersburg, Russia · 149.8 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Finland
More castles
Frequently asked questions
What is Olavinlinna Castle?
A 15th-century three-tower castle on an island in Savonlinna, the northernmost medieval stone fortress still standing.
Where is Olavinlinna Castle located?
Olavinlinna Castle is in Savonlinna, Finland. Its coordinates are 61.8639° N, 28.9011° E.
How do I get to Olavinlinna Castle?
The nearest town is Savonlinna, and the nearest airport is Savonlinna Airport (SVL), about 6.2 miles away (straight line).
When was Olavinlinna Castle built?
Olavinlinna Castle was built 1475.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olavinlinna — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q251272 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.kansallismuseo.fi/en/olavinlinna/frontpage — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.