Castle · Turku, Finland
Turku Castle
The largest surviving medieval building in Finland, a castle on the banks of the Aura River. Built c. 1300.
Photo: Christian David via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Turku, Finland |
|---|---|
| Type | Castle |
| Built | c. 1300 |
| Elevation | Elevation: 12 m |
| Coordinates | 60.4353° N, 22.2286° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Turku Castle is known for
The largest surviving medieval building in Finland, a castle on the banks of the Aura River.
About Turku Castle
Turku Castle is a medieval structure in the city of Turku, Finland. Together with Turku Cathedral, the castle is one of the oldest buildings still in use in Finland. It is also the largest surviving medieval building in Finland. It was founded in the late 13th century and stands on the banks of the Aura River. The castle served as a bastion and administrative center in the historical region of Finland until the early 19th century. Turku Castle is Finland's most visited museum.
History
The construction of the fort began at around the year 1280. Swedes stationed in the region constructed it as a military fortress and outpost, and the fort's defenses were bolstered and living quarters constructed during the following two centuries. The main part of the castle was extended considerably during the 16th century, after Gustav Vasa had ascended to the Swedish throne. The castle was at its peak in the mid-16th century, during the reign of Duke John of Finland and Catherine Jagellon. In 1614, a great fire destroyed the wooden structures of the old parts of the castle almost completely. The castle was used as a prison from the 18th to the end of the 19th century, and it was fully restored in 1987.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Turku Castle website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Turku |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Turku Airport (TKU) |
| Distance from the airport | 5.6 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.
- Turku Airport (TKU) · Turku, Finland · 5.6 miles away
- Tampere-Pirkkala Airport (TMP) · Tampere / Pirkkala, Finland · 81.9 miles away
- Helsinki Vantaa Airport (HEL) · Helsinki (Vantaa), Finland · 93.7 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 Turku Castle?
The largest surviving medieval building in Finland, a castle on the banks of the Aura River.
Where is Turku Castle located?
Turku Castle is in Turku, Finland. Its coordinates are 60.4353° N, 22.2286° E.
How do I get to Turku Castle?
The nearest town is Turku, and the nearest airport is Turku Airport (TKU), about 5.6 miles away (straight line).
When was Turku Castle built?
Turku Castle was built c. 1300.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turku_Castle — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q136893 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.turku.fi/en/turkucastle — 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.