Castles of Finland

Linna means fortress or castle

Suomenlinna - 1380

Suomenlinna - 1380

• Capital moved from Turku to Helsinki– Closer to St. Petersburg– Easier to defend

• Begun by Sweden, completed by Russia

• Group of small islands blocking the harbor of Helsinki

Kuningkaanportti (King’s Gate)

Hameenlinna - 1295

Hameenlinna - 1295

• castle was built in the late 13th century to secure the Swedish power in central Finland

• The composer Jean Sibelius was born and raised in Hämeenlinna. He graduated from Hämeenlinna Lyseo in 1885.

Surrounded by the lake and a moat

Turunlinna - 1280

Turunlinna - 1280

• the largest surviving medieval building in Finland

• Guards Turku from the banks of the Aura River, as it has done since the 1300s.

Savonlinna (Olavinlinna) - 1475

Savonlinna (Olavinlinna) - 1475

• Olaf’s Castle (or the Castle of Savo)

• The northernmost medieval stone castle still standing

• Marked the boundary between medieval empires of Russia and Sweden

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Olavinlinna2.jpg

Viipurinlinna 1293

Viipurinlinna 1293

• Swedish/Finnish built

• Now in the region of Karelia taken by Russia and not returned after WWII

Kastelholminlinna - 1384

Kastelholminlinna - 1384• First built as fortress on Aland Islands

(Ahvenmaa – autonomous Finnish province)

• Later used as a castle for administrative functions

Raaseporinlinna - 1374

Raaseporinlinna 1374 • A drawing from the

1500’s• Originally on an island• Now inland

Kiitoksia paljon ja Nakemiin