The amazing 700 Year old Turku Cathedral is one of the most important churches in Finland. It has a long and meaningful history. It was built in the late 13th century, originally as a wooden church. Later, in the 14th and 15th centuries, it was rebuilt using stone to make it stronger and larger.
How old is Turku Cathedral?
Turku Cathedral is over 700 years old. The cathedral was constructed as the main church for the Diocese of Turku and served as the religious center of Finland during the medieval period. Its primary purpose was to be a place of worship, prayer, and important religious ceremonies. It also became the site for major national events, including the crowning of bishops and other significant church gatherings.
Over the centuries, the cathedral has remained a central symbol of Christianity in Finland and continues to serve as a place for services, concerts, and historical reflection.
The cathedral has experienced many significant events. One of the most tragic was the Great Fire of Turku in 1827, which heavily damaged the building. Afterward, it was restored, and a new bell tower was added, giving the cathedral its current appearance.
The Cathedral’s tower stands at 85.53 meters (280.5 feet) tall, making it roughly equivalent to a 25- to 28-story building in modern construction. This impressive height makes the cathedral a prominent landmark in Turku and one of the tallest historical buildings in Finland.
A Giant Work of Art
Inside this magnificent structure lies historical relics and vintage pieces worth keeping for generations to see reminding what was life, arts and culture hundreds of years ago. Underground used to be a cemetery until it was banned for hygienic reasons. There is a round steel attached to a detachable flooring which are used to lift the stones up whenever a burial is done in those old days.
Today, Turku Cathedral is considered Finland’s national shrine and is an important site for religious ceremonies, concerts, and tourism. It stands as a symbol of Finnish history and culture.
If you happen to be in Finland or wish to tour the country, this trip to the Cathedral will surely give you something to look forward to and look back in the future. Take a step into the ancient history of Finland!
How to get here?
Turku has its own airport with few airlines flying in and out especially trips to Denmark, Poland, and other nearby cities on special days. You can check out Turku airport flights and departures in advance if you are planning a trip as the flights are sometimes hard to find, depending on where you are coming from. Otherwise, Helsinki airport offers flights to almost everywhere in the world. From Helsinki, you can travel to Turku via private trip, by train or by bus.
Travel by bus
Traveling by bus in my opinion is the easiest way from Helsinki if you are a first time traveler or a backpacker. When you get to Turku by bus, you can easily reach Turku Cathedral with a few minute walk. Turku is a small city and you can actually walk around without getting lost. The tower of the church is seen almost everywhere when you are in the city. When I was new in Finland and moving around, I always look at the tower and know which part of the city I am. Surrounding the church are nearby restaurants, the Turku National Library ( which is gigantic) are also reachable by walking few minutes from the church, across the river.
Föli bus is operating in Turku bringing passengers in almost every suburbs of Turku about 20 kilometers from the city. The minimum fare per trip is 3€ for adults. The bus ticket you purchase can be used within 2 hours regardless of how many trips you make during this time with any Föli bus. After the two hours has passed, you need to pay another 3€. You can pay via a Föli card, cash, your debit card, QR code from their website or via mobile pay. If you are travelling with a family or group of people, you can use the same card for everyone.
Other sights to see in Turku
Turku city has many historical sites to visit, with some being possible to see in a day, making your trip worthwhile. Among them are Turku Castle, Turku Cathedral, Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova, Forum Marinum, Luostarinmäki Handicrafts Museum, Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art, Sibelius Museum, Turku Art Museum, Ruissalo Island, Turku Market Hall.
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