Turku History Facts and Timeline

(Turku, Finland Proper, Finland)

Believed by many to be the oldest city in the whole of Finland, Turku has a history stretching back as far as the 13th century. This port city has played a starring role in much of the country's development over the centuries, and most recently was named a European Capital of Culture in 2011 concurrently with Tallinn.

Having been intermittently possessed by the Russian Empire and Sweden during its history, Turku now enjoys one of Finland's more diverse and lively cultural scenes. Of interest, the city is also much loved in Finland as the source of Turun Sinappi mustard.

A Catholic Settlement

Most Finns acknowledge that Turku is the country's most historic city. It was at the centre of politics, culture and commerce for what is now Finland until about 200 years ago, when Helsinki overshadowed it.


The city officially began its life as a Catholic settlement in the year of 1229 AD. One of the first major buildings to be erected was the Cathedral of Turku, consecrated at the turn of the 14th century. While the cathedral was being built, Turku Castle and the early Dominican Monastery were also completed. These buildings formed the hub of medieval Finland's most important city.

A Part of Sweden

During the Middle Ages, the city shared its history with Sweden. At the time, half of the Kingdom of Sweden was known as Turku (which today makes up most of Finland's territory). As Sweden's second-largest city during the Middle Ages, it enjoyed a high level of respect and authority. It was the seat of the Archbishop of Turku and was administered jointly by the Catholic Church and the Swedish Kingdom. It wasn't until the 17th century that Finland began to see the light of its autonomy.

The Origins of Finland

Although it was part of the Swedish Kingdom during the Middle Ages, the city was in most other ways the heart of Finnish culture and society. The dukes and governors of Finland kept their homes here and when the Finns began to crave their own independence, the city played a key role in sparking the change.

In the year of 1640, the Royal Academy of Turku (Finland's earliest university) was opened. This added a new dimension to the already thriving coastal market town and, in some ways, urged the Finns to consider the necessity of having their own nation.

The Finnish War

The history of Turku turned towards the east in 1809, when Sweden gave up this territory to the Russian Empire following the Finnish War. With the Treaty of Fredrikshamn, the city was named as the capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland, but soon lost that title to Helsinki in 1812 because Russian Tsar Alexander I wanted his capital closer to home.

Devastation Caused by the Great Fire

Another major event in the history of Turku happened in 1827, when the Great Fire ravaged most of the city. The esteemed German architect who had successfully planned Helsinki, Carl Ludvig Engel, was invited to lay out the new city plan for Turku. This Swedish influence never really left the city and in 1918, Finland's only Swedish-language university Abo Akademi was opened in the city.

Modern Times Arrive

Though residents like to joke about their dislike of Helsinki over the theft of their capital status, Turku remains an essential component of modern Finnish society and culture. Touted as Finland's Gateway to the West, the city served as a cultural bridge between the West and Russia, particularly when the Soviet Union fell apart in the 1980s.

Officially considered a bilingual city (Finnish and Swedish), Turku epitomises the regional ethnic makeup of this corner of Scandinavia and serves as a vital economic lifeline for Finland.