Turku Off The Beaten Path

Tuomiokirko Museum in the south gallery takes the visitor back in time to the 14th century. The exhibits cast light on the history and ecclesiastical life in and around the Cathedral.

Statues of saints and sacred vessels dating from the Catholic Middle Ages are on display in the museum. The Post-Reformation period is represented by liturgical textiles and exquisite silver artifacts, made by highly skilled artisans. Various stages of the Cathedral construction are exhibited.

Besides, you can go up to the tower and take panoramic pics of Turku.

This is the statue of the local hero, Paavo Johannes Nurmi, this man who won 9 Olympic Gold Medals and three silver medals in medium and long distance running, actually as I child he was the first name even I heard of anyone from Finland :)

Take a stroll around the market hall and the market square. Turku's outdoor market offers a big variety of all kinds of products. The atmosphere is unique and perfect for people watching. Last but not least there are many restaurants around the market square.

I have to check, but they look like Runeberg, Snellman and Lönnroth standing close to University headquartiers. They were some of the last students in Turku Academia (because the Academia was moved to Helsinki 1827 after the Great Fire of Turku), and great men in the Finnish History.

Before our travel I thought that on our way from Turku to Stockholm we should meet only Aland islands.

I have been very surprised having found out, that between Finland and Sweden there are about 10000 islands generally uninhabited!

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The silent wonderful Aurajoki-river saw very much during existence on its coasts the city of Turku.

It is very pleasant to walk on quay and to admire a beauty of the old city, ducks and swans.

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The art museum (Turun Taidemuseo) recently has moved to the main museum building (Aurakatu, 26) after finishing of its restoration. The building was constructed in a modernist style in 1904.The museum worked before in a building of a former observatory on Vartiovuori-hill about 400 m to the south from the Cathedral. The building of an observatory was constructed by K.Engel in 1819.

The exposition of the museum represents the second-largest art collection of Finland. Only after moving to the new building it became accessible to visitors in full.
We approached the museum in the evening when it was already closed. We hope to appreciate a collection next time.

June - September: Tuesday-Thursday 11.00 - 19.00, Friday - Sunday 10.00 - 16.00. The Rest of the time of year: Tuesday-Thursday 11.00 - 18.00, Friday - Sunday 10.00 - 16.00.

When I was in Finland I faced a custom that affascinated me a lot.It's the sauna.I already knew it but doing was pretty different.
The sauna is a small room or hut heated to 80 degrees.
I found it a very pleasant experience, even if I couldn't bear it for too long time.
You pour water on hot coal creating steam.
If you're so lucky to have a lake next the hut you can run and dive there, if not you should often get wet with cold water.....
It's veeery strange.....at least for me!!!