Turku

Turku is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Southwest Finland. It is located on the southwestern coast of the country at the mouth of the River Aura. The city has around 210,000 people.

Turku is Finland's oldest city and was once the most important city in the country during the time when Finland was ruled by Sweden.

Because of its rich history, Turku has hosted many significant events. In 2011, it was named European Capital of Culture together with Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Turku is also famous for its food, with many of Finland's best restaurants and a popular fish market held twice each year. The city's cafes and restaurants are often compared to those in France.

Turku is a bilingual city with both Finnish and Swedish as official languages. The Port of Turku is a busy place for travel and trade, with many people passing through to places like Stockholm and Mariehamn each year.

Names and etymology

See also: Names of Turku in different languages

The Finnish name Turku means "market". This name probably came to Finland through trade. Over time, "Turku" became the name of the town.

The Swedish name, Åbo, means "settlement by a river" because of the Aura River nearby. Some people think the name might come from a person's name or an old monastery.

History

Main article: History of Turku

Turku has been an important city in Finland for a very long time. It is the oldest city in Finland and was the country’s first capital. The word “Finland” used to mean just the area around Turku.

Early history

People lived in the Turku area long ago, even when the land was covered by water from the Ice Age. As the land rose, Turku became a place near the water. During the Iron Age, it was a key farming area. Old graves and remains of houses and forts from that time have been found.

Swedish era

Turku grew important during Swedish rule. Turku Cathedral was built there in 1300. For many years, Turku was Finland’s most important city, handling trade and many big decisions.

Grand Duchy of Finland (Russian rule)

After Finland became part of Russia in 1809, Turku was the capital for a short time before Helsinki took over. A big fire in 1827 destroyed much of the city, but it was rebuilt with a new, safer plan.

After independence

In 1918, a university that taught in Swedish, called Åbo Akademi, was founded in Turku. Two years later, another university that taught in Finnish, the University of Turku, was started. These helped make Turku an important place for learning.

Geography

Turku is a city in Finland. It is on the southwest coast, at the mouth of the Aura River. The city covers 245 square kilometres and has parts on both sides of the river. The eastern side, where Turku Cathedral is, is the older part. The western side, with Turku Castle, is newer. Both sides are important parts of the city centre.

There are ten bridges over the Aura River in Turku. The oldest bridge is from 1904. The newest bridge, built in 2013, is just for people walking. A small ferry called Föri crosses the river. It lets pedestrians and cyclists travel without paying. The city has a humid continental climate. Summers are warm and winters are cold. July is the warmest month and February is the coldest. Turku gets about 720 mm of rain each year, with August being the rainiest month.

Demographics

The city of Turku has about 210,000 people, making it the sixth biggest city in Finland. The area around Turku has around 320,000 people. Turku is home to about 4% of all people living in Finland. Many languages are spoken there, with most people speaking Finnish. Swedish is also an official language, though fewer people use it.

People in Turku come from many countries, and over 17% of the city's residents were born outside of Finland. This makes Turku more diverse than the average in Finland. The most common foreign languages spoken include Russian, Arabic, Albanian, Ukrainian, and Kurdish. The largest religious group in Turku is the Evangelical Lutheran Church, but many people do not belong to any religion.

Economy

Turku has many businesses, with thousands of companies in the area. It is known for its work in important fields like the sea, life sciences, computers, and new ways to help the environment. The city's main place for trade is the Port of Turku, and many jobs come from places that build big ships.

Turku also has special areas for new technology and science, like the Turku Science Park. There are places where new ideas grow, such as Potkuri and SparkUp, and groups that help make movies and TV shows. Some big companies, like HKScan and Hesburger, have their main offices in Turku.

Culture

Turku is a city with lots of culture and history. You can visit museums, theatres, cinemas, art galleries, and enjoy music. One special event is the Christmas Peace on December 24 in the Old Great Square. This tradition has lasted about 700 years. Other fun events include the Medieval Market, Music Festival, Book Fair, Film Day, and more.

Turku has some old buildings. Turku Cathedral is one of Finland's oldest churches, and Turku Castle is very old. A big fire in 1827 destroyed many buildings, but these two are still there today. The city has many museums along the Aura River, showing art, history, and old wooden houses.

Turku has several theatres, with the Turku City Theatre being the largest. There are also smaller theatres and puppet shows. The city is known for its music, with the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra being one of the oldest in Finland. Turku holds many music festivals, including rock, jazz, and classical music.

Turku has a friendly rivalry with the city of Tampere, often making light-hearted jokes about each other’s traditions and food.

Sports

Turku has two major football teams, FC Inter and TPS. They play in the top league at Veritas Stadion in Kupittaa.

The HC TPS ice hockey team plays in the top level and has won many championships. They play at Gatorade Center in Artukainen. The city also hosts the annual Paavo Nurmi Marathon, named after the famous runner from Turku.

Turku is home to the Eagles Rugby Football Club. The Turku Titans lacrosse club has won medals in Finland's league, and the city hosted the FIL U19 2012 World Lacrosse Championships.

Finnish tennis player Jarkko Nieminen, from nearby Masku, is one of Finland's best players.

Government and politics

Turku is an important administrative centre. It is the regional capital and home to the Archbishop of Finland and a Court of Appeal. Minna Arve has been the mayor of Turku since 2017. Since August 2021, the mayor is an elected office instead of a hired position.

The city council of Turku has 67 seats. After the 2021 municipal election, the seats are shared among different parties. The current chair of the city board is Sini Ruohonen from the National Coalition Party.

Here are the results of the 2019 Finnish parliamentary election in Turku:

• National Coalition Party 20.5%
• Social Democratic Party 17.1%
• Left Alliance 16.8%
• True Finns 15.7%
• Green League 13.8%
• Swedish People's Party 5.5%
• Centre Party 4.7%
• Movement Now 1.9%
• Christian Democrats 1.6%

Transport

See also: Trams in Turku

Turku has a good bus system, like in other cities such as Tampere. The buses are organized by the Turku City Region's Public Transport Committee, with help from private companies. Buses also go to nearby towns such as Kaarina, Lieto, Naantali, Raisio, and Rusko.

Trains in Turku are run by the national railway company, VR. Trains mainly go to Tampere and Helsinki. The main station is Turku Central railway station, with smaller stations in Kupittaa and the Port of Turku. Turku used to have trams, but they stopped running in the 1970s. There are plans to build a new light rail system starting in 2026 and finishing in 2031. The first line will go from the Turku Port through the city center to Varissuo, covering about 11 kilometers with 17 stops.

Turku also has an outdoor elevator called the Funicular, which goes up Kakolanmäki hill. It has two stops and the ride takes about one minute. Riding the Funicular is free.

Major highways from Turku include Highway 1 to Helsinki, Highway 10 to Hämeenlinna, Highway 9 to Tampere, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, and Joensuu, Highway 8 to Pori, Vaasa, and Oulu, and the Turku Ring Road that circles the city.

Turku Airport is located 8 kilometers north of the city center and is served by several airlines. There are daily ferry trips from the Port of Turku to Sweden and Åland, operated by companies like Silja Line and Viking Line. These trips are a popular way to travel across Finland. The Archipelago Sea boat service includes trips on the old steamship SS Ukkopekka between Turku and Naantali.

Education

Turku has a long history of education, longer than any other city in Finland. The first school, called the Cathedral School, began in the late 1200s. The first university in Finland, the Royal Academy of Turku, opened in 1640.

Today, Turku is home to many students and schools. The University of Turku is one of Finland’s oldest and largest universities. There is also Åbo Akademi, a university where many people speak Swedish. Other schools include the Turku University of Applied Sciences and Novia University of Applied Sciences. The city also has an international school, Turku International School, for students from around the world.

Media

The best-known newspaper in Turku and nearby areas is Turun Sanomat. Many people read it every day. Another important paper is Åbo Underrättelser, which is published in Swedish and dates back to 1824. There are also other local papers and radio stations that serve the community.

Turku has had many newspapers over the years, with the first one starting in 1771. Local TV and radio services bring news and programs to the area.

Notable people

Turku has been home to many famous people.

Some of these people include Rauno Aaltonen, a rally driver, and Fredrika Bremer, a writer and reformer. There are also musicians like Michael Monroe from the rock band Hanoi Rocks, and athletes such as Paavo Nurmi, who won many Olympic medals in running.

Other well-known individuals from Turku include ice hockey players like Miikka Kiprusoff and Saku Koivu, and football players such as Lukas Hradecky and Joni Kauko. The city has also produced artists, writers, and leaders.

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Finland

Turku has friendly agreements with cities in other countries. These are called twin towns or sister cities.

Turku is twinned with:

• Aarhus, Denmark (1946)
• Bergen, Norway (1946)
• Bratislava, Slovakia (1976)
• Cologne, Germany (1967)
• Constanța, Romania (1958)
• Florence, Italy (1992)
• Gdańsk, Poland (1958)
• Gothenburg, Sweden (1946)
• Kharkiv, Ukraine (2022)
• Rostock, Germany (1958)
• Szeged, Hungary (1971)
• Tartu, Estonia (2008)
• Varna, Bulgaria (1963)

In March 2022, Turku stopped its agreement with Saint Petersburg, Russia, because of the war in Ukraine.

Co-operation agreements

Turku works together with:

• Tallinn, Estonia
• Tianjin, China