Turku Castle, Finland

Turku Castle is located in the Finnish city of the same name, which can be called one of the oldest cities in the country due to its 770-year history. The castle itself is perched picturesquely at the mouth of the Aura River, and is the most famous landmark in the city. In the Middle Ages, Turku Castle played the role of one of the most important fortresses of the Swedish Kingdom, which managed to withstand several sieges and fierce battles. Turku Castle is the largest surviving medieval building in Finland, and overall one of the largest surviving medieval castles in Scandinavia.
In 1556, Turku Castle became the residence of Gustav I Vasa's 18-year-old son, Johan, who was made Duke of Finland by his father. "Turku" was completed and furnished for the wedding of Johan to the Polish princess Katerina Jagiellonica in 1562. After only eight months, his brother Eric XIV attacked the Castle, besieged it and took his brother and his wife as his hostages until 1563. In 1614 .a fire caused great damage to Turku Castle, and although it has been rebuilt, little of its old grandeur remains. After the time of Swedish King Gustavus III, the backyard was turned into a prison until 1891.
The restoration of Turku Castle was completed in 1961. Today, the castle houses a museum section, an active church and a banquet hall for special guests. Before the special menu is served, guests have the extraordinary opportunity to see a performance showing the drama of the three brothers who ran the castle, told in verse and accompanied by music.
Today in the palace you can see several interesting exhibitions - of glassware, tableware, porcelain, jewelry, as well as a rich collection of ancient artifacts. The different rooms in the palace are furnished in different styles.