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Olavinlinna, more than 530 years old and located right near downtown
Savonlinna, is one of Finland’s most famous historical buildings. It is one of
the few medieval buildings still standing in Finland. The castle is owned by
the government and the National
Board of Antiquities is responsible for it.
Construction on the castle was commenced in 1475 at the behest of the
Danish-born knight Erik Akselinpoika Tott. The castle was built in area that
Sweden and Novgorod fought over.
The purpose of the castle was to repel Russian attacks and to ensure that the
Swedish Crown kept control over the Savo Region. Olavinlinna was the subject
of many battles. Russian troops conquered the castle during the Great Northern
War in 1714, but the treaty of 1721 saw it returned to Sweden. In 1743, Sweden
lost Olavinlinna to the Russians, whereupon it served as a Russian garrison
until 1847. After that, it spent a short period of time as a jail. The castle
was empty until the end of the 19th century, at which point of time it was
damaged in multiple fires.
Olavinlinna has been restored numerous times since the end of the 19th
century. The last extensive restoration was launched in 1961 and was completed
in 1975 when the castle turned 500. Nowadays, the castle is one of Finland’s
most popular attractions and many different events are held there.
Over the centuries, the castle has been built by both Swedes and Russians,
which is evident in its varied architecture. The castle is open year round and
the entrance fee includes a guided tour.
There is also a castle museum in Olavinlinna that displays objects found in
the castle and an Orthodox museum that displays icons and other ecclesiastical
artefacts from Finland and Russia. The castle has its own museum store. In
1912, the opera singer Aino Ackté launched the Savonlinna
Opera Festival , which has been held annually at Olavinlinna since 1967.
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