Old Great Square (Turku)

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (October 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Finnish. (June 2023) Click [show] for important translation instructions. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Consider adding a topic to this template: there are already 222 articles in the main category, and specifying|topic= will aid in categorization. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Finnish Wikipedia article at [[:fi:Vanha Suurtori]]; see its history for attribution. You may also add the template {{Translated|fi|Vanha Suurtori}} to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.

The Old Great Square (

Today, there are buildings alongside the Old Great Square, but only on the southern side because the blocks on the northern side changed to Porthaninpuisto after the fire. There are four historical buildings which the City of Turku restored for cultural use:^[1] the Brinkkala Mansion, Old Town Hall, Hjelt Mansion and Juselius Mansion. The buildings were mainly constructed after the fire and represent neoclassicism.

Historical buildings

Brinkkala Mansion

The Brinkala Mansion is best known for the traditional proclamation of

It is assumed that the City of Turku administrative centre was headquartered at the Old Town Hall since the 14th century. The most famous of the Turku town halls was the stone building planned by master bricklayer Samuel Berner, finished in 1736. Berner's town hall was destroyed by the fire of 1827, along with its bell tower. A private house was built upon the walls of the badly destroyed building, this house being acquired by factory owner Juselius in the 1850s. The building was redone into a three-story factory in 1899, which was active until the 1920s. In 1932, the building was acquired by the City of Turku, and was for police department use. Nowadays, it is a space for galleries and a banquet hall and concerts.

Hjelt Mansion

After the fire, Captain Hjelt bought the site along the town square, and built the impressive two-story stone building in 1830. The Hjelt Mansion is the only remaining stone building in Finland which clearly represents the Saint Petersburg empire style. The Hjelt Mansion was taken over by the City of Turku in the 1930s, at which time both stories were used by the police department. After this, the downstairs level was a used as the children's and young adult's section of Turku City Library, and the Turku Cultural Centre worked in the upstairs level. The library section moved to the new building of Turku Main Library and the Turku Cultural Centre moved next door to the Old Town Hall.

Four

The new renaissance Juselius Mansion is the newest of the buildings in the area. It was built by Carl Fredrik Juselius in 1892, originally as his home. It has been a residential building for city officials, space for the police department and a dociros office. Nowadays, the building is used for other purposes, such as the legendary restaurant Teini.

Katedralskolan i Åbo

Events

There are different events organised at the Old Great Square throughout the year. Turku Medieval Market is organised in June and July, stretching out to Porthaninpuisto, the courtyard and Luostarin Välikatu.^[5] Christmas City events also take place for three weekends ^[6] as well as events for Turku Night of the Arts.

Prospects

The Old Great Square and its historical surroundings have been designed to be marketed as the old part of the city of Turku. Under EU protection, the idea is to revive the area to a European style by attracting more cafes and restaurants and organising different events at the square and park. Furthermore, a bridge called Pennisilta, to replace the one destroyed by the fire, is due to be built to connect the old part of the city to the traffic centre.

Gallery

• 
  Old Town Hall, Brinkkala Mansion on the right
• 
  Brinkkala Mansion
• 
  Hjelt Mansion, view from Uudenmaankatu
• 
  Christmas peace proclamation
• 
  Turku Medieval Market
• 
  Turku Medieval Market

See also

• Åbo Bloodbath

References

Sources

• Turun Sanomat
• Turun kaupungin kulttuurikeskus

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Old Great Square of Turku.

• Turku Cultural Centre
• Ihmiselle parempi keskusta -hanke

60°27′3″N 22°16′33″E / 60.45083°N 22.27583°E / 60.45083; 22.27583