Archangel Michael's church, Turku, Finland

Archangel Michael's Church was designed by famous architect Lars Sonck and finished in 1905. When Sonck won the competition for the church in 1894, he was only a 23-year old architectural student. The neogothic style red-brick church dominates the western skyline of the city of Turku. It’s one of the most popular wedding churches in Turku being able to seat 1,800 people.

User Reviews

Ashley Chan (5 months ago)
Beautiful church with wonderful staff. Note that I came here on a Sunday, and they have mass (in Finnish) at 11am. If you were like me and read that they have organ (instrument) demonstrations at noon, please note that they do not happen in the summer unfortunately. It still is beautiful to look at though. Also note that when you check the doors for entry, try the main entrance first (3 doors) and the middle (2nd) right door (pull) is your best bet. This Church is also a Pokémon Go Gym ;P

Sahan Liyanaarachchi (6 months ago)
Nice architecture!

Mikko Tyllinen (6 months ago)
Very atmospheric, elegant, beautiful, intricately designed church with nice acoustic. Mishaels church is a distinguished example of the neolithic style in architecture. And is one of the most popular weddings churches in Turku, being able to seat 1800 people. Church was finished in 1905

Rafael Bohorque (10 months ago)
Beautiful church in and out. Inside it looks a bit tacky, that you may think it is not a church. I like how it looks spotless and free for everybody to take a peak.

Nana Långstedt (3 years ago)
Looks like a fairytale castle on the outside. Beautiful, intricately designed church.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Klaus Mayer

Historic Site of the week

Eketorp Fort

Eketorp is an Iron Age fort in southeastern Öland, which was extensively reconstructed and enlarged in the Middle Ages. Throughout the ages the fortification has served a variety of somewhat differing uses: from defensive ringfort, to medieval safe haven and thence a cavalry garrison. In the 20th century it was further reconstructed to become a heavily visited tourist site and a location for re-enactment of medieval battles. Eketorp is the only one of the 19 known prehistoric fortifications on Öland that has been completely excavated, yielding a total of over 24,000 individual artifacts. The entirety of southern Öland has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Eketorp fortification is often referred to as Eketorp Castle.

The indigenous peoples of the Iron Age constructed the original fortification about 400 AD, a period known to have engendered contact between Öland natives with Romans and other Europeans. The ringfort in that era is thought to have been a gathering place for religious ceremonies and also a place of refuge for the local agricultural community when an outside enemy appeared. The circular design was believed to be chosen because the terrain is so level that attack from any side was equally likely. The original diameter of this circular stone fortification was about 57 metres. In the next century the stone was moved outward to construct a new circular structure of about 80 metres in diameter. At this juncture there were known to be about fifty individual cells or small structures within the fort as a whole. Some of these cells were in the center of the fortified ring, and some were actually built into the wall itself.

In the late 600s AD the ringfort was mysteriously abandoned, and it remained unused until the early 11th century. This 11th century work generally built upon the earlier fort, except that stone interior cells were replaced with timber structures, and a second outer defensive wall was erected.

Presently the fort is used as a tourist site for visitors to Öland to experience a medieval fortification for this region. A museum within the castle walls displays a few of the large number of artefacts retrieved by the National Heritage Board during the major decade long excavation ending in 1974. Inside the fort visitors are greeted by actors in medieval costumes who assume the roles of period artisans and merchants who might have lived there nine centuries earlier. There are also re-enactment scenes of skirmishes and other dramatic events of daily life from the Middle Ages.

Eketorp lies a few kilometers west of Route 136. There is an ample unpaved parking area situated approximately two kilometers west of the paved Öland perimeter highway. There is also a gift shop on site. During peak summer visitation, there are guided tours available. Visitors are assessed an admission charge.

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Eketorp Fort

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