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Founded: 1495-1510Category: Religious sites in Finland
Historical period: Middle Ages (Finland)
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The Ulvila Church, dedicated to St. Olaf, is one of the most significant medieval buildings in Finland. The first church was built probably in 13th century to Liikistö, which was a local trade centre. According old documents the graveyard around the church was consecrated in 1347 and church was burnt badly in 1429. Historians believe that the present stone church was built after that between 1495-1510.
There are several medieval and newer artefacts inside the church, for example crucifix and statue of St. Olaf from the 1430s and communion cup from the end of Middle Ages.
The Church has been renovated several times. During the latest renovation in 2005 archaeologists found the biggest medieval coin treasure in Finland. It was buried near the sacristy stone wall in 1390s and included 1476 silver coins.
The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania was built originally in the 15th century for the rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Royal Palace in the Lower Castle evolved over the years and prospered during the 16th and mid-17th centuries. For four centuries the palace was the political, administrative and cultural center of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Soon after the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was incorporated into Tsarist Russia, Tsarist officials ordered the demolition of the remaining sections of the Royal Palace. The Palace was almost completely demolished in 1801, the bricks and stones were sold, and the site was bowered. Only a small portion of the walls up to the second floor survived, that were sold to a Jewish merchant Abraham Schlossberg around 1800 who incorporated them into his residential house. After the 1831 uprising, the czarist government expelled Schlossberg and took over the building as it was building a fortress beside it. Before the Second World War it was the office of the Lithuanian Army, during the World War II it was the office of the German Army, and after World War II it was used by Soviet security structures and later transformed into the Palace of Pioneers. Fragments of Schlossberg's house have become part of the Eastern Wing of the restored Royal Palace.
A new palace has been under construction since 2002 on the site of the original building. The Royal Palace was officially opened during the celebration of the millennium of the name of Lithuania in 2009.