History of Turku

Turku (Swedish: Åbo) is Finland's oldest city, having been founded in 1229. The city has a history as part of Sweden, Russia, and finally as an important city of independent Finland. Turku played a pivotal role during the Middle Ages as part of the Kingdom of Sweden. In the 16th century, it was the second most important city in the kingdom, after Stockholm. Turku served as the administrative, academic and religious centre of the eastern part of the Swedish kingdom, known today as Finland.

In 1809, Finland came under Russian rule with Turku serving as the capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland. In 1812, the Russians relocated the capital to Helsinki. The Great Fire of Turku in 1827 was a significant milestone in the history of the city due to its almost complete destruction. Nevertheless, Turku retained its status as the largest Finnish city until the 1840s.

Today, Turku is the primary city and population centre in Southwestern Finland. The city's population has been growing steadily as a result of the baby boom, migration from rural areas and, more recently, immigration. During the late 20th century and early 21st century, Turku has flourished as a bustling hub of commerce, academia, and tourism. The Turku region is the third largest metropolitan area in Finland.