Olavinlinna

Medieval Olavinlinna is the city's symbol and main attraction. Built in 1475 by Danish knight Erik Axelsson to protect the eastern border of the Swedish-Danish Kalmar Union, it was named after the patron saint of knights, St. Olaf. The Russians were soon on the offensive, but the castle withstood several sieges before capitulating in 1714. The Swedes recaptured it in 1721, but lost it again in 1743, and it stayed in Russian hands until Finnish independence. This explains why it has stayed in such good shape: for the Russians, it was far inland and militarily useless, and hence not a target for the enemy either. Today, Olavinlinna is the world's northernmost medieval stone castle and easily Finland's best-preserved and most attractive castle, and it's quite a sight perched on the shores of the lake. The interior, though, is surprisingly small and sparse (virtually all furniture and decorations were lost in fires around 1870), and free guided tours take one hour. There are small exhibits inside the castle. Guided tours in English run every hour in summer (enquire in advance at olavinlinna@nba.fi in other seasons), but you can also visit the museums and courtyards on your own (entrance to some areas only on a tours.

Source: Wikivoyage, „Savonlinna“ · authors per page history · CC BY-SA 4.0 · as of 7/24/2025