Åbo

Åbo, the Swedish name for the Finnish city Turku, is located in southwestern Finland on the Aura River at its mouth where it enters the Archipelago Sea. It is the regional center of Southwest Finland and a major port city.

Åbo is Finland’s oldest city, founded in the 13th century. In the medieval period it was the country’s ecclesiastical and economic center, serving as the seat of the bishopric and one of the most important towns in Finland.

Key landmarks include Turku Cathedral, begun in the 13th century, and Turku Castle, a fortress dating to the late 13th century. The city’s history was reshaped by the Great Fire of 1827, which destroyed large parts of Turku.

In education, the Royal Academy of Turku, founded in 1640, was Finland’s first university. After the 1827 fire and the relocation of the capital to Helsinki, the academy moved there by 1829 and became the University of Helsinki. A separate University of Turku was established in 1920.

Today Turku has around 190,000 residents and remains an important port and regional center for services, education, and tourism. The city is known for its cultural life, including museums, events, and a historic riverfront that links the old town with the harbor and archipelago.