Turku

Port in southwestern Finland, near the mouth of the River Aurajoki, on the Baltic Sea; population (2003 est) 178,100. Turku is a centre of a fertile agricultural region; it is also a prominent industrial city and the country's largest winter port. Industries include shipbuilding, engineering, textiles, and food processing; tourism is also important. Turku is among Finland's oldest cities and one of its most important cultural centres. It was the capital of Finland until 1812.

Founded by Swedish Crusaders in 1157, Turku became the seat of the first bishop of Finland in 1220. It is still the national shrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, and the seat of the Lutheran Archbishop of Finland. The city's great cathedral was begun in the early 13th century. The 13th-century castle (burned in 1614 and restored in 1961) is now a historic museum. There is a Finnish university (founded 1917) and a Swedish university (founded 1918). The city also has an annual Music Festival and the Sibelius Museum.