The Castle can be visited
CastleSavonlinna
Olavinlinna (Olaf's Castle)
Olavinlinna, also known as St. Olaf's Castle, is an impressive medieval fortress located in the Finnish city of Savonlinna. It is considered one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Northern Europe and is Picturesquely situated amidst the lake district of the Saimaa lake system.
History+
Construction of Olavinlinna began in 1475 under the direction of Erik Axelsson Tott. Named after Saint Olaf, it served Sweden to secure its contested eastern border against Novgorod. Despite repeated sieges by Ivan III in 1495 and 1496, and during King Gustav's war against Russia (1555–1557), the castle held firm. During the Great Northern War (1700–1721), the Swedish garrison was forced to surrender to the Russians in 1714 after a long siege and depleted supplies. Although the castle was returned to Sweden in 1721 by the Treaty of Nystad, it definitively passed to Russia in 1743 after the Russo-Swedish War (1741–1743). After 1809 and the establishment of the Grand Duchy of Finland, Olavinlinna lost its military significance. Russian soldiers left the complex in 1847, after which it briefly served as a prison. In the 1860s, two fires severely damaged the castle. Extensive restoration work, which lasted from 1961 to 1975, restored the castle in time for its 500th anniversary.
Location+
Olavinlinna is situated on a small rocky island called Kyrönsaari in Savonlinna, within the Savonlinna district in the South Savo region, Finland. It stands at an elevation of approximately 87 meters above sea level and is surrounded by Lake Pihlajavesi and the Kyrönsalmi River.
On site+
Today, Olavinlinna is a popular tourist attraction and can be visited. It hosts exhibitions and serves as the venue for the annual Savonlinna Opera Festival.
Nearby+
- Kärnäkosken Linnoitus (Fortress), approx. 92.2 km away
- Lappeenranta Linnoitus (Fortress), approx. 96.7 km away
- Haminan Linnoitus (Fortress), approx. 170.8 km away
- Svartholman Merilinnoitus (Fortress), approx. 216.8 km away
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Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
This description draws on the facts documented in the linked Wikipedia article; Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wording and editing: Mobile History.
Location: 61.8639, 28.9011