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Life in Finland’s Past LaneAlong the King’s RoadJeff BurdickDuring the 600 years Finland belonged to the Swedish kingdom, the royal court and its couriers traveled a road through Finland that stretched all the way to St. Petersburg. Hamlets, forts, castles, and defensive battlements sprung up along what came to be called “The King’s Road,” and travelers today can visit many medieval remnants that still dot the route. Of course in modern times, the King’s Road is a comfortably paved system of roads and highways. In Finland, the route hugs the coastline and consists of two branches: King’s Road East (the 110 miles from Helsinki to the Russian border) and King’s Road West (the 100 miles west of Helsinki to Turku).
The next day, I toured Turku, Finland’s oldest town and third largest city. Until Sweden lost Finland to Russian in 1809, the city served as the territorial capital of Finland. Turku was also the starting point of Finland’s King’s Road. Today, Turku remains the nation’s most popular gateway with ferries constantly motoring between Stockholm and the Åland Islands.
Of more recent vintage but no less wondrous is the Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova museum. The institution is half contemporary art museum, half archeological dig. On street level and above are crisp, clean halls in which hang colorful, challenging pieces of modern design, sculpture and painting. In the basement, the 13th century ruins of old Turku have been enshrined exactly as they were found when accidentally unearthed during the modern museum’s construction. Instead of moving the relics or relocating the art museum, curators decided to make two museums in one and built the art museum around and above the dig. The result is a masterpiece of museum design and a wonderful experience. Next I hopped over to the east branch of the King’s Road to the town of Loviisa, located 54 miles east of Helsinki. At first, the differences between the two branches might seem trivial, but upon closer scrutiny, a visitor readily recognizes the still lingering influence of Sweden in the west and Russia in the east. For instance along King’s Road West, Swedish is still commonly spoken, and in the east, Russian flavorings remain detectable in the architecture and atmosphere. Interestingly, Loviisa showed a little of both influences. Named in honor of a Swedish queen, most of its historic sector of wood buildings dates from the Russian era. In summers, the island fortress of Svartholm serves as a relaxing picnic destination, and the ruins of a pair of land fortresses (Ungern and Rosen) offers insight into how both the Swedes and Russians guarded the King’s Road from raids. Much more Russian was Hamina, located just 30 miles from the Russian border. The town’s most distinctive features are its old walls, an attractively maintained octagonal town center, and dozens of 18th and 19th century wooden buildings. Belying the town’s Russian influence is the small but ornate Russian Orthodox Church. Next I traveled north to the serene resort town of Lappeenranta located on Lake Saimaa. The city’s old fortress contains a village of old wooden buildings, workshops, and restaurants. Particularly notable was the South Karelian Museum. In addition to displays of regional art and artifacts, an excellent model exactingly reproduces in miniature what the former Finnish town of Vyborg looked like prior to its bombing and seizure by Russia during WWII. In fact, the entire museum serves as an excellent primer for anyone taking the popular day cruise to Vyborg via the Saimaa canal. (No visa needed for day-trippers.) After this tour along this artery of the past, I re-emerged into present day with a two days in the modern, Euro-chic capital of Helsinki. Although Europe’s smallest capital, this compactness only makes it easier navigate among the city’s dozens of museums. Highlights of my sauterings included a museum of Finnish furniture and industrial design plus the magnificent island fortress of Suomenlinna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. FOR MORE INFORMATION:Contact the Finnish Tourist Board |
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TM
My sampling of both
branches began in the cozy harbor town of Naantali located eight miles
west of the Baltic Sea port of Turku. Naantali boasts two notable
features. One is the pastoral summer residence of the Finnish President
called Kultaranta. The second is the Naantali Spa, considered Finland’s
best spa. Its indoor/outdoor pools look out on the Baltic Sea and proved
the epitome of scenic rejuvination. (Note: Finnish spas are not
“health” spas. The Finnish spa experience consists of hearty dining,
saunas, perhaps a massage, and dipping into various hot- and cold-water
pools.)
For land lovers, historic
relics abound. Turku Castle is Finland’s No. 1 historical monument.
Begun in the 13th century, the fortress gradually grew to over 115 rooms,
most of which have been expertly restored.