Turku Castle is one of the oldest buildings still in use in Finland and one of the largest medieval castles in Scandinavia. A national monument, it stands on the banks of the Aura River, the construction of the castle began in 1280 and testifies to the importance of Turku in that particular historical period; in the following two centuries its defences were strengthened and new residential areas were added. The main part of the castle was considerably enlarged during the 16th century, after the ascent to the throne of Gustav I of Sweden.Only once did the castle play a role in the defence of the kingdom, when in 1318 the Russian invaders from Velikij Novgorod destroyed Turku. The castle and its underground prisons are a major attraction for tourists and guides like to tell that the ghost of Hedvig Eleanor Stenbock, who lived in the castle during the 18th century, roams its walls.
