Turku’s historic Market Hall is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year. This milestone year will be celebrated during the anniversary week from 12 to 17 October, when the Market Hall will be hosting a programme of events, tastings and special offers for visitors.
Opened in 1896, Turku Market Hall is one of the city’s best-known landmarks and an important part of Turku’s food culture. For 130 years, the Market Hall has been part of the everyday lives and celebrations of Turku’s residents, as well as the city’s identity.
– For several generations now, the people of Turku have been planning their everyday meals and festive feasts together with the Market Hall’s vendors. At the same time, customers have exchanged news with one another, naturally strengthening a sense of community, says Mayor Piia Elo.
– The Market Hall has weathered major social changes. Its early years included periods when the selection on the stalls was still rather limited. For today’s Turku residents and visitors to the city, however, the Market Hall has always been a magnificent treasure trove, where one can rely on the quality of the produce and the pleasantly nostalgic atmosphere every time one visits, says Elo.
Finland’s second-oldest market hall
Turku Market Hall is Finland’s second-oldest market hall. It was designed by the architect Gustaf Nyström. The same architect designed the market hall that was completed in Helsinki four years earlier.
The Market Hall’s traders are, quite rightly, proud of their historically significant premises.
– It really is a fantastic building, so steeped in history! 130 years have seen quite a number of business and customer stories unfold. For example, the fishmonger S. Wallin, which has been here from the very beginning, says Johan Hellsten, chairman of the Turku Market Hall Association.
And when there’s a reason to celebrate, we’ll be celebrating for almost the whole birthday week!
From Monday to Saturday, visitors to the Market Hall can look forward to a varied programme, tastings and special offers.
The programme includes, amongst other things, music, a gift voucher hunt and a prize draw for birthday surprises organised by the Turkuseura. Members of the City Theatre will be reading memories linked to the Market Hall on Friday 16 October at 11.00, 12.00 and 13.00. The Artsoppa Chamber Music Society will perform in the Market Hall’s restaurant area on Saturday 17 October at 10.30 am and 1 pm.
There will be special offers and tastings in almost every product category. The Piispis ice-cream sundae, which honours Turku traditions, will also be making a comeback at the Juustopuoti ice-cream stall for the duration of the festival week.
The full programme for the celebratory week is available on the Turku Market Hall’s website.
The History of Turku Market Hall
- The decision to build a market hall in Turku was taken in 1893.
- The Market Hall was built using bricks from the Kärsämäki brickworks, whilst the steel structures were manufactured by Turun Konepaja Oy.
- Turku Market Hall first opened its doors to customers on 15 October 1896.
- The Market Hall was renovated between 1976 and 1978. At the same time, the shops were enlarged and the Sininen juna café was opened in the centre of the market hall.
- In the next refurbishment in 2013, the end of the Market Hall facing Linnankatu was converted into a food court.
- The third phase of the Market Hall’s renovation will begin with pile-driving work for the foundations during 2027.
A look back at the history of the Turku Market Hall (in Finnish): Torilta hallikauppaan − Kauppahalli 130 vuotta
This translation was produced with AI and reviewed by a human.