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A small parkette at the intersection of Piispankatu and Tehtaankatu is decorated with atmospheric red spheres. The parkette was named after a Turku-based historian in 1994. Dahlström (1883–1965) was particularly interested in the history of Turku and its nearby regions, and he played an important role in the establishment of the Swedish-speaking university, Åbo Akademi, in 1918. In addition to being a historian, Dahlström also wrote fiction under the pseudonym Père Noble.
The Railway Station Park welcomes travellers arriving by train on the other side of Ratapihankatu. The history of the area includes a colourful period in the 19th century when it was rented to touring circus troupes. Plans for transforming the area into a park began in the late 19th century. Even the City Council took part in the discussion as to whether the park should be designed as a calm environment for relaxing or as a place that people catching a train could travel through in a hurry.
The lighting of the lights on the Christmas street has traditionally been one of the highlights of the opening ceremony of the Christmas season. The first Christmas lights in Turku were lit in 1948 on a section of Yliopistonkatu between Aurakatu and Humalistonkatu. The Christmas street instantly became very popular among the residents of Turku, and the annual opening ceremony became an event that everyone in the city looks forward to.
Where can you find the other Turku Cathedral?
A fairyland of lights for children can be found at the Kupittaa Traffic Town and bird pond. The lighting of the bird pond for Christmas has a long tradition of 20 years. The Traffic Town was equipped with seasonal lights for the first time in 2018.
There are several sites with seasonal lighting in the vicinity of Turku Cathedral.
Turku Cathedral Christmas Tree
The first Christmas tree lit with electric lamps was brought to Turku Cathedral as early as 1900, and it became a permanent tradition in the 1930s. According to folklore, there were some interruptions in this tradition during the war years. A record of Christmas trees has been kept since 1955, which indicates the donors and original locations of the trees.
Christmas has arrived at Hansa shopping centre and the whole quarter has been dressed in spectacular Christmas lighting. On Thalia square, on the first floor of Hansa by the Aurakatu entrance, you will find Hansa’s own spectacularly Christmassy photo corner.
When you lift your gaze towards the ceiling of Hansatori square, you will see the Cloud light installation. It is a work of art by Visual Artist & Designer Tuomas Honkanen created in co-operation with Design Agency Amerikka.
Puolalanpuisto Park is transformed into an audio artwork in the evenings.
Weaving, Yearning is a sound installation created by Kalle Nio and Hans Rosenström, which spreads to Puolalanpuisto Park in Turku between 7 October and 17 December 2021. Inspired by the moment when darkness falls, the artwork is a song composed by Aino Venna and consisting of four voices that softly drift through the cityscape.
Turku’s year as the European Capital of Culture in 2011 started with a festive opening ceremony on the banks of the Aura River. As part of the opening ceremony, a lantern procession consisting of a thousand children wandered along the river front, carrying home made lanterns.
The lantern project is implemented with the support of the Turku 2029 Foundation and realised jointly by the Children’s Culture Centre Adventure Park, basic education and the library.
The Dancing Advent Calendar of the Regional Dance Centre of Western Finland offers dance-filled moments and bodily experiences for dance lovers of all ages. The doors will open up in the surroundings of the City of Turku and neighbouring areas and will be freely accessible to all. The Dancing Advent Calendar will be cheering hearts once again along the Path of Light.
As evening starts to fall, the Christmas Path’s Night of the Elves invites you to the centre of Turku. The Night of the Elves programme includes extended opening hours, glogg booths, Christmas trees for sale in the evenings, and other activities.
Christmas Path is an event package implemented in the centre of Turku. It starts from the Magical Opening of the Christmas Season on 26 November and ends with the 24th window of the social media calendar on Christmas Eve. The event is organised by the Turku City Centre Association
A Sparrow glides towards you on the street. It is an unexpected encounter, a mobile puppet theatre installation, a moment that encourages you to stop, a fleeting moment. It is an elegy for sparrows, the widely-known bird species that has even been classified as endangered in Finland, a subtle statement in favour of protecting biodiversity.
Her Highness the Snow Queen and her court have arrived in Turku!
The queen and her court can be seen throughout the weekend event in Itäinen Rantakatu, near the Library Bridge. A more detailed schedule will be announced closer to the event.
TipTopWalkers, a street art group specialising in site-specific arts and circus, and consisting of professional performers, is responsible for the implementation of the show.
Could a Christmas Window be the highlight of your daily walk? Is it possible to tell a story in a window?
Let yourself be enchanted by fire arts!
On fire is a new atmospheric fire art show made by Aura Company. With various means of fire art, the performance takes the viewer on a visual journey to the world of object manipulation and juggling. In the show, the circus artists continue their traditional performance style with precise choreography, subtle humour and impressive fire art. .
Performance and implementation: Emma Nivala, Antti Nerg and Markus Nivala
Production: Circus & Theatre Association Aura Company
Welcome to the wondrous adventure that will take you to experience Luminous Harmonies. You start the route from the Turku Main Library and end up at the park of the City Hall. There are eight checkpoints in the city center, each of which will make you fall in love with the diverse culture in Turku. Only by answering questions at each checkpoint, you may travel further.
Children’s Light World is a two-day event specifically aimed at families with children. It is organised by the Children’s Culture Centre Adventure Park. The light world concludes the Path of Light while simultaneously launching the 40th anniversary of the Adventure Park. A more detailed schedule and programme for the Children’s Light World will be published later.
The lighting of the Theatre Bridge is an essential part of Christmas in Turku. The bridge was first illuminated in 2016 and since then, it has been a beloved part of seasonal lighting. Turku City Theatre is responsible for creating the lighting for the bridge, and its theme is always related to a topical play in the theatre’s programme. This year the inspiration stems from Hiljaiset sillat (The Bridges of Madison County).
Works by Turku-based cartoon artists are projected above the entrance of the Main Library. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Turku’s year as the European Capital of Culture, the works are thematically related to different art forms.
Artists and works
The Light Mural has been implemented in cooperation with the Turku Comics Club.
The Market Hall Alley has been adorned with special Christmas lighting for many years already, but for the first time in 2020, a larger-scale light installation was created in the alley as part of the Path of Light event. The goal is to make the alley into a more attractive and atmospheric passage way between the beautifully lit river front and the blocks in the city centre.
Throughout December, you can also find a daily changing story window called Moles’ December in the Market Hall Alley.
The Path of Light is a light art spectacle arranged by the City of Turku. It consists of a great light event and seasonal lighting on display throughout the darkest winter season. The inspiration for the Path of Light was drawn from Turku itself, its stories, atmosphere and the surrounding landscapes.
As a customer at Turku City Library, you can use the following e-resources at the library (either on the library’s computers or on a device that has been connected to the library’s wi-fi).
You can access most of these resources you can access outside the library although some of the following resources you can access only when you’re using the library’s computers or when you’re connected to the library’s wi-fi.
Updated 4.11.2021
Where to pick up the school meals for pupils in distance teaching and quarantine
The locations for picking up school meals have been updated. Signpost stickers have been attached for guidance and instructions for finding the kitchen door can be found below.
Hannunniittu School
Pick-up time from 1 pm to 3 pm. The kitchen door is parallel to Virmuntie, near the bins.
Lauste School
Pick-up time from 1 pm to 3 pm. The kitchen door in the barracks on the left when entering the courtyard.