Olavinlinna Castle

The building of Olavinlinna, castle of St. Olaf, began in 1475. The Danish-born founder of the castle, knight Erik Axelsson Tott, decided that a powerful fortification should be built to protect the strategically important Savo region. The castle was supposed to repel Russian attacks from the east and to guarantee the control of the Savo region for the Swedish Crown. The history of Olavinlinna is a mixture of medieval arms clashing, cannons roaring and every-day chores inside the security of the castle's thick walls. Today, Olavinlinna is a really popular tourist destination all year round. In addition to guided tours, many things happen in Olavinlinna, e.g. themed program, in the summertime Opera Festival and many other concerts.