Oulu Castle Ruins & Observatory
Oulun linna
Remains of a fortress built in 1590, with a 19th-century observatory building on the site that now serves as a café.
Both the name and the origins of Oulu are tied to this castle. In 1590 the Swedes built a wooden and stone fortress on Linnasaari, a small island at the river mouth. In 1793 the gunpowder store was struck by lightning and exploded, leaving only the foundations and walls. In 1875 an octagonal meteorological observatory was built on the site. It now operates as a summer café, and the old castle cellars can still be seen underground. Admission is free, and it is only a few hundred metres from Market Square, so it is an easy detour.
Opening hours
Site open all day; café open in summer
Nearby sights
- Oulu Market Hall
- Oulu Market Square & Toripolliisi
- Rotuaari
- Northern Ostrobothnia Museum
- Oulu Cathedral
- Pikisaari
- Oulu Museum of Art
- Hupisaaret Islands Park