Old Great Square (Turku)

[2] The earliest information about the Brinkkala Mansion is from the 16th century when it was a town house of the owner of Brinkhall Manor in Kakskerta.

The most famous of the Turku town halls was the stone building planned by master bricklayer Samuel Berner, finished in 1736.

After the fire, Captain Hjelt bought the site along the town square, and built the impressive two-story stone building in 1830.

The Hjelt Mansion is the only remaining stone building in Finland which clearly represents the Saint Petersburg empire style.

Four Baltic Sea organisations moved into the building at the beginning of 2008: UBC Environment and Sustainable Development Secretariat, WHO Healthy Cities, Centrum Balticum and Valonia.

Turku Medieval Market is organised in June and July, stretching out to Porthaninpuisto, the courtyard and Luostarin Välikatu.

Under EU protection, the idea is to revive the area to a European style by attracting more cafes and restaurants and organising different events at the square and park.

Furthermore, a bridge called Pennisilta, to replace the one destroyed by the fire, is due to be built to connect the old part of the city to the traffic centre.