Olaf's Castle (Olavinlinna) in Savonlinna!.

My home town is a large castle, Olaf's Castle .

Olaf's Castle was built to a relatively sparsely populated area . The area was , however, militarily and geographically important; region clave Pähkinäsaari Truce ( 1323), from the border line. Initially, the limit was between Sweden and Novgorod , and later in Sweden and the Grand Duchy of Moscow between . When in 1400 the late Grand Duchy of Moscow, sought to extend the the power circuit , threatening even to the Swedish borders, they needed a new fortress - Olaf's Castle - to strengthen the eastern border defense.

Olaf`s Castle was founded in 1475 by a Danish knight Erik Akselinpoika Tott , who at the time served of Vyborg Castle. Place the castle was chosen as the defense point of view , a steep rocky island rises to a constant flow of two waterways at a crossroads. The enemy was difficult to approach the castle , and the waterways were able to take advantage of the castle to transport building material .

Before starting the actual construction of the stone castle on the rock had to erect wooden rigging to protect your castle builders, who immediately began the construction of Russian soldiers were under attack.

The first was completed in the so-called . the main castle , which rose to the highest cliff of the island , the western side . It consisted of three towers and the encircling wall . The main castle was defense capability about 10 years. Immediately after the completion of the main castle was started on the east side of the island so-called Double Tower . bailey had two towers construction work. All in all, the work was completed in late 1400 . In this case, with five rocky islands rising Castle represented the most modern defense architecture with round turrets and high encircling walls .

The Olaf´s Castle defense capability had already been put to the test very early on , as the outbreak of war in 1495 after the Russian troops did Olaf's Castle to a number of attacks . Both the 1500 - and 1600 's, the castle had to be here for this military action. Great Northern War, an impact in particular Olaf's Castle , and the handover of power in the summer of 1714 in the castle for the first time the castle surrendered Russians severe end of the siege . Disputes , however, continued in the ownership of the castle , and so in 1721 Nystad castle was returned to the Swedes. When the castle in the end the 1700s , following a number of battles in 1743 were entered into after the Peace of Turku was the Russians took up the Russians extensive construction work to improve the defenses of the castle . Of that period are a proof of the angular bastions .

Work at the castle garrison until 1847 , even though the castle lost a military significance after the Finnish War . Military- end of the castle served as a jail for a short time , until his very empty and gradually began to be known attractions and tourist destination.

The castle became a thorough repair for the first time two topical after a fire ravaged the castle in the 1870s. At that time, the castle was also discussed , and the use of the state began to take care of Olaf's castle historical monument.

Castle into a quickly developed into a major tourist attraction and popular celebrations. The summer of 1912 the opera singer Aino Ackté organized the first castle of the five opera festival , which had started in 1967, the annual opera festival predecessors .

Olaf's castle was restored in the late 1800s to 1900 -first century , although the latest large-scale restoration began in 1961 and was completed in 1975 when the castle turned 500 . After this is made ​​up for the small annual revisions. Today, Olaf's Castle is one of Finland's most popular attractions and refurbished interior is celebrated in many different events .