Castella Maris Baltici XVI - Current research and new perspectives on castle studies

Tuesday 16th–Friday 19th of September 2025, Turku, Finland

We are happy to welcome You to the 16^th Castella Maris Baltici conference in Turku on September 16–19, 2025! The conference will take place in the premises of University of Turku and Turku Castle.

The theme of the conference will be “Current research and new perspectives on castle studies” with an aim to explore the present state and future of the castle studies around the Baltic region. Besides papers on current research, also papers on the theoretical and methodological aspects are most welcome, as well as presentations regarding funding and organizing the research now and in the future.

Scientific committee: Prof. Georg Haggrén (University of Turku), FT, doc. Janne Harjula (University of Turku), FT Tanja Ratilainen (University of Turku), FT, doc. Kari Uotila (Muuritutkimus Oy).

For additional information on conference, registration, accommodation and other related issues, please contact Tarja Knuutinen, tarja.knuutinen[at]helsinki.fi.

Conference Programme

Tuesday 16.9. (University of Turku, Geotalo)

14.00 Opening of the conference

Opening words from the members of the organizing committee – Kari Uotila, Muuritutkimus Oy, Georg Haggrén, University of Turku & Tarja Knuutinen, The Society for Medieval Archaeology in Finland / University of Helsinki

14.30–16.00 Presentations

Aleksander Andrzejewski, University of Lodz: Castle on the tourist trail, from the ruins to the reconstruction

Claus Sørensen, Østfyns Museer: The Arrival of the King – Nyborg Castle – eight years later

Miglė Urbonaitė-Ubė, Klaipeda University, Institute of Baltic Region History and Archaeology: Rise from the ashes: past and future of Klaipeda (Memel) castle research

16.00 Coffee

16.30 –18.00 Posters & short presentations of recent & ongoing research in Finland

Tarja Knuutinen, University of Helsinki: Castle research in Finland today and some dreams for the future

Elina Terävä, University of Helsinki: Exploring military material culture in three Finnish medieval castles (Presentation)

Mika Lavento, University of Helsinki: The Europeanization of Finland and Karelian Isthmus — how to research it with archaeological methods? (Presentation)

Elise Pihlajaniemi, University of Turku: Ruined or repaired? The fate of Swedish Bishop Castles after 1520´s Lutheran Reformation (Poster)

18.30 Evening Reception

20.00 Dinner

Wednesday 17.9. (University of Turku, Geotalo)

9.00 Opening of the day

9.15–11.00 Presentations

Vija Stikāne, Turaida Museum Reserve: Bishop’s Castles in Medieval Livonia – Diverse Source Base, Diverse Stories: The Example of Turaida Castle Regarding the Study of 13th-16th Century Archaeological and Written Sources

Georg Haggrén, University of Turku: Lost and found fragments. Vessel glass in medieval castles in Scandinavia

Lennart Madsen, Museum Sønderjylland: When castles became a necessity in Southern Jutland!

11.30 Lunch

Afternoon excursion:

12.30 Departure from the Turku Cathedral

Liinmaa Castle in Eurajoki, Sundholm manorial site in Uusikaupunki + other sites

20.00 Dinner

Thursday 18.9. (Turku Castle)

8.45 Opening of the day

9.00-11.30 Presentations

Leif Plith Lauritsen, Museum Lolland-Falster: Beneath the cellar floor: preliminary results from the archaeological investigations at Aalholm Castle, Denmark

Jussi Kinnunen & Janne Harjula & Tanja Ratilainen, University of Turku: Research in Forsby Linnaluoto

Justīne Timermane, Turaida Museum Reserve: Archaeological Evidence of the Livonian Castle Beneath the Bishop’s Castle in Turaida

Brendan Foley, Lund University, Department of Archaeology and Ancient History: A Floating Castle in the Baltic: Gribshunden (1495)

Christofer Herrman: Gebaute Macht. Deutschordensburgen in Preußen und Livland und ihre europäische Dimension – Architectural power. Teutonic Order castles in Prussia and Livonia and their European dimension

11.30 Lunch

12.30 In depth -excursion: Turku Castle

14.30 Coffee

15.00-17.30 Presentations

Martin Hansson, Lund Universitet: The artefacts from the moat at Glimmingehus – problems and possibilities?

Jesper Hjermind, Magt, Borg og Landskab, Danmark: Weapons from Hald Castle. Artefacts and written sources from the 16th and 17th centuries

Åsa Alering, Kulturparken Småland: New knowledge through research on artifacts from old archaeological excavations

Markku Oinonen, Laboratory of Chronology, Finnish Museum of Natural History – LUOMUS: Wood wiggle-match chronologies from Turku Castle.

Kari Uotila, Muuritutkimus Oy: The development of castle construction in the 14th and 15th centuries. Examples include the castles of Turku and Kuusisto

18.30 Dinner

Friday 19.9.

9.00 – 16.00 Excursion day:

Vanhalinna hillfort in Lieto, Koroinen bishops’ seat, Kuusisto Bishops’ castle

16.00 Arrival in Turku