Tuesday 16th–Friday 19th of September 2025, Turku, Finland
We are happy to welcome You to the 16th 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
Travelling to Turku
Timetables and tickets for busses: Matkahuolto Online Ticket Service
Timetables and tickets for trains: VR Online Ticket Service
Links to accommodation alternatives
Bob W Turku City Centre: https://booking.bobw.co/
Centro Hotel Turku: https://centrohotel.com
Holiday Club Turun Caribia: https://www.holidayclubresorts.com/en/hotels-resorts/turun-caribia/
Hotel Seaport: https://www.hotelseaport.fi/
Hotelli Helmi: https://www.hotellihelmi.fi/en-gb/home
Omena Hotel Turku: https://www.omenahotels.com/en/hotelsturku/
Park Hotel Turku: https://parkhotelturku.fi/
Scandic Hotels Turku: https://www.scandichotels.com/hotels/finland/turku
Sokos Hotels Turku: https://www.sokoshotels.fi/en/hotels/turku
Castella Maris Baltici XVI is supported by The Finnish Cultural Foundation Varsinais-Suomi Regional Fund, The Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, Kulturfonden för Sverige och Finland, The Federation for Finnish Learned Societies and The Turku City Museum
