The story of Hotel Linnasmäki

Hotel Linnasmäki's story began at the beginning of the 20th century in Turku, where there was a will to establish a Christian college in southwestern Finland. Linnasmäki's name comes from the Aurajoki estuary area, which has been continuously inhabited since the end of the Stone Age until these days. During the Viking Age, an ancient castle hill was located in the area, and today Linnasmäki proudly bears this history in its name.

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Reception

Weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Weekends from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

02 412 3500
info@linnasmaki.fi

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Lustokatu 7, 20380 Turku

Linnasmäki College in the 20th century

At the beginning of the 20th century, many Finns became active in the cause of civilization, which was supported by religious, political and non-committal popular movements. One such was born in Turku in 1917, when there was a will to establish a Christian college in Southwest Finland. On 21 October 1917, a public meeting was held, which led to the founding of Turku Kansanopisto Oy. However, the project faced setbacks and finally the board of the Southwest Finland Christian People's College decided to establish its own college in the fall of 1925.

Due to the need for space, the Turku Christian People's College already acquired its own building at Sirkkalankatu 40 on January 12, 1926. In the fall, the school board had time to deny the college state aid in its statement, and after the battles, the college's dedication ceremony was held on December 15, 1926.

The college went through many phases during the 20th century. Among other things, during the time of its leader Olavi Kares (1930–1960), it applied to be part of the group of awakening or charter schools, and during the winter war on January 12, 1940, a bomb badly destroyed the college building. However, already in the same fall, the college accepted a record number of students.

The educational need of the baby boomers and the rapid change in society after the war created the need to reassess the college's future boldly. In 1965, the college acquired approximately 4.5 ha of land from the city of Turku, Prusi estate, near Linnamäki. The plans for the new college were completed in 1971.

The construction plan was implemented by Pekka Pitkänen Architects' Office and construction work on the new college building began in June 1972. The construction work was completed in the fall of 1973 (brush-raising ceremony on August 31 and dedication on December 9), three months later than planned. Pitkäsen's modern architecture can be seen in flat roofs, shapes and the dialogue of concrete, metal and strong colors. At the time of its completion, the building was very modern in design.

Hotel Linnasmäki starts its operations

Turku Christian College's business and customer needs grew in the 1980s and 1990s, and the growing need was met by expanding the meeting, hotel and restaurant service capacity. The dormitory's new apartments could be used as a summer hostel when the school lines were on summer break.

In the end, the growing business had to be separated from the school's operations, and for that the Turku Christian College Foundation founded Linnasmäki oy on 20 December 1993 . The limited company specializes in congress, meeting and hotel services. The joint-stock company's operations were supported by the investments in the auditorium and hotel wing completed in 1993. The 264-seat auditorium is a unique entity in the region, and the space's acoustics work brilliantly for concerts, for example. In the auditorium, a modern meeting system enables the use of the space even in demanding meetings.

The present moment

Linnasmäki Oy has grown and developed significantly over the years, enabling a wide range of services for hotel and hostel services, as well as for meetings and family parties. The company has been managed wisely, and the dedicated company employees have created numerous unforgettable moments and successful opportunities.

Linnasmäki's location near the center of Turku attracts a very diverse clientele. There are approximately 20,000 accommodations during the year (2023) and the majority of those staying are domestic tourists. A significant share of international tourists also comes from Finland's neighboring regions (Sweden, Estonia, Germany).

Our premises are organized by, for example, the church council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, the Varsinais-Suomen regional council and the Varsinais-Suomen welfare area (Varha). In addition, various companies, communities, associations and Individual customers appreciate the meeting, restaurant and accommodation services we offer.

for Linnasmäki College (formerly Turku Christian College), which operates in the same property, The company employs approximately 30 employees and its turnover in 2023 was approximately €2.5 million.

Finally

At the foot of Linnasmäki, the college's hundred-year history and the conference hotel's three-decade history are connected to a time course much longer than itself. People only visit the landscapes for a moment, but the landscapes carry a long history with them. It is especially important for us to respect the surrounding nature and historical landscapes. Hotel Linnasmäki's development strategy strongly reflects the values of sustainability and responsibility, which we hope our guests will also follow. Let's take care of our precious nature together and guarantee Linnasmäki's future for decades to come.