Time Out at Medieval Market of Turku
Our recent visit to Turku was timed precisely for the last day of the Medieval Market. As one of Finland's largest festivals, the Medieval Market is among northern Europe's most important medieval fairs. Although I have been to a medieval/renaissance fair once in the Midwest, I have always been intrigued by visiting one in Europe. I think it would be more authentic since it is closer to its European roots. Surely, the Europeans would have taken the fair more seriously than their American counterparts. Following our visit to Skansen in Stockholm, I developed a deep affecti’ appreciation for traditional crafts and heritage. I came to Turku with great expectations and was eager to explore all it offered.
Some delicious candy apples, which were definitely not available back in 1399;
Hosted over a four-day period, the fair employs a few dozen actors and attracts armies of artisans from Finland and all across Europe. Each year's fair rewinds the time machine to a specific year back to medieval Turku. For this year, the time machine went back to the year 1399. At heart, the fair is educational and raises public interest in archaeology and medieval studies. The fair was first organized in 1996 by the Museum of Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova and Turku's local historical society. The festival's popularity became so immense in the subsequent decade that the festival is now organized by a dedicated committee since 2013.
A beautiful day to start the time machine.
Appropriately, only hand-painted signage here.
Our visit started just across from Turku Cathedral in the "Work Exhibition Area" area in Porthan Park (Porthaninpuisto). This is the fair's centerpiece, where all the medieval crafts were demonstrated, ranging from blacksmithing, looming, and leatherwork to ceramic. Like the Renaissance fairs in the United States, these craftsmen are a mix of passionate enthusiasts and professional artisans. Undoubtedly, the fair is a big hit for children of all ages. Indeed, the highlight of our visit was seeing how children interact with various merchants and reenactors.
Craft demonstrations aside, my absolute favorite was the medieval version of the "balloon race.” The sight of young children swinging around in the wicker basket brought a big smile to my face. In this digital age that we are now in, there was something sublime about the low-tech fun rides that brought everyone back to the more innocent time. I wonder just how historically accurate this setup was.
The medieval balloon race… free of charge.
No medieval fair is completed without jugglers.
These are some delicious-looking sausage.
Unfairly or not, merchandising seems to be the most prominent aspect of the fair based on our brief visit. Granted that we know full well that the fair is named "Medieval Market,” we were still quite disappointed by the overtly commercial aspect of the festival. Admittedly, there are many reenactment performances at a dozen or so venues spread across the fair. It is difficult for me to distinguish how the Turku festival is uniquely Finnish other than using the Finnish language. Although we are no experts on life in medieval Turku, I did expect more appearances of traditional Finnish national costumes and something particular to Turku.
Fur traders
Suckling pig were extremely tempting.
Time to get the work starting.
By coincidence, I looked up the list of vendors on their website before our visit. It appeared that just slightly less than half of the participants were foreign. Certainly, any Renaissance fair enthusiast will have a fun-packed day. By all accounts, Turku's fair seemed to stay clear of many fanciful characters common at Renaissance fairs elsewhere. There is always a fine line between entertainment and historical accuracy. Perhaps I was expecting too much and held the fair to the standards of Skansen or Norsk Folkemuseum. Unfortunately, I may have let my idealism get in the way of enjoying the afternoon.
The largest medieval fair in Finland.
We had no idea what was going on there.
We had no idea what was going on there.
Anyway, I did regret not trying out some beautiful food roasting on the barbecue. The whole crackling roasting pig looked particularly appetizing! Oddly, that might be some of the most authentic aspects of this day! At the end of the day, I looked back at our afternoon at the Medieval Market with slight amusement and apathy. I did wish we had a greater interest in historical reenactment or visited with a medieval expert or enthusiast. Perhaps one day, we will return to the Medieval Market with a child of our own; that would have been the surest way to have a fun day! We should have asked why some priests are parading young children on sticks (see the photo above)!
