A Timetraveller's Guide To A Finnish Summer Medieval Market

ladolcemusica (44)in #travel • 7 years ago

I'd like to share one of my favorite posts with you Steemers! If you wonder where to go next, read this!

"In order to understand your own country, you need to have lived in at least two others."
WH Auden

By the same standards, you can revisit your country a few centuries ago, twice and you would have experienced two absolutely different countries! You don't need to step into a time machine to do it though. The medieval market in Turku, Finland will take care of that for you.

In the heart of Turku, the market takes place every July for a couple of days where the old city square used to be. Hoards of people throng to the market in anticipation and excitement, chattering loudly, kicking up dust and making it hard to see. A welcome change from the otherwise spotless streets of Finland. Again, I don't think I have ever seen so many Finns in one place! (something I say often, but its true! You don't see Finns out at all!).

The people participating in the festival are all laden with costumes with their tunics right from the 12th century! What a sight! The only thing that gave it away were the prescription glasses.

Their costumes go a long way! This intimidating procession is apparently for someone pretty important. The guards pushed people out of the way to make space to pass. I can only imagine how rough this might have gotten a couple of centuries ago! The feeling of the whole thing got way more real with this!

There is a lot to witness. Here is a picture of this young man posing with a REAL sword which can cut through people like butter. (I checked it and it is way sharper than my kitchen knife!)

All participants make sure they follow the strict regulations of the theme where all the work done is done in the old fashioned way... by hand! You can find bucketloads of cool handmade stuff with prices to match.

One of the best things I found about the market was their ingenious ways of using animal products and body parts. The woman over here is one of the many people who make ale holders out of horns to drink from. Similarly all kinds of decorative, and downright everyday use items, made out of animals and horns can be found in this market.

Keeping true to the regulations, the metalware is also handforged. As is custom in Finland, you have got to have a Sauna sign for your beloved steamy room.

Everything, from product to contraption is handmade and hand-driven. Like this cool children's merry go round. It's just too cool for words! I only wish I could ride it, but apparently it is too big for me haha!

And the best part about the market is... of course all the delicious food. The smell of food followed me everywhere I went. Apparently the outdoor BBQ was so intense, the cloud of smoke could be seen from my apartment. In the center of the marketplace it was even more pronounced. I have to say, the smell made everyone's mouth water, even mine!

How interesting to see a whole pig made this way! This reminds me of Asterix and Obelix when I see this! Maybe they might show up from a corner!

And I had to save the cutest thing for last! This cute little two-year-old on a leash. Don't get me wrong... I love kids, but I'm sure secretly all moms want to put their kids on a leash. At least sometimes haha!