Only a short drive from Ekenäs, in the forest there are the ruins of a castle. It is a castle that once must have been an even more impressive sight than today. Majestically raising itself from the surrounding snowy fields, Raseborg Castle was an amazing sight also on a day like this. There is something special with historical castles like Raseborg.
Our Visit to the Raseborg Castle Ruins
We arrived with the ferry to Turku yesterday morning and drove towards Lahti. We did, however, take a detour to Ekenäs along the southern coast of Finland. After a stop for lunch and a bit of exploration in Ekenäs, we drove the last kilometers to the ruins of the Raseborg Castle. The road to the castle was, however, a mix of ice and mud, so taking the pram was of no point. Instead, I took a walk to explore the castle while Susann dug up some food for Little A from our bags.
The castle was only a few hundred meters from the car park and it made an impressive sight when walking towards it. In my opinion, there is something special with castle ruins. They do tell stories from the past that can really get your imagination to overwork. This castle had a few similarities with the Castle of Kastelhom on the Åland islands. Due to visiting outside the normal tourist season, the castle, as well as nearby services, were closed. They are mainly open for the summer. Instead, I could enjoy a walk around the castle in complete silence. It really gets you to wonder if it isn’t much nicer to visit places like this when there is no-one else there. It is so much easier to enjoy the sight and the atmosphere.
After the short walk around the castle, I was soon back in the car with Susann and Little A. We had two more hours to drive before reaching Lahti. There will be more posts about Finland in the coming week.
A Bit More About Raseborg Castle
Raseborg Castle dates back to the 1370s. It is built on a rock that at the time of construction was surrounded by water. The main purpose of the castle was for Sweden to gain control of the shipping and trade in the Gulf of Finland. The main opponent at the time was the Hanseatic city of Reval – today Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The castle was the center of administration for the southern Finnish region of Western Uusimaa. Raseborg castle was in use until 1558, when Ekenäs and Helsinki gained their town charters. The castle has since fallen into ruins for centuries.
If you are interested in visiting the castle, there is more information about opening season and admission prices here >>
I really liked Raseborg when we visited the other year, and it looks fabulous in the snow. Ekenas was very pleasant too. Thanks for the reminder!