Timeline, Prehistory
8 000 – 7 500 BC. First settlements in South-west / South-east Finland. At this point the edge of the ice (Ice age) was
at the Salpausselkä ridge (where there is now f.ex. the city Lahti)
7 500 – 1 500 BC Stone age
6 800 BC Fishing nets (found in the Antrea marshland, Karelia)
5 170 – 1 130 BC Moose head of soapstone/steatite (found from Huittinen, length 15 cm)
5 790 BC Wooden moose head (found from Lehtojärvi Lake in Rovaniemi, length 37 cm)
4 200 – 2 800 BC Develpoment of ceramics
4 000 BC Fenno Ugrian protolanguage
3 000 BC – 500 AD Rock paintings
2 500 BC Population growth, most likely due to Indo-european immigration
2 000 BC The Sami language and the Finnish protolanguage diverge
1 500 – 150 BC Bronze age. Use of bronze spreading to South and West Finland
1 000 BC Immigration of German tribes
500 BC – 1 050 AD Iron age. Use of iron spreads to South and West Finland
BC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AD
800-1 000 Era of the Vikings
1 050 – 1 150 / 1 300 Era of the Crusades
PRE-HISTORIC ROCK ART
 Concentrated in area fron the city of Lappeenranta to the the Kymijoki river and the lake
Saimaa area
 F.ex. Astuvansalmi in Ristiina, Vitträsk in Kirkkonummi, Värikallio in Suomussalmi, Hossa in
Kuusamo
 Situated on high up rising stone walls. Composed in North-east – South-west direction.
 Pictures 9 – 80 cm high. Red colour fron iron oxide
 Subjects: elk, human figures (70%), boat, birds, human hand, geometric forms
 Pictures do not represent a specific time, place or event, but rather evoke the eternal presence
of the spirit world. Related to hunting magic and fertility cult.
 Photographs, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibBvsYm-YyU
Shamanism
 Šaman (Siberian languages) - šramanā (ancient India, veda-language)
 Finnish and Sami pre-Christian religion (as well as that of the other Finno Ugric peoples) have
a clear shamanistic character
 Hunter-gatherers believe in spiritual realms above and below the world of daily life
 Altered states of consciousness. The visual, aural and somatic experiences in those states give
rise to perceptions of an alternative reality
 People with special powers and skills, the shamans, are believed to have access to this
alternative reality
 Shamans are believed to contact spirits and supernatural entities, heal the sick, control the
movement and lives of animals, change the weather.
 This is believed to be facilitated by supernatural entities f.ex. animal-helpers and spirits (bear,
elk, birds, snake etc.)
Timeline, Medieval era
800-1000 Era of the Vikings
1000 Catholic and orthodox monks are circulating in Häme-area
11 th Century first traces of Christianity in pictures on coins and jewelry
1000 – 1100 Immigration of the Swedih speaking population
1030 Olof, the king of Norway, makes a trip to South Finland
1040 In South Finland deceased are being buried in a Christian manner
1042 Vladimir, the Duke of Novgorod makes a crusade to Häme
1050 – 1150 / 1300 Era of the Crusades
1120 The Swedes and the Russians divide Finland. The border divides Häme area in two parts, west belonging to
Sweden east to Russia
1154 Arabic geographer al-Idrisi publishes a map in Palermo Sicily, he mentions Turku and Häme and uses word
“Tbst” ...”wealthy and richly populated area with cattle-farmers”
1155 First crusade to Finland by King Erik and Bishop Henrik, era of the Swedish rule begins
1156 Farmer named ‘Lalli’ kills Bishop Henrik with an axe on the ice of Köyliöjärvi lake
1180 Karelians and Estonians sail to Sigtuna which is the ancient capitol of Sweden and kill the Archbishop of
Sweden
1194 Famine year in Finland
1228 Pope allows bishop of Häme to take over all old non-Christian places of worship, sacrificial spots and sacred
groves
1250 Construction of the Hämeenlinna castle begins
1280 Severe famine year in Finland
1290s Turku gets city rights, it has been the biggest city on Finland from early 13th Century when a monastery
dedicated to Saint Birgitta was founded there
1293 City of Viipuri is founded
14th Century First roads in the Finnish mainland: Great Coastal Road between the cities of Turku and Viipuri, Bull
Road of Häme between the cities of Turku and Hämeenlinna
1300 First divine service in the new Dome of Turku
1323 Pähkinäsaari peace divides Finland between catholic Sweden and orthodox Russia, traces of history can still be
seen between Western Finland and Eastern so called Old Finland
1346 Porvoo gets city rights
…Did you know?…In 1365 there were four cities in Finland: Turku, Porvoo, Viipuri and Ulvila. Most part of
salesmen in these cities were of Germa origin…
…Did you know? By the beginning of the 15th Century there were 22 stone churches on the Finish mainland, plus
Turku Dome and Hattula church: 13 in South-west Finland, 4 in Uusimaa, 4 in Satakunta and 1 in Häme. On
Ahvenanmaa islands there were 8 churches built of stone
1442 Rauma gets city rights
1450 A thirty-year period of cold weather and starvation in Finland begins
1520s King Gustaf Vasa begins the protestant reformation, era of Catholic Church ends in Sweden and Finland
PRE-URBAN ERA 800-the 12th Century
 Trade centres, Viking trade routes, Birk-harbours (Birka, Sweden, destroyed in 957). Gotland,
Sigtuna and Uppsala.
 Ancient citadels, f.ex. Hämeenlinna Varikkoniemi
MEDIEVAL ERA, 1155-1524
 First crusade to Finland. Bishop Henrik, 1155
 Roman catholic church and religion
 Hansa, trade union between the cities around the Baltic sea
* Sarcophagus of Bishop Henrik, 1415-1420, Nousiainen church, black limestone and brass, made in
Flanders
Stone churches (built of natural stone (grey stone or red granite) and brick)
- By the 15th Century there were 23 stone churches in the mainland of Finland.
- Only Turku dome was comparable with the cathedrals in central European cities.
- On the Ahvenanmaa (Åland) islands there were 8 stone churches
a) Ahvenanmaa, f.ex. Jomala church, Finnström church, Lemland church
b) Uusimaa and Häme , f.ex. Porvoo church, Lohja church, Inkoo church, Hattula church of the Holy
cross, 1370-1420
c) Turku dome, 1276-1546 (inaugurated 1300)
Wall paintings
- Al secco –technique earth and mineral pigments on plaster
* Maaria church (Turku), c. 1450, wall and ceiling paintings in “primitive” style
* Hattula, Church of the Holy Cross, 1510-1522
* Espoo church, early 16th Century, scenes of the devil doing his deeds
* Inkoo church, 1510-1522, Dance macabre
Retables and painted wooden statues
* The Altar of the Pyhä Barbara in Kalanti Church, Master Francke, Hamburg 1415, The National
museum
- Madonna from the church of Korppoo, 1200-1225, height 70 cm, walnut
- Madonna from the church of Nousiainen, early 14th Century, made by a from Gotland Sweden
- Madonna from the church of Hattula, 1320-1350, height 85 cm, painted birch, made by a Finnish
master (“master from Lieto”)
Castles
- Turku castle, 1280-1588/1706
- Häme castle (Hämeenlinna), late 13th Century – 16th Century
- Olavinlinna castle (Savonlinna), 1475 – the 18th Century
Timeline, from the protestant reformation until the era of Sweden a Great Power
1548 New testament of the Bible is published in Finnish language, translation by Mikael Agricola
1550 The city of Helsinki is founded by Gustaf Vasa, the king of Sweden
1590 ‘Nuijasota’ a revolt of farmers
1594-1632 King Gustaf II Adolf rules Sweden and the country becomes one of Europe’s superpowers
…Did you know? By the end of the 16th Century there were 2800 inhabitants in Turku, 1700 in Viipuri, 800 in
Pori, 650 in Rauma and 560 in Helsinki
1600-1603 Severe famine years in Finland, due to exceptionally cold climate 17 th century is being called ‘the minor
ice age’ in Europe
1618 The 30 years war begins in Europe, Finland fights in South-Eastern Europe under the flag of Sweden
1633 Severe famine year in Finland
1640 Academy of Turku, first university in Finland, is founded by general governor of Finland Per Brahe
1640-1650 City of Helsinki is transferred to its present location from the Vanhakaupungin lahti bay area
1658 Peace of Roskilde, the area reigned by Sweden is at its largest
1664 Severe famine year in Finland
1671 Severe famine year in Finland
1688 Severe famine year in Finland
1695-1697 During the last severe famine years in 17th Century Finland, every third citizen dies in starvation. Year
1696 is a severe famine year throughout Europe
…Did you know? There were 11 cities in Finland in 1614 and 30 cities by the end of 1660s
VASA-ERA, 1524-1617
 Reformation 1524, Finland and Sweden turn into lutheran protestant countries
 Stockholm ans the Hansa cities compete over power in trade in the Baltic Sea region
 Fortifications f.ex. in Viipuri, Hämeenlinna, Savonlinna, Turku
THE RENAISSANCE ERA OF DUKE JUHANA
 Turku castle 1556-1563
SWEDEN AS SUPER POWER, 1617-1700
 Strong king and central power
 30-year’s war 1618-1648
 Painter’s guilds, 1620-luku: Jochim Neiman (1600-1672), Diedrich Möllerum (1642-1702),
Elias Brenner (1647-1716)
Manor houses
- Kuitia, Fleming, 1480S
- Sjundby, Hornit (Hästesko), 1560S
- Louhisaari, Fleming, 1655
- Pernaja Sarvilaks, Creutz, 1670Grave monuments and chapels
- Monuments were made by order in the workshops of North German and Baltic cities
- Torsten Stålhandske and Kristiina Horn, Turku dome, 1654
* Åke Tott and Kristina Brahe, grave monument, Turku dome, 1678
Votive paintings
- Votive painting of the Speitz family, Sääksmäki church, 1619, 90x105
Timeline, 18th century, from the Swedish era to the era as an Autonomous Grand Duchy of
Russia
1700-1721 Great Northern War, 50 000 men from Finland are ordered to serve in the Swedish army (total
population of Finland after the famine years in 1690’s is approx. 350 000 – 40 000 inhabitants)
1704-1709 A period of famine years in Finland
1713-1721 Period of Great Hatred, a time of great horror and controversies during which Russians occupy whole
Finland. During the first year ruling upper class and priests escape to Sweden with their belongings, farmers hide in
Finnish forests. Those caught by Russians (20 000 people) are taken to Russia to build St Petersburg or to slavery,
most of them never return
1721 Peace of Uusikaupunki, border between Finland and Russia is drawn almost to its present line as eastern
regions of Finland (Viipuri, Sortavala, Käkisalmi) stay as part of Russia. Those who escaped to Sweden during ‘Great
Hatred’ are returning to Finland
1735 Swedish Art Academy is founded in Stockholm…from the late 18th Century first Finnish architects and painters
start studying in this Royal Academy of Sweden
1742-1743 Period of Little Hatred, a time of controversies but not at all as bad as during the previous one (‘Great
Hatred’)
1743 Peace of Turku, more Finnish regions is joined into Russia. New border between Finland and Russia goes along
Kymijoki. Cities like Savonlinna, Lappeenranta and Hamina are now parts of Russia
1762 Severe famine year in Finland
1770 Henrik Gabriel Porthan founds the Aurora Society in order to educate and spread knowledge of cultural
history
1772 Gustaf III takes rule over Sweden
1788 Sweden in a war with Russia
1796-1797 Henrik Gabriel Porthan gives first lectures in Finland about antique archaeology and art history
1801 Severe famine year in Finland
1802 Painter Alexander Lauréus is sent to Art Academy in Stockholm after a fund raising campaign
…Did You know? There were 1 million inhabitants in Finland in 1811 and 1,8 million inhabitants by the end of
1860s. In Helsinki there were 8000 inhabitants in 1820s and by the end of 19th Century there were 50 000
inhabitants
1806-1809 War of Finland, at the end Finland is joined into Russia
29.3.1809 Emperor of Russia, Alexander I declares in the city of Porvoo that Finland gets special rights and large
autonomy as The Autonomous Grand Duchy of Russia
1809 Gustav Wilhelm Finnberg is sent to Art Academy in Stockholm after a fund raising campaign
18TH CENTURY
Viapori - Sveaborg - Suomenlinna Fortress, 1748-1791
- Augustin Ehrensvärd (1748-1772)
- Built on six islands in front of Helsinki harbor
Manor houses
- Fagervik, 1762-1773, Christoffer Friedrich Schröder
- Mustio, 1783-1791, Erik Palmstedt
- Viipuri Monrepos manor and park
Merchant’s city houses
* Lebell merchant’s house, 1762, Kristiinankaupunki
Hand-painted wallpapers
* Jakkarila manor, 1764, painter Johan Bromander, The National museum
- Hand-painted wallpapers in the Mustio (Svartå) manor
Wooden churces and wallpaintings
- F.ex. Margareta Capsia (1682-1759), Mikael Toppelius (1738-1821), Emanuel Granberg (1754-noin
1787)
- Haukipudas church, 1774-1777
- Kiiminki church, 1779, painter Mikael Toppelius
* Paltaniemi church , 1778-1781, painter Emanuel Granberg
Public buildings
- Vaasa court house, Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz
- Hämeenlinna church, Louis Jean Desprez, 1795-1798
- The Academy of Turku, Carl Christoffer Gjörwell and Charles Bassi
- Halikon Joensuun kartano, Carl Christoffer Gjörwell and Charles Bassi
Portrait & decorative painting with still-lifes and landscapes
Isak Wacklin (1720-1758)
* Portrait of Dorothea Maria Losch, 1755, 71,5x56,5, Ateneum
Nils Schillmark (1745-1804)
* Portrait of Mrs Heckford, 1757, 76,5x63,5, Ateneum
* Strawberry girl (Ulrika Charlotta Armfelt), 1782, Ateneum
* Still-life with a glass and caraffe, a silver goblet, a pewter candlestick and chalk pipes, 1795-1797,
64x111,5, Ateneum
* Heinola, Jyränkö stream, 1787, 58x105, Ateneum
Gustav Wilhelm Finnberg (1784-1833)
* Portrait of Anton af Tengström, 1826, 84x66,5, Ateneum