History
The slow growth of Savonlinna began in 1475 with the building of Olavinlinna Castle, and in 1639 it received a municipal charter at the instigation of Count Per Brahe, the founder of many towns around Finland. Despite appearances, the castle didn't prove particularly defensible, and the Russians finally grabbed the town for good in 1743. It was returned to the Finnish grand duchy in 1812; since independence it has been an important hub of Lakeland steamboat traffic; even today its passenger dock seems busier than the bus station, at least in summer.
