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Hupisaaret Island
Just north of the town centre and connected by small bridges, Hupisaaret Island is a pleasant city park with bike paths, greenhouses, a summer café and the Ainola Park. It's a popular place for strolling in summer.
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kauppahalli
Oulu has perhaps the liveliest market square of all Finnish towns, and its position at the waterfront makes it all the more appealing. The square is bordered by several old wooden storehouses that now serve as restaurants, bars and craft shops selling woven pine baskets, carved wooden cups and other typical Finnish souvenirs. Look for the squat Toripolliisi statue, a humorous representation of the local police.
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Oulu Cathedral
The rather imposing 19th-century cathedral has Finland's oldest portrait (dating from 1611) above the door to the vestry, and a fine altarpiece of the Ascension. A much older church, built in 1777, stood here until the great fire of 1822. This version was designed by the German architect CL Engel. It got promoted to cathedral in 1900 when the bishopric moved here from Kuopio.
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Oulu University Botanical Gardens
Oulu University Botanical Gardens, in Lineman, north of the centre, are pleasantly landscaped with thousands of exotic plants - including hardy 5m-tall cacti. A pair of greenhouses, named Romeo and Juliet, house tropical species.
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Oulunlinna
There's not much left of Oulu Castle, although you can clearly see the remaining fort-like structure dominating the small park near the bridge. The observation tower of the castle, rebuilt in 1873, now houses a café, but you can go below and look in the cellar, which has a small interpretative display. The original castle was built in 1590 as a base for the Swedish army moving east towards Russia. The whole thing blew up in 1793 when a lightning strike hit a powder magazine.
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Sailor's Home Museum
The small Sailor's Home Museum on Pikisaari formerly belonged to a local sailor. Built in 1737, it is the oldest house in Oulu and was transferred here from the town centre in 1983. The wallpaper and extendable bed are typical of 19th-century Finnish homes.
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Taidemuseo
The Taidemuseo is a bright gallery opposite Tietomaa. It has excellent and intriguing temporary exhibitions of both international and Finnish contemporary art, as well as a good permanent collection. The café is an exhibit in its own right!
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Tietomaa Science Centre
The mammoth Tietomaa Science Centre, in an old factory building, is Scandinavia's oldest and largest science museum; at any given time it's mobbed with hundreds of school children bussed in from all over Finland. It's one of those places you can poke around for half a day, and the excellent changing interactive exhibits are good for kids.
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Showing 1-8 of 8 results
