Turku City Theatre

Turku City Theatre is a public theatre situated along the Aura River with a main stage holding roughly 815 people and two smaller stages seating about 100 and 60 respectively. The different venues allow the theatre to present both large productions and smaller, more intimate shows in the same building.

The theatre emerged from an architectural competition in 1956 and opened its doors in 1962 as a new cultural venue for the city. It marked a turning point in how Finnish cities built and ran their public performance spaces.

The building combines red tiles from a local brick factory with patinated copper, reflecting mid-century Finnish design principles. These materials define how the structure looks and connects to the architectural traditions of its era.

The venue is located at Itäinen Rantakatu 14 and features full wheelchair access through its main entrance. Plan your visit during afternoon and evening hours when the ticket counter operates, as busy performance schedules may affect access availability.

A major renovation in 2017 introduced modern steel elements alongside the original materials of the building. The upgrade preserved the spirit of the original design while creating space for contemporary performance technology.