City Remembered

City Remembered is a way to recall and revisit the city, to evoke an imaginative, closer look at the past. The sound of the trams, the outdoor toilets at the old University, the passion of the Heat District and the screech of the dentist’s old manual drill.

The recollection workshops during the spring of 2010, led by Selja Ahava-Foster and Emma Puikkonen, captured the memories elderly Turku residents had of the city, including the special encounters they had, landmarks now lost forever and the defining moments after which everything changed. Workshop participants recalled white tennis shoes in dance halls, writing Valentine’s messages in Puolala Park and the first moments they shared with their future husbands or wives. Memories were revitalised with maps and photographs, creating lively discussion and writing.

Based on the city history and these almost-forgotten memories, a pedestrian route will be created in central Turku. The route will be enhanced with audio and text, which can be seen as individual stories or as a connected narrative. City Remembered will also be turned into a map to follow the route, which will also be a part of the Central Park of Culture and Exercise project.

9 May to 12 June: The route and related works will be available during this period.

The map, soundscapes and related memories will be available online for research and printing.