The road across the sea

For over six centuries, Sweden and Finland were one and the same realm. This volume highlights the enduring connections between the central areas of both countries by exploring the interactions between Uppsala, Stockholm and Turku, particularly from the perspectives of urban mobility and the flows of knowledge, goods and people.

The authors examine Turku as one of the key university towns in the early-modern Swedish realm and as a centre of administration and trade in its heartland, with strong links to the rest of Europe and the world. By emphasising the ties between Turku and other cities as well as the connections between academia and various other spheres of life in Sweden, the volume offers a fresh perspective on the intellectual, cultural and social history of the university. Key themes include the experiences of students and scholars in university towns, the relationships between the bourgeoisie and the academic community, intellectual networks and the cultural expressions of urban life.