# Stenberga Castle

- **Country:** Finland
- **Coordinates:** 60.534722, 22.005278
- **Condition:** Totally ruined
- **Year Built:** 1200
- **Location Text:** Masku

Stenberga Castle, also known as Teinperi, was a small medieval fortress located in Masku, Finland. Originally constructed of gray stone with thick walls and two towers, the structure later incorporated brickwork during subsequent building phases. Situated on a steep rock that was likely an island at the time of construction, the castle guarded the maritime access to Nousiainen near the mouth of the Hirvijoki River. Due to post-glacial rebound, the site is now located approximately two kilometers inland from the current coastline. Very little of the original structure remains visible today, as the location has not been excavated since the early twentieth century.

The exact age of the castle is a subject of historical debate, with estimates ranging from the late twelfth century to the fourteenth century. Some historians associate its construction with King Canute I of Sweden, while others link it to military conflicts involving Danish, Swedish, and Russian forces in the 1190s. Although the castle itself is absent from contemporary historical records, the surrounding estate was first mentioned in 1398. The property was later donated to a Bridgettine monastery in Naantali during the 1430s. It is widely believed that the abandoned fortress was dismantled shortly thereafter to provide construction materials for the nearby monastery before the estate was confiscated by the state during the Reformation in 1556.

Currently, the site lies on private property and has not been maintained for many years. Access requires explicit permission from the landowner, and visitors face a challenging climb across steep rocks and dense bushes to reach the hilltop. Despite its ruined condition and lack of recent archaeological attention, Stenberga Castle remains a significant landmark representing Finland's early medieval defensive history and the strategic importance of the region during the era of the Bishop of Finland.

![Photo of Stenberga Castle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Stenberga_2.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stenberga_Castle (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)