5 euro – Savonia: St. Olaf's Castle

In the heart of Savo, in the middle of a lake landscape rises St Olaf’s Castle. Over the centuries its solid walls have witnessed the changes in rule over Savo, the thunder of numerous battles and the echoes of opera festivals. The marks of Swedish as well as Russian rulers are apparent in the rich tapestry of the castle’s architecture. The coin depicts one of the castle’s towers and a branch of rowan, the provincial tree of North Savo.