Finland · Pohjois-Pohjanmaa · Oulu
Vanhatulli, Oulu — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Vanhatulli is a central district of Oulu, the old customs quarter below the Oulun tuomiokirkko.
About Vanhatulli
Where to stay in Vanhatulli
The right area depends on your trip — here's what each neighbourhood is best for.
Vanhatulli puts you in central Oulu. The Oulun tuomiokirkko stands at its heart, with the Pohjois-Pohjanmaan museo and the Oulun taidemuseo a short walk through the surrounding streets. Most of the city's beds sit in this part of town, so a room here keeps the cathedral, the museums and the river all within reach on foot.
Pick a base near the Oulun tuomiokirkko for the centre. From there the Tiedekeskus Tietomaa and the Raatin urheilukeskus lie just across toward the water, and the rest of Oulu opens out around you.
Things to do in Vanhatulli
Ranked by global recognition; descriptions from Wikidata (CC0).
Museums & Galleries
3- Tiedekeskus Tietomaa science centre
- Pohjois-Pohjanmaan museo
- Oulun taidemuseo
Churches & Religious Sites
2- Oulun tuomiokirkko Heritage cathedral
- Pyhän Kolminaisuuden katedraali orthodox cathedral church
Stadiums & Sports
5- Oulun jäähalli multifunction arena
- Raksilan pesäpallostadion
- Heinäpään jalkapallohalli indoor arena
- Raksilan harjoitusjäähalli ice rink
- Raatin urheilukeskus sports centre
Landmarks & Notable Places
4- Franzénin talo Heritage house
- Liljeblomin talo Heritage
- Jurveliuksen talo Heritage
- Höckertin talo Heritage
worth knowingacross 4 categories in Vanhatulli
About Vanhatulli
What are the main landmarks in Vanhatulli?
Vanhatulli is dense with sights. The Oulun tuomiokirkko crowns the district, and close by stand the Pohjois-Pohjanmaan museo, the Oulun taidemuseo and the Tiedekeskus Tietomaa, three of the city's main halls. Old wooden houses survive among them.
The Franzénin talo, the Liljeblomin talo, the Jurveliuksen talo and the Höckertin talo recall the timber Oulu that once filled this quarter, while the Merimiehenkotimuseo keeps a sea captain's home and the Ainola garden holds the Pohjois-Pohjanmaan museo. Sport gathers at the river's edge, where the Oulun jäähalli, the Raatin urheilukeskus and the Heinäpään jalkapallohalli draw crowds across the channel from the centre.
What is the history of Vanhatulli?
Vanhatulli carries the customs trade in its name. This was the old toll quarter of Oulu, where goods crossing into the town were counted at the water's edge below the Oulun tuomiokirkko. Timber built the place.
Wooden merchants' houses such as the Franzénin talo and the Höckertin talo lined the streets, and the Pyhän Kolminaisuuden katedraali rose for the town's Orthodox congregation, while later monuments gathered through the district. The Jääkärimuistomerkki, the Oulun radan rakentajien muistomerkki and the Noitavainojen uhrien muistomerkki mark soldiers, railway builders and the victims of the witch trials, each set into the streets that grew from this riverside core of Oulu.
Where is Vanhatulli?
Vanhatulli lies in south-western Oulu in northern Finland, a riverside quarter of the centre below the Oulun tuomiokirkko, with the Oulun jäähalli and the Raatin urheilukeskus across the channel by the water.
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More areas in Oulu
Updated July 2026