In the year 2000 the Sports Museum of Finland took on lease the childhood home of the legendary runner Paavo Nurmi at Jarrumiehenkatu 4 in Turku.

The apartment was redecorated in the style of the 1920's with furniture and utensils similar to those the Nurmi family would have owned. The apartment is not open for public except on a couple of days in a year. Visits are possible at other times by prior agreement.

For further information contact the local sports club: Turun Urheiluliitto, tel. +358-2-274 5005.


Paavo Nurmi's father Johan Nurmi bought the apartment of one room and a kitchen in 1903. Johan Nurmi died in 1910, leaving the mother Matilda Nurmi to support five children. Mrs. Nurmi had to seek outside employment and rent the kitchen to another worker family. The Nurmis, all six of them, lived in the remaining small room and prepared their food in the tiled stove.

Only in 1920, when Paavo Nurmi returned from the Antwerp Games as a three-time Olympic champion, did the family regain sole occupancy of the little apartment, which was now furnished with electric light, running water in the kitchen and factory-made modern furniture. There was even a sewing machine and a gramophone, both prizes Paavo had won in his races.

Paavo Nurmi moved from the apartment at Jarrumiehenkatu when he got married in 1932. Other members of the family lived in the house until 1960.

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