Toripolliisi

A bronze statue of a portly policeman standing at parade rest on the market square — the unofficial mascot of Oulu and the meeting point for half the city. Made in 1987 by the local sculptor Kaarlo Mikkonen, it commemorates the market policemen who kept order on the harbour from the 1880s onwards.

Almost unavoidable on any visit. The boots are polished bright from constant touching.

things to do sight
A story
The Toripolliisi was made by the sculptor Kaarlo Mikkonen in 1987 to commemorate the local market-square policemen who patrolled the harbour from the late 19th century to the 1960s. Generations of locals know the statue affectionately as Tuomas, and tradition has it that touching the policeman's boots brings luck.

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