Kun Ystävyyssuhteet Solmitaan (When Friendships are Made), Turku

When Friendships are Made is a bronze sculpture created by renowned Finnish artist Waino Aaltonen, symbolizing the enduring bond between the twin cities of Turku, Finland, and Gothenburg, Sweden. Situated in the Puutori market square in Turku, the sculpture serves as a duplicate of the original work located in Gothenburg's Nackrosdammen park. The duplicate, located at Aninkaistenkatu 12 in Turku, was donated to the city by Commercial Counsellor Leo Wainstein.

Commissioned by the City of Turku as a gesture of gratitude for Gothenburg's assistance during wartime, the sculpture was completed in 1948 and publicly unveiled in 1955, with the ceremonies held on May 8 in Gothenburg and May 21 in Turku.

The sculpture stands 2.95 meters tall on a red granite pedestal measuring 1.7 meters in height. It depicts a man and a woman, both on horseback, meeting and befriending each other, symbolizing the friendship between the two cities. A plaster sketch of the work, originally completed in 1941, was showcased during the 1952 Summer Olympics at an art exhibition held at Kunsthalle Helsinki.

This work of art continues to stand as a powerful symbol of solidarity and shared history between Turku and Gothenburg.