Lucky Horse: Turku's Quirky Bronze Sculpture

An Unconventional Public Art Landmark

Standing on a granite pedestal along the pedestrian promenade of Yliopistonkatu in central Turku, the bronze sculpture known as Onnenhevonen (Lucky Horse) is one of the city's distinctive street-level attractions. Positioned opposite the Stockmann department store, the statue rests along Turku's heated pedestrian corridor, which remains clear of snow even through sub-zero winter weather. Created by Russian-born sculptor Rafael Saifulin, who relocated to Finland from the Soviet Union in 1992, the piece represents a blend of grassroots public art and private initiative existing alongside the city's formal municipal monuments.

Cast with Coins, Medals, and Tools

The slender bronze figure is notable for its intricate, tactile detailing. Embedded directly into its cast metal surface are numerous everyday and ceremonial objects, including coins from various nations and historical eras, medals, decorative honours, keys, and small tools. This design creates a distinctive sensory contrast: the sculpture's surface features cool, jagged reliefs alongside smooth sections polished bright by the continuous rubbing of passersby.

From Vandalism to an Industrial Rescue

Despite its optimistic moniker, the Lucky Horse faced early misfortune. Saifulin originally positioned the artwork on Yliopistonkatu in December 2005 as a personal civic contribution. Within a month of its placement, vandals snapped one of the horse's slender legs, forcing its immediate removal. When consideration turned to making the installation permanent, Turku's municipal authorities and the Wäinö Aaltonen Museum (WAM) declined to purchase the work or absorb it into the official municipal collection, pointing to its unsolicited appearance and concerns over structural durability.

Local affection for the piece sparked calls for its return. Responding to the public response, Finnish heavy-equipment and crane firm Nostokonepalvelu Oy stepped in. The company purchased the artwork from Saifulin, financed the structural reinforcement of its legs, and permanently returned the statue to Yliopistonkatu in the spring of 2007. To this day, the sculpture remains in private ownership rather than city hands.

A Daily Ritual of Good Fortune

Today, the Lucky Horse functions as an interactive landmark and popular meeting spot in Turku's central retail district. Pedestrians routinely stop to stroke or pet the horse as a good-luck ritual. According to Saifulin, while achieving true success in life typically requires getting into the saddle, simply patting this particular horse is meant to offer a small supplementary dose of luck.

For those interested in the artist's other works, the sculpture has two sibling pieces: another horse located at Linnasmäki College in Turku, and a counterpart installed in Gmunden, Austria.