The hundred-year history of Vanajanlinna is filled with fateful twists and turns
In 1924, a castle was built on the shore of Lake Katumajärvi in Hämeenlinna— one that did not go unnoticed. Having served both as a private residence and later as a communist college, Vanajanlinna is today a unique destination offering unforgettable experiences.
Carl Wilhelm Rosenlew, majority shareholder of the Rosenlew Group and Doctor of Medicine and Surgery, originally built Vanajanlinna as a grand manor house for representation, where Finland’s elite gathered to celebrate and make decisions.
The magnificent building, designed by architect Sigurd Frosterus, featured among other things a Turkish bath, what is believed to have been Finland’s very first indoor swimming pool, and suites lavishly adorned with marble. The garden was designed by landscape architect Bengt Schalin, who drew inspiration from Versailles in France.
The castle’s halls echoed with conversations and toasts, while pheasant hunts and crayfish parties drew notable figures such as Marshal Mannerheim and confectionery magnate Karl Fazer. Vanajanlinna was the stage where Finland’s crème de la crème came together.
Maintaining the castle, however, proved expensive, and Rosenlew fell into financial difficulties. During the Second World War, in 1941, Vanajanlinna was sold. President Risto Ryti hoped to acquire it for the Finnish state, but the castle was ultimately purchased by German arms dealer Willi Daugs, who made it his private residence.
The eagles of Nazi Germany appeared on the stone pillars at the castle gates, but Daugs did not get to enjoy his manor-like home for long. Under the terms of the Moscow Armistice of 1944, all German property in Finland was handed over to the Soviet Union. This included Vanajanlinna. It is said that in the following years, the Soviet Control Commission and the embassy used the castle as their place of leisure and retreat.
In 1946, the Soviet Union leased Vanajanlinna to the Yrjö Sirola Foundation. The luxurious mansion became an ideological communist institute, and the halls that had previously hosted guests were converted into classrooms.
The tenancy lasted for about ten years, until the foundation bought the castle from the Soviet Union in 1956. The Sirola Institute operated in the premises of Vanajanlinna until the activities faded away and the doors of the institute were closed in 1994.
The City of Hämeenlinna bought Vanajanlinna in 1996, and two years later, Mika Walkamo and Pekka Vihma acquired the operations of Vanajanlinna Oy. Under the supervision of the Finnish Heritage Agency, the castle was restored with love and respect for the historical spirit. From the Rosenlew era interiors, the original dining room furniture, lighting fixtures, and the large library table have been preserved.
During the renovation, new buildings in harmony with the original architecture were also constructed. Following the restoration, a high-quality hotel and restaurant were opened in the castle, quickly rising to great popularity.
Today, Vanajanlinna is an experiential manor estate where history and the present day come together. Guests gather to enjoy relaxing holidays, fairytale weddings, unforgettable celebrations, and important meetings in halls whose walls whisper the stories of times past.
Opened in 2005, Linna Golf's high-quality courses are located in the middle of a hundred-year-old manor milieu. Linna Golf, one of Europe's most prestigious golf courses, attracts players from all over the world.
At Vanajanlinna, time stands still and haste disappears. In this manor-like setting, guests enjoy the tranquility of nature, top-quality service, a unique atmosphere, and stories that continue to unfold. With us, each guest writes their own chapter into the history of the castle.
