Aulanko

Aulanko resort in 2022.

Karlberg Mansion in Hämeenlinna, Finland, 1912.

The granite castle.

Aulanko observation tower.

Rose temple.

Aulanko golf course.

Aulanko (Swedish: Karlberg) is the 14th district of Hämeenlinna in Finland, known for its park forest. The park features a nature reserve as well as diverse recreational and outdoor areas. Aulanko includes attractions such as the Scandic Aulanko hotel and its associated spa, two golf courses, the adventure park Hugo Park Aulanko, Katajistonranta (formerly Katajiston manor), the Aulanko observation tower, and the Aulanko riding stable. The Aulanko Nature Reserve was developed into its current form at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries by Colonel Hugo Standertskjöld. The Aulanko National Reserve is part of the National Urban Park established in Hämeenlinna in 2001.

Karlberg Mansion

The history of Aulanko in its current form began in 1883. Captain Hugo Standertskjöld, who later became a colonel, purchased the Karlberg estate located on the shores of Lake Vanajavesi from Major General Georg Eberhard Galindo, who, like Standertskjöld, had served in Imperial Russia.

The transaction represented such a significant change in the area's ownership that local newspapers reported it prominently. The background to the purchase of Karlberg was that its previous owner, a friend of Standertskjöld, moved to Russia and wanted to dispose of his estate in Häme.

Standertskjöld intended to acquire a summer residence. His winter residence was built in Helsinki at North Esplanade 3, next to the imperial palace. Aulanko was only a few kilometers from the Hämeenlinna railway station, making travel by train between Helsinki and Hämeenlinna convenient. The colonel himself hailed from Janakkala in Häme, which is located south of Aulanko. The Vanantaan Manor, situated along the same waterway, was his birthplace. Standertskjöld initiated extensive construction works that targeted not only buildings but also the surrounding nature. A park landscape was created near the buildings, and a park forest was established between Aulanko Hill and the structures.

The main building was constructed by expanding and altering Karlberg's old main building, which is located where the current hotel stands. Architecturally, the main building was designed in French neo-baroque style. This same architectural style can still be admired in the so-called cavalier wing that the colonel built as a guesthouse.

The main building was adorned with agaves and laurel trees. The park was planted with palms, cacti, and flowers. The seedlings and plants were brought from Russia. Next to the main building, there were cypress trees, cedar trees, Siberian pines, oaks, alders, and dwarf pines. Silver poplars were planted by the shore of Lake Vanajavesi. Sculptures were erected along the waterfront. Reddish shells lined the park pathways. Large glass balls peeked out from the grass mat.

A view from the observation tower.

An English-style park was created in Aulanko from 1883 to 1938. Within the current nature reserve, there were two large swamps, from which Colonel Standertskjöld commissioned the construction of artificial ponds named Joutsenlampi "Swan Lake" and Metsälampi "Forest Lake". These ponds also feature artificial islands, although they are only used by birds. Two artificial islands intended for the use of local residents and visitors were built in Lake Vanajavesi instead. All this landscaping required as many as 250 workers at one time, along with numerous cart paths, walking trails, and the necessary plantings. In total, about 14 kilometers of new roads were constructed.

Agriculture also played a role in the activities of the summer residence, although the colonel engaged in actual farming elsewhere. In Aulanko, the cultivation was more about a fruit and vegetable garden, which also included numerous heated greenhouses. According to information provided by journalist, writer, and diplomat Lauri Hannikainen, the garden had twelve different plant and fruit rooms in 1912, such as wine, apricot, plum, pineapple, cherry, fig, apple, and pear rooms. Peaches, nectarines, and several berry varieties were also grown in Aulanko. Hannikainen noted that there were over a thousand different seedling beds and two hundred vegetable bed windows. Each spring, more than 100,000 flower seedlings were cultivated in the greenhouses. The area of the garden spanned several hectares.

Aulanko had its own fish farming facility, which was the first in Finland. The fish farming facility raised salmon, pike perch, rainbow trout, whitefish, and brown trout.

Stone and quarrying works were particularly favored by Colonel Standertskjöld, as the area features numerous stone walls and terraces. Additionally, a granite castle was built in Aulanko to create the impression that there once was an old Aulanko Castle in the area. However, the largest stonework occurred at Aulangonvuori Hill, where old, primitive protective structures were cleared away. In 1907, a 33-meter-high granite observation tower designed by architect Valdemar Aspelin was constructed on the hill. From the base of the tower, a steep staircase of 322 stone steps descends to the so-called Bear Cave, which features a sculpture titled "Bears" depicting a bear family by Robert Stigell.

Lighter park structures were also built in Aulanko, including various gazebos and temples. These provided a place for walkers or the colonel's guests to stop and rest or enjoy refreshments. Some of these gazebos and temples still remain, although many wooden structures decayed before later generations recognized their value. These park structures captivated a young schoolboy from Hämeenlinna Lyceum, Eino Leino, who wrote his poem "Kell onni on, se onnen kätkeköön" inspired by the Temple of Happiness in Aulanko.

Aulanko was home to Finland's first zoo. A hundred years ago, there were two zoos in the area that housed, among other animals, deer, pheasants, and peacocks. Mountain goats, red deer, and sika deer were brought to Aulanko from Hamburg. Black swans were imported from Australia. Indian runner ducks were also found in Aulanko. The peacock caused much wonder. During World War I, the pheasants of Aulanko were released into the wild. The wild pheasant population in Finland originates from Aulanko.

Colonel Standertskjöld was known for his love of extravagant celebrations, and Aulanko became a renowned venue for high-society events. At the Midsummer celebrations, a gramophone played songs by Italian tenor Enrico Caruso and Australian soprano Nellie Melba. Guests were transported by horse-drawn carriages from the Hämeenlinna railway station, with the drivers dressed in uniforms. The granite castle featured a small cannon that fired salutes for the honored guests. A band welcomed the large crowd, which sometimes numbered up to a thousand attendees at certain events. During dinner, 7 to 10 courses were served. Fireworks, Bengal lights, colored lanterns, and other illuminations lit up the festive occasion. Grateful guests carried the colonel around the park in a golden chair. Over 700 bottles of champagne were consumed during the celebration.

Aulanko was home to Finland's first gramophone. The colonel had a remarkably extensive collection of recordings for his time, which included works by Caruso, Melba, Mattia Battistini, Adelina Patti, Luisa Tetrazzini, and other singers.

Finland's first Rolls-Royce car was brought to Aulanko. The colonel also owned a Mercedes-Benz convertible.

The Karlberg manor represented the pinnacle of noble estate culture. It has been described as Finland's Versailles because it surpassed everything achieved in Finland at that time in terms of craftsmanship and wealth.

Standertskjöld was one of Finland's wealthiest men.

As Colonel Standertskjöld began to age, traveling to Aulanko became increasingly difficult for him. Since he was without family, he decided to part with Aulanko. Complicated inheritance issues also played a role, as the colonel was unmarried and childless. The last summer Standertskjöld spent at Aulanko was in 1926.

Hotel Aulanko

In 1927, Aulanko became a hotel.

The reputation of the Aulanko hotel had grown both domestically and internationally, and its accommodation capacity eventually became too small. Thus, in 1938, the current functionalist-style main building was completed, designed by Märta Blomstedt and Matti Lampén. Upon its completion, Aulanko was the finest hotel in Finland.

President of the Republic of Finland Risto Ryti and Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim visited Aulanko.

After the war, during the 1952 Summer Olympics, pentathletes from fourteen countries were accommodated in the Aulanko hotel and the buildings of Katajisto Manor. The area housed both training and accommodation facilities for the athletes. However, the actual competitions took place at Ahvenisto, located on the other side of the city. Aulanko served as a village for international guests.

The Aulanko park forest was declared a nature reserve by the decision of the governor of Häme in 1930, and the area was completely transferred from the city of Hämeenlinna to state ownership in the 1960s. In 1943, a monument to Hugo Standertskjöld was unveiled in the park.

British film director Alfred Hitchcock stayed at the hotel in 1968 while searching for filming locations for his project *The Short Night*. Hitchcock enjoyed the food and drinks at the hotel.