Independence Park

Itsenäisyydenpuisto is one of the oldest parks in Hämeenlinna, as a park-style garden already existed on the site in the 1780s.

The early stages of Itsenäisyydenpuisto

Governor Anders de Bruce had a park-style residence garden built partly on the site of the current Itsenäisyydenpuisto in the early 1780s. The Governor died in 1787, and the park area was divided into two parts at the beginning of the 19th century.

Seurahuone Park

The northern side of the former residence garden remained a park. In 1839, the Hämeenlinna Seurahuone was built in the area, and the park became established as Seurahuoneen puisto (Seurahuone Park). The Empire-style Seurahuone was one of the largest and most grand festive venues in 19th-century Finland, frequently hosting balls.

Originally built for the festivities of the upper classes, the Seurahuone served as a restaurant and music hall over the years, and the building also briefly functioned as a barracks. The Seurahuone was destroyed in a fire in 1894, but part of the surrounding park remained.

From Gadd Park to the present day

In the 1910s, Gadd Park was established on the site of Seurahuone Park, named after the Gadd library and museum building located at the edge of the area. The park gradually shrank due to construction. The western edge of Gadd Park was spared from development, and the area is known today as Itsenäisyydenpuisto.

Memorial to the Battles of Summa

Itsenäisyydenpuisto features the Memorial to the Battles of Summa, sculpted by Aimo Tukiainen in 1964. In 1960, Hämeenlinna celebrated the 20th anniversary of the end of the Winter War. The idea of commissioning a memorial arose among the veterans who participated in the celebrations.

The Memorial to the Battles of Summa was placed in Itsenäisyydenpuisto because Infantry Regiment 15, which fought at Summa, had been formed at the Hämeenlinna Central Primary School located near the park. The memorial was unveiled to the public during the 25th-anniversary celebrations of the end of the Winter War in 1965.