History of Aulanko

The prime of Aulanko began in 1883 when Colonel Hugo Standertskjöld (1844–1931), born in Janakkala and having grown wealthy as an arms manufacturer in Russia, purchased the then Karlberg Estate and its surrounding lands.

Inspired by a beautiful Polish countess, the romantic-minded colonel had Aulanko, complete with its manor, built on the Karlberg Estate. Aulanko became a Central European-style cultural environment at the hands of Hugo; the environment was unparalleled in Finland and its parties were among the most lavish in the country.

The English-style park forest surrounding the manor was filled with magnificent structures, such as artificial ruins, an observation tower, pavilions, bridges and swan ponds with islands, as well as an extensive network of tree-lined paths. However, the colonel’s love proved to be unrequited, as the Polish countess never agreed to travel to Finland to be with Hugo.

The City of Hämeenlinna purchased Aulanko from Standertskjöld in 1926, and the following year, the tourism company Matkailukeskus Karlberg – Aulanko Oy was founded. Due to growing popularity in tourism, a new main building, the functionalist style Hotel Aulanko, was constructed in 1938 on the site of the original manor building, which had burned down in 1928. The park forest was designated a nature reserve in 1930 and transferred to state ownership in 1963.

Today, this extensive area has fragmented into an area with multiple operators and owners, and the once coherent park complex has transformed over time.