Artist homes of Finland's golden age

We will visit three famous artists' homes which together represent the heart of Finland's artistic golden age.

Ainola , the home of Sibelius, tells the story of the famous composer's life in the artistic community around Lake Tuusula. On the tour you will hear about the family's everyday life. There will also be a chance to see the graves of Aino and Jean Sibelius and wander around Aino Sibelius' cherished gardens.

Designed in 1910 and resembling a castle, Tarvaspää, the massive Art Nouveau workshop-home of national artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela, is kept in its original condition. Our guide will tell you all about Gallen-Kallela's life as well as the two or three exhibitions the museum has every year.

In 2007 Tarvaspää will be holding an exhibition about 'artist couples in the Nordic countries'. You can enjoy lunch in Arvaspää's homely café-restaurant, with different menus on offer.

The three young architects, Eliel Saarinen, Armas Lindgren and Herman Gesellius, who designed the Finnish pavillion at the Paris Exhibition in 1900, set out in 1902-03 to build the ideal home for their families in the National Romantic style in the countryside in Kirkkonummi. The result was Hvitträsk.

With our guided tour you'll find out more about the lives and work of these architects, who rose to fame after the World Exhibition. The ceiling frescoes at the Paris World Exhibition were painted by Akseli Gallen-Kallela. His work is also on view at Hvitträsk with the beautiful Liekki ryijy, a wall rug, which he gave to Eliel Saarinen.

You can also drink coffee (not included in the price) in the Hvitträsk café-restaurant, which was originally the home of architect Herman Geselius and which he designed himself.

Route: Espoo-Järvenpää-Kirkkonummi
Availability: All year round with restrictions (Ainola is closed from 1 October to 1 May)
Duration: 5 hours
Price: as agreed
Group size min. 25 persons

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