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Visit Finland – The Ultimate Guide to Kotka-Hamina
The entrance to Patruunantalo.
Experience wellness and culture in historic Finland Stockfors Village is a uniquely special place in Finland. A former industrial area at the turn of the 20th century in the southeastern coastal region, Stockfors was a hub for energy production and transportation created by Norwegian-born engineers Olaf Bülow and Ole Nedrum. Today, Stockfors Village is a centre for culture and wellness. It offers artistic events and activities as well as old-world charm at Patruunantalo, an original manor house converted into a wellness retreat with a relaxing garden and a restaurant. By Molly McPharlin |
Photos: Kasvajat and Stockfors Village
Stockfors was a factory from 1902 to 1992, and Patruunantalo acted as the factory manager’s residence. From 2002 to 2015, the landmark building was part of a hotel chain and the history remained an important part of its character. For instance, each guest room was named after a founder of the Finnish welfare state. In 2018, Stockfors was taken in a new direction and became a wellness village, offering guests a place to rest, find peace and quiet, and get support when needed. 60 | Issue 170 |
September 2024
The riverbank near Stockfors Village.
Patruunantalo can be likened to the heart of the village. Besides being a beacon for mental health, it offers space for professional training, family parties, art exhibitions, concerts, and everything that supports wellbeing. It welcomes everyone from writers and artists to health workers and yogis. The centre has even been used for productions by the Finnish national broadcaster YLE, as well as for murder mystery weekends. “We have a lot of video and photo shoots, TV productions and movies take place here. We can host anything that requires special spaces because we have plenty,” says Katja Lemberg, chairman of Kasvajat, the organisation that oversees Patruunantalo and Stockfors. A centre for well-being and culture Lemberg believes that Stockfors is special because of the diversity it offers and