Hanasaari’s beginnings are rooted in Finland and Sweden’s shared history. When Sweden remised SEK 100 million worth of Finland’s war-time debts in the Jubilee Year 1967, the Finnish government decided to respond to the gesture with an equal measure. Finland therefore decided to set up a jointly administered cultural centre whose task would be to foster relations between the two countries.

The location of the new centre raised a wide-ranging debate in Finland and in Sweden; President Urho Kekkonen among other prominent cultural personae wanted the centre to be located in Suomenlinna (Sveaborg). This unique island was beginning to develop into a bona fide neighbourhood that today is an inherent part of the city. However, Sweden viewed this proposal negatively, mainly owing to the poor accessibility of Suomenlinna at the time, and the Finnish Parliament finally approved Hanasaari’s location with 93-67 votes.

In 1960 the plot of land on which Hanasaari was to be built was owned by the “Stiftelsen för Åbo Akademi” (The Åbo Akademi University foundation), who had inherited the land from the Sinebrychoff brewery family. Even today, the late Nikolai Sinebrychoff’s summer villa is still Hanasaari’s closest neighbour. The Finnish government, led by Minister of Education Johannes Virolainen, negotiated the deal and purchased the land. The first employees of the Cultural Centre began their work in offices located on Mechelininkatu in the centre of Helsinki even before the building was completed.

Chairmen of the Board of Directors:

Kalervo Siikala 1973–1993

Mirja Saari 1994–2003

Esko Aho 2004–2008

Kimmo Sasi 2009–

Directors:

Pär Stenbäck 1974–1985

Ann Sandelin 1985–1990

Anna-Maija Marttinen 1991–2003

Gunvor Kronman 2003–

 Tage, Ellen and Cornelis - Our meeting rooms are named after famous nordic persons. Read the stories behind the names.  Ellen, Tage etc... (1.82 MB)

A building of its time

The original building has been carefully maintained and renovated over the years, and expanded with the new “Aleksis” lecture hall that was constructed underground in 1989. Hotel Hanasaari has been revamped several times and the difference between the original 1970s décor and its current contemporary and airy style is considerable. The pine interiors with false leather in the auditorium were renovated and updated in 1999, and Restaurant Johannes was given a third set of new, comfortable chairs in 2009. Some of the original furniture designed by Alvar Aalto and Yrjö Kukkapuro is still in daily use around the building, and many of rooms have been modernised and revamped, and most of all, actively used over the years.

In the past, Hanasaari island was home to a sort of fishermen’s village, a boatbuilding yard, and cottages. The name “Hanasaari” probably derives from birds, in particular male birds (“hanfågel”, he-bird in Swedish). Perhaps someone once shot or caught a large seabird or a forest bird on the island.

It was clear from the beginning that the maritime landscape is and will continue to be one of Hanasaari’s trump cards. That is why the conservation of the maritime nature has been a given from the start, and no one has wanted to convert the island into an artificial, man-made park.

Hanasaari’s flora was mapped during the Linné jubilee year in 2005, and the results are presented in the “Hanaflora” leaflet that introduces the nature around the Cultural Centre. The “Hanaflora” leaflet is available from the reception desk at the Cultural Centre.

Read more (in Swedish):
Kulturen och tiden. 2000, Hanaholmens 25-årsfestskrift, red. Alexandra Ramsay ISBN 952-91-2168-7