Nr 8 Kultaranta

Across the bay from Naantali’s old town is Kultaranta, the summer residence of the president of the Republic of Finland. Kultaranta was built between 1913 and 1916 by the decorated Finnish entrepreneur Alfred Kordelin as his private summer residence. Representing the stylistic ideals of its time, Kultaranta is considered a Gesamtkunstwerk, a comprehensive work of art that makes use of multiple art forms across its buildings, topiary garden and park.

The granite manor that represents Kultaranta’s national-revival style was designed by architect Lars Sonck. The design is centred around creating a villa fit for a representative. The banquet and entertainment rooms are located on the manor’s ground floor, with bedrooms and guest rooms found upstairs. The main building is constructed using Uusikaupunki granite.

Kultaranta’s garden and park layouts were designed by Helsinki’s City Gardener Svante Olsson and his son, garden designer Paul Olsson. The garden consists of a forest garden surrounding the main building, a topiary garden located below the manor and a produce garden located further back.

Alfred Kordelin only spent one summer at Kultaranta before his murder in 1917. After this Kultaranta was acquired by the Turku Finnish University Society and later the Finnish government in a land exchange in 1922. Since 1923, Kultaranta has been the official summer residence of the president of the Republic of Finland.

Kultaranta is Naantali’s most popular tourist attraction. Alfred Kordelin had already toyed with the idea of opening the park to the public. Indeed, a stipulation in his will has ensured that Kultaranta’s garden remains open to visitors on Fridays during the summer.

Caption 1: President P. E. Svinhufvud and his wife Ellen in Kultaranta’s garden.

Caption 2: View from the garden towards the manor.