The multifaceted history of Lapinlahti

25.01.2022 kl. 13:20
Get to know Lapinlahti area, including two former hospitals and three graveyards with professional guide Heidi Johansson.

This Friday 28.1 at 12 Women's Café in English head out to the Lapinlahti area, to get to know more about the hidden history of mental illness in Finland.

The area includes the beautiful old Lapinlahti mental hospital, that was completed in 1841, and until 2008 served as Finland’s (and one of Europe’s) oldest and longest functioning mental hospitals. Well known people such as Aleksis Kivi, the father of Finnish prose and poet Helvi Juvonen was treated at the hospital. Composer Jean Sibelius, whose brother Christian was head doctor at Lapinlahti, also stayed there in hiding during the Finnish civil war.

Did the treatment do people more harm than good? Why was the hospital closed down? Today the building houses a museum, gallery and cafe.

At the cemetery we find monuments of many famous people, such as philanthropist Aurora Karamzin and many interesting historical female artists.

Our guide Heidi Johansson will meet you at the old Graveyard chapel, Mechelininkatu 2 e where the guided walk begins at 12.00.

Our kafé coordinator Jessika Luther is in Stockholm during the day so she will not be present. 

The walks are free, you do not need to sign up. Everyone is welcome, prams and strollers and children are more than welcome.

Please, follow us on Instagram at kvinnis_sornas and in the facebookgroup Women’s Café in English Networking to get the latest information.

If you want to join the Women’s Café in English Whatsapp group please send an email to jessika@kvinnoforbundet.fi. 

The cafe is organized by Svenska Kvinnoförbundet i Sörnäs in collaboration with Luckan Integration.


Time to become a member of our organisation Svenska Kvinnoförbundet i Sörnäs? Please read more and get registered today!

Fredrika Biström