Gunnar´s Mansion
Culture and beautiful dreams
Warmly Welcome to Gunnar's Mansion!
Accommodations and Meeting Spaces for Every Group
We warmly invite you to experience unforgettable moments with us at Gunnar's Mansion. Our versatile facilities are perfect for a variety of gatherings, whether it's a family reunion, a retreat with friends.
At Gunnar's Mansion, we have the perfect facilities to host a wide range of groups, whether for leisure or business travel. Our versatile accommodations and meeting spaces are designed to meet your needs, ensuring a comfortable and productive experience.
No matter the purpose of your visit, we're here to provide the ideal setting for your gathering.
If you're looking for a space to connect, we offer smaller venues for families, groups of friends, or solo travelers. The charming village surrounding us is brimming with activities year-round. In the summer, enjoy our swimming pond and rental sauna, or visit the village hall for year-round sauna access. Explore the stunning nature of Sumppitunturi with its rest areas, hiking trails, and ski paths in the winter.
Don't miss the Village Association's Pavilion where you can enjoy coffee or icecream in the summertime, in the village we have the Village Flea Market , or you can stop by Wanhan Mainar's shop to discover delightful treasures.
We warmly welcome you to join us for a memorable stay!
HISTORY OF OUR VILLAGE
Gunnar Laatio was the director of the largest zinc mine in Europe, located in Lampinsaari.
In the 1950s, a unique village was built near the mine, as workers and their families came from all over Finland and naturally needed homes and various services. Thus, this idyllic village was created, inspired by English garden cities.
As time passed, family sizes grew, and the village filled with the laughter of children. For mine director Gunnar Laatio, family meant everything, and he took steps to provide the village with essential facilities, including an outdoor swimming pool, a sports field, and a school.
The school was particularly important to Gunnar Laatio. He personally approached the school board to request permission to build a six-teacher school for the village of Lampinsaari. Additionally, a sign was erected along Kaivoskatu, which read:
"You are now in the Mine Village. We have many children here. We love them all, so please drive carefully."
Ristonaho Elementary School commenced operations once permission was granted, initially operating in temporary facilities on Pyykatu, before the stone school in Lampinsaari was built, serving the community for nearly 70 years.
The school's activities ended in December 2020, when students transferred to Vihanti Unified School. With the school building left vacant, local activists aimed to preserve the school and secure the future of the village.
This led to the creation of the idea for Gunnar's Mansion, which now exists.
Our mission is guided by the ideology of mine director Gunnar Laatio: village culture belongs to everyone, and community is our strength.
OUR PROJECT AND A LITTLE ABOUT ME
Hello! My name is Emma Erkkilä, and I'm delighted to share that I started as the Executive Director of Gunnar's Mansion at the beginning of this year 2024. You can connect with us on our Facebook page, Gunnarin Kartano, and on Instagram at gunnarin_kartano.
Gunnar's Mansion is a charming old school building from the 1950s, nestled in the heart of Lampinsaari, Raahe, Northern Ostrobothnia.
It all began when the mining company Outokumpu established a mine here, creating an entire village from scratch. For decades, this area boasted Europe's largest zinc mine, operating from the 1950s until it closed in 1992. Over time, other services faded away, but the spirit of the village remained strong.
The wonderful residents of this village never gave up. Today, we enjoy a range of activities, including our own tennis court and a lovely sandy-bottom outdoor pool open every summer. We also have an open pavilion and a camping site by the pool, complete with a cozy coffee shop and a rental sauna. You can explore charming second-hand and vintage stores, and there are fantastic hiking and walking routes that transform into ski trails in winter. Whether you seek tranquility or adventure, there's something for everyone.
When the school permanently closed in December 2020, a passionate group of villagers came together to form an association dedicated to saving the school building. This effort has transformed the school into a vibrant cultural and accommodation center, now known as Lyhde ry.
At Gunnar's Mansion, we offer a variety of rental spaces for different occasions. Whether you're planning a conference, a holiday celebration, a family reunion, or a camp school, our facilities are perfect for groups and families to stay under one roof. We also warmly welcome casual travelers, solo adventurers, families, and friends alike.
In our main building, you'll find:
- Two conference rooms accommodating approximately 30 people each
- A restaurant Kaivoskylän Herkku
- A charming ballroom that once served as the school gym
- A cozy library
- A delightful playroom for children
- Accommodation options with bunk beds or single beds in six rooms:
- 1 room for 7 people
- 2 rooms for 6 people
- 2 rooms for 4 people
- 1 room for 5 people
- 2 private rooms for 2 people (Emma's Kammari and Kerttu's Kammari), featuring shared WC, shower, and kitchen facilities.
Our total accommodation capacity is 38 people.
Additionally, we offer:
- A family apartment (Vienola) for 4 + 2 people, featuring a living room, two bedrooms, a private kitchen, shower, and WC.
- A group apartment (Hippula) for 5 + 3 people, which includes a common area with a kitchen and living space, separate sleeping areas, one bedroom, and two WCs with a shower.
All accommodations and premises can be rented independently. For quotes or more information, please feel free to reach out via email at info@gunnarinkartano.fi or by phone at +358 45 2323 533.
We look forward to welcoming you to Gunnar's Mansion!
THE VILLAGE CULTURE BELONGS TO EVERYONE PROJECT
Project Period: February 1, 2024 - January 31, 2025
Funding: Rising Coastal Region and EU Funding
The values of Gunnar's Mansion are guided by the principle that village culture belongs to everyone. We implement this by allowing villagers to be not only consumers of culture but also producers. Bringing culture closer to the community is cost-effective. During the project, various events and activities will generally be free for visitors. At the same time, we enable villagers to offer different services to tourists, allowing them to experiment with their own business ideas.
The purpose of the project is to strengthen the operational model of Gunnar's Mansion and to develop cooperation and activities between the village and its communities. Gunnar's Mansion acts as a unifying force both regionally and nationally. The project will test and implement various agile cultural experiments and host workshops. Volunteers from the European Solidarity Corps will also participate in the project during the summer.
We are bringing culture to Lampinsaari in many different ways, providing residents and tourists with cultural experiences that promote well-being. Upcoming events include individual cultural evenings and the Lampinsaari Festival 2024, organized in collaboration with the village association on July 26-27, 2024.
The project aims to enhance the brand of the village of Lampinsaari by highlighting its existing unique characteristics and making the mining village's history more visible to both residents and visitors.
Through this project, we seek to deepen the understanding of our own culture and strengthen the connection to our place of residence. A cultural experience does not always require active participation; simply being aware of being part of the village's shared culture fosters a sense of security and lowers the threshold for participation. We hope that an open and creative cultural atmosphere will attract visitors from elsewhere, encouraging urban dwellers to experience rural culture.
Lampinsaari's excellent location, transport connections, and services cater to day visitors as well as longer-term travelers. Together, these elements will strengthen the village's identity and create space for new cultural initiatives.
For more information:
Emma Erkkilä
Executive Director / Project Worker
Gunnar's Mansion / Lyhde ry
info@gunnarinkartano.fi
+358 45 2323 533
Kaivoskatu 9, 86440 Lampinsaari
www.gunnarinkartano.fi
CERTIFIED RESPONSIBLE CONTRIBUTOR
The recipient of the badge has:
- Participated in a sustainability assessment for their company (sustainability test and interview)
- Attended workshops for basic training in sustainability
- Familiarized themselves with self-study materials on the responsibility training website (vastuullisuusvalmennus.fi)
- Received information and tools to develop aspects of sustainability: ecological responsibility, economic responsibility, social responsibility, and sustainability communication
- Created their own company's sustainability plan (Road Map)
- Shared experiences and insights with group participants during peer group work throughout the training
- Recognized the importance of their company's responsible operations as a factor in enhancing competitiveness.
You have earned the badge for participating in the VATUPASSI project's sustainability training.
You may utilize the badge in your communications, attach it to your website, and include it in your email signature.
Warm congratulations!
The VATUPASSI Team
ISSUER OF THE BADGE:
University of Oulu
university.of.oulu@oulu.fi
OUR VALUES
COMMUNITY
- Close collaboration with other local organisations and people
- Providing opportunities for groups, families, and organizations to use our facilities
- The principle of working together: together we achieve more; going it alone leads nowhere
- Everyone is welcome; nurturing our community and valuing expertise
- Local actors are prioritized in events and activities
INCLUSIVITY
- All age groups, religions, minorities, HBTQIA+ and nationalities are warmly welcomed
- Acceptance and appreciation of humanity
- An open atmosphere
- Customer-centric approach: we serve our clients based on their needs
- Love, appreciation, and respect as guiding principles
PRESERVING HISTORY
- Highlighting and nurturing local culture
- Actively promoting cultural heritage
- Pride in our village, its history, and the context in which we operate
GENUINE COLLABORATION
- Active participation in local events, training sessions, and workshops
- Actively exploring collaboration opportunities
- An open attitude towards other stakeholders
- Open dialogue with other actors
STF and Good Travel Seal
We have also started the Sustainable Travel Finland path and are working towards sustainability certification. The journey has only just begun, but it is being traveled strongly and in cooperation with the Raahe development STORE project and other local actors.