The Story of the Kytäjä Estate

The Estate was founded by a Field Marshal called Åke Henrikinpoika Tott in 1634, after which several notable Finnish families have governed the grounds. The estate’s golden age falls in the 19th century, when the lands were owned by the Linder family, and governed by Hjalmar Linder, who was married to Sophie, the sister of Baron Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, the sixth president of Finland. During its heyday the Kytäjä Estate comprised 50 000 hectares of land and it had its own railway, dairy, liquor factory and even currency, making it the biggest privately-owned estate in the whole of Scandinavia. Under the Linder family, the estate even had its own railway, dairy, distillery, and its very own currency. Kytäjä coins are still occasionally found in the surrounding soil; with them, one could once buy milk from the estate’s dairy or a bottle of spirits distilled on the grounds.

Hjalmar Linder, who was the first person in Finland to own a car, was a progressive thinker and was keen on looking after the rights of his staff. He introduced an eight-hour working day and offered his employees free medication. However, caring for the workers’ rights eventually led to his ruin: During the Finnish Civil War he loudly criticised the treatment received by the imprisoned Red Guard members, and eventually had to flee the country because of his comments.

Architect Väinö Vähäkallio purchased the estate in 1928. Vähäkallio renovated and refurbished the Manor House, and designed the Kytäjä village church, which continues to serve couples celebrating their weddings at Kartanon Talli.While the Vähäkallios were in charge, the Estate became a popular haunt among the Finnish nobility and upper classes, who gathered here to go hunting together and enjoy the lovely surroundings.

A new era

Ownership of the estate transferred to the Laakkonen family in 1994.

Alongside traditional agriculture, Kytäjä today offers diverse and modern tourism and accommodation services. Examples of this include the three stunning Uni Villas, the reconstructed Villa Jerusalem, the charmingly rustic Villa Betlehem, Törölä – an apartment building restored for accommodation use – and the impressive event venue Kartanon Talli, which also serves perfectly as a meeting space.

Under the leadership of the Laakkonen family, Kytäjä has become a farm that honors tradition while embracing a bold, modern, and first-class approach. The old manor house of Kytäjä no longer stands, but the story of the area continues for generations to come.

A thousand stories, one Kytäjä – become part of the tale!