Helene Schjerfbeck was very fond of the sea, walks in the Old Town and excursions to the Ramsholmen forest park area. She spent much of her time in Skepparträdgården park painting and watching people. Helene did, in fact, paint a lot of portraits of ordinary people with interesting facial features in Ekenäs. Nowadays the memorial The Finnish Untuned Bell, which children like to ring, is set into the park. It was created as a permanent monument to celebrate the artist’s life’s work.
Ekenäs, the hometown
Helene Schjerfbeck lived in several locations in Finland and abroad. The artist spent the summers 1918-1920 in Ekenäs, and lived permanently in the town during years 1925-1941. She chose to live in Ekenäs because she wanted to live close to the sea. Her first apartment was in the old Juslin house on Långgatan (Raseborgsvägen 2). The house was demolished a long time ago, but there is now a memorial and Helene Schjerfbeck Square. For some time Helene also lived in the yellow house next to the Fish Market in the Ekenäs Old Town as the tenant of Sigfrid Nyberg. This house still stands.
Dramatized walks with Helene Schjerfbeck
Dramatized walks are held in Ekenäs where Helene herself will guide you through the interesting phases of her own life and the history of Ekenäs. She will show you the parks and buildings that she was inspired by and tells about her friends that modelled in her portraits. See more about the dramatized walks here.
In addition to the dramatized walk, groups can book a guide to the Schjerfbeck exhibition in Raseborg Museum, a letter read, or painting with the artist. The museum’s permanent exhibition presents Helene’s works and items that belonged to her.
Here are our best tips for experiencing history in Raseborg:
Visit the charming seaside town of Ekenäs
Start from the Tourist Information Office, and pick up a map and an architectural guide to the Old Town. Make your way to Linen Weaver’s Street (Linvävaregatan), the oldest street in the city. Here, the streets have stayed frozen in time since the 16th century. The street names such as Hatter’s Street (Hattmakaregatan), Linen Weaver’s Street (Linvävaregatan), Cloth Weaver’s Street (Handskmakaregatan), Smith’s Street (Smedsgatan) and Tanner’s Street (Garvaregatan) reveal the skilled artisan tradition of Ekenäs, and describe how the townspeople made a living hundreds of years ago. Peek into the grey stone church, built in the 1680s, and scope out the valuable communion cup from the 1600s. Cross the market square and wander onto Kungsgatan (King’s Street), the oldest pedestrian street in Finland. Turn right about halfway up, and visit Wi-Box café for beautifully crafted pastries and confectionery.
The meticulously restored Svartå Manor with its unique park and White Guide Nordic-listed restaurant is a must-see. Today Svartå Manor functions as a museum, and the interior is restored to its original state with its different tiled stoves, Gustavian furniture and of course the original parquet floors. Book a guided tour to see all the rooms. Or, take a stroll in the beautiful park. It is a true retreat for the soul with its winding paths, romantic bridges, statues, and the unique water lily path over the water. Round out the day with some fine dining in the lovely Slottskrogen restaurant.
Raseborg Castle
Turn back time at the stately Raseborg Castle ruins near the historic village of Snappertuna with its beautiful little church. Pop into Slottsknektens stuga, Finland’s first tourist cottage which was built in 1893 right next to the castle, and enjoy some lunch or a cup of coffee. You can then participate in a guided tour, or explore the nooks and crannies of the castle on your own. Or, pack a picnic and relax on the lawn in the shade of the ruins. The castle is usually open from late April until the end of September, when the castle goes to sleep for the winter.
Historical villages of Fiskars and Billnäs
Time stands still at the former ironworks villages of Fiskars and Billnäs. Experience these villages as they once were. The villages offer a cultural landscape with beautiful architecture, historical industrial buildings, rivers and rapids, well-maintained parks and intriguing events.
Upon arrival in Fiskars, you will pass some old houses; among these the Assembly Hall and the hotel and restaurant Fiskars Wärdshus, after which the village road opens up. The buildings connected to the production of iron are lined up along the road: the Granary, The Old Mill, Copper Smithy, Hotel Torby, and the Glass Studio. Participate in a child-friendly DIY workshop, or visit a glassblower and blow your own glass figurine before taking a lunch break in the charming bookstore Café Antique. Try their delicious soup, or the aromatic cinnamon rolls with some coffee.
Billnäs village is located in a beautiful area by the Svartå river and the old King’s Road. The fascinating village has, like Fiskars, had a central role in the establishment of Finnish industry, and has been gradually restored. Visit Byggnadsapoteket (The Building Pharmacy) and their impressive array of restoration and building supplies.
Malmbacka charcoal village
Malmbacka charcoal village is a short drive from the Raseborg Castle Ruins. Here you can learn how charcoal was produced in the 17th and 20th centuries for the use of the ironworks in Western Uusimaa. The area contains three old charcoal hearth bases, one of which has been restored. You can book guided tours and overnight stays in huts or simple log cabins all year round, but in September the kilns are lit again and you can experience the magic of the past. Read more about Malmbacka: malmbacka.fi
Culture thrives in Raseborg, and the amount of our cultural events rises every year. Here are a few tips on Raseborg’s annual cultural events. Remember to check our events calendar and our Facebook page for the most recent and relevant updates on all kinds of cultural events!
Art: crafts, design and exhibitions
Many artists have settled in Raseborg for its inspiring and peaceful environment. Their works and products can be bought in various neighbourhoods and villages, as well as in their own workshops and studios. But be sure to check opening times or call before you visit – the artists sometimes go out in search of inspiration. All sorts of products are available, including fabrics and clothing, jewellery, bags, rugs, scented candles, etc. For more information and contact details, see the crafts -category.
Handicrafts, Finnish design products, quality exhibitions and a wide range of events at Fiskars Village – fiskarsvillage.fi. Fiskars has a number of craft boutiques and is nationally known as a home for craftsmen and artists.
Handicrafts and sewing in Ekenäs e.g. Liia Jewellery and Hennas sewing studio. Tammisaari is home to a number of artists and designers whose products can be bought in Fiskars and in some cases from online shops. On the town’s promenade you can also find, for example, Werner Framing and Gallery, which makes handcrafted picture frames.
Building pharmacy specializing in renovation and restoration in Billnäs Ruuk – byggnadsapoteket.fi.
Charming retro-style movie theaters Bio Forum in Ekenäs and Bio Pallas in Karis – bioforum.fi, biopallas.net.
Events, festivals and markets
Ekeäs Film Festival in March offers high quality Nordic films at Bio Forum and Culture House Karelia.
The super-popular Antiques Days at both Fiskars and Billnäs ruuks attract thousands of visitors in July. The ruuks are located close to each other, so you can visit both events to make some great finds. See more about Fiskars Antique Days and Billnäs Heritage and Antique Days.
The artist Helene Schjerfbeck’s anniversary will be celebrated with a variety of events: schjerfbecksallskapet.fi/en.
Ekenä’s classical summer concerts have already established a firm place in Raseborg’s summer music programme. The themes of the concerts change every year. The festival’s artistic director Jukka-Pekka Saraste and the Finnish Chamber Orchestra offer an enjoyable musical experience with high-quality concerts.
Open studios throughout Raseborg at Konstrundan: you can visit the artists’ studios and get to know their works and working methods.
The Karis Book Bazaar is an annual literary event. The programme includes pop-up events, poetry, interviews with authors, etc.
Swedish-language literary festival Bokkalaset in Ekenäs: interesting people, interviews, children’s programme, workshops, evenings, etc. The event offers a great language and cultural experience in one package.
The traditionalEkenäs Autumn Market attracts around 25 000 visitors every year, making it one of the largest market events in Finland. The market has been held for over 280 years and offers delicacies, two carnivals, handicrafts and a fun programme for the whole family. The event takes place at the Tammisaari market square, right next to the swimming pool.
For food lovers, ,Raseborg’s second super event, the Slow Food Festival at Fiskars Village, is on the agenda. Launched by the Slowfood Västnyland association, the big event gathers local food lovers for a two-day event every year in early October. The event features a wide range of high-quality local and artisan products and a varied programme.
Choose which cookies you use
We use cookies to improve the usability of our website. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of all the cookies. However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
We use cookies to better understand how visitors use our website and what content and technical solutions best serve them. Analyzing visitor data helps us make our website more user-friendly. We also use the information to target our marketing and sales.
You can manage your cookie settings below. Read more about our cookie policy.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement
Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category .
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Analytics" category .
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Necessary" category .
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Necessary" category .
cookielawinfo-checkbox-non-necessary
Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Non-necessary" category .
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to store the user consent for cookies in the category "Performance".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-preferences
This cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin to check if the user has given consent to use cookies under the "Preferences" category.
csrftoken
11 months
This cookie is associated with Django web development platform for python. Used to help protect the website against Cross-Site Request Forgery attacks
pll_language
1 year
This cookie is set by Polylang plugin for WordPress powered websites. The cookie stores the language code of the last browsed page.
viewed_cookie_policy
1 hour
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Cookie
Duration
Description
__qca
1 year
This cookie is associated with Quantcast and is used for collecting anonymized data to analyze log data from different websites to create reports that enables the website owners and advertisers provide ads for the appropriate audience segments.
IDE
2 years
Used by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile.
mc
1 year
This cookie is associated with Quantserve to track anonymously how a user interact with the website.
NID
5 months
This cookie is used to a profile based on user's interest and display personalized ads to the users.
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
5 months
This cookie is set by Youtube. Used to track the information of the embedded YouTube videos on a website.
yt-remote-connected-devices
YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video.
yt-remote-device-id
YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video.
yt.innertube::nextId
This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
yt.innertube::nextId
This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
yt.innertube::requests
This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
yt.innertube::requests
This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Cookie
Duration
Description
_ga
2 years
This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, camapign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assigns a randoly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gid
1 day
This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the wbsite is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form.
CONSENT
YouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data.
CONSENT
YouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data.
GPS
30 minutes
This cookie is set by Youtube and registers a unique ID for tracking users based on their geographical location
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Cookie
Duration
Description
mid
9 years
The cookie is set by Instagram. The cookie is used to distinguish users and to show relevant content, for better user experience and security.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Cookie
Duration
Description
_gat_UA-23034567-1
1 minute
This is a pattern type cookie set by Google Analytics, where the pattern element on the name contains the unique identity number of the account or website it relates to. It appears to be a variation of the _gat cookie which is used to limit the amount of data recorded by Google on high traffic volume websites.
YSC
This cookies is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos.