The Art Nouveau Castle has seen renowned Finnish artists and presidents walk through its doors. Today, we open our doors to all guests and parties. Read more about Majvik’s eventful history.
Professor Arthur Edvard af Forselles bought Majvik as a summer home for his family in the late 19th century. It is likely that one of Hvitträsk’s architects – Armas Lindgren – designed the Art Nouveau Castle, and that it was completed between 1904 and 1908.
The foundations of the villa on the highest point of the rocky hill are built from granite boulders, and the walls are made of brick and wood. The bricks were shipped from the Bastvik brick factory on the other side of Espoonlahti bay.
Arthur’s wife Emma Adele Kolster was a keen gardener, and rare trees, shrubs and other plants such as a Douglas fir, chestnuts, Siberian firs, snake spruces and weeping ashes were planted in the grounds. Arthur was interested in technology and designed the plumbing for his villa and even installed a telephone both in the bathing hut and the garage.
The journey from Helsinki to Majvik was made by train or aboard a ship called Adlercreutz. If the train was carrying special guests, it would occasionally stop at Majvik. Dignitaries who visited Majvik include Presidents Mannerheim, Svinhufvud and Kallio, and Prime Minister Tanner.
Majvik was part of the Porkkala area that was leased to the Soviet Union for 50 years under the Moscow Peace Treaty in 1944. Majvik housed the intelligence headquarters of the Porkkala commander General Kabanov. At 43 metres above sea level, it is, after all, one of the highest points in Kirkkonummi. The radar and radio station were located in the Art Nouveau Castle, there was a lookout point on the slope and aerials were attached to the nearby trees.
In 1956, the Soviet Union returned Porkkala to Finland. However, Arthur had already died in 1953. The Russians left the castle in a poor state. Only two tiled stoves in the house were in working order, for example. The Weckmans – Arthur and Emma’s daughter Anne-Marie and her husband Jarl – renovated the building so it was habitable once again.
the Finnish Union of Technical Employees had talked about acquiring a training centre since the late 1950s. After long and complicated negotiations, the Weckmans accepted the Union’s offer. They hoped that Majvik would not be split up and would be “actively used by young people”.
Majvik’s 15-hectare estate was transferred to the Union in September 1974. Repairs started on the grounds and the buildings, and new classrooms and a house for students and staff were built in the grounds. The current main building, the Meeting and Congress Hotel Majvik, was completed in autumn 1990.
Our congress hotel displays a wide range of paintings and prints by Finnish artists. Explore our collection of some 200 works by more than 70 artists, including Kimmo Kaivanto, Outi Heiskanen and Kuutti Lavonen.
The collection includes over two hundred works from more than seventy artists – including Kimmo Kaivanto, Outi Heiskanen, and Kuutti Lavonen.
Sustainability and environmental issues are at the heart of our operations and a natural part of a profitable business. We are committed to complying with environmental laws and regulations, reducing our impact on the environment, continuously improving our operations and meeting our customers’ expectations.
The most important aspects of our environmental programme are to use energy, water and materials as sparingly as possible, efficient recycling and considering the environmental impacts of any purchases we make. Every member of our staff works to support the environmental programme, which was developed by an environmental group selected from among our staff.
Targets are monitored, and the programme is updated regularly. The staff are informed of all plans and results. Our partner companies and subcontractors are committed to sustainability in their activities.
Our Green Key certification shows that we are committed to improving our operations every year to reduce our environmental impact. We have already taken some practical measures: Majvik is connected to a geothermal field, our water use has been optimised, and our waste is reduced, sorted and recycled efficiently.
We received the Sustainable Travel Finland label in 2022 for our work on sustainable tourism.
We warmly welcome all guests. Our overarching aim is to improve our services to make Majvik as accessible as possible for everyone. All our meeting rooms in the main building, except the Tower Room Lukkari, are accessible by wheelchair users. Restaurant Emma and the Lobby Bar Arthur are also accessible. There are two accessible hotel rooms in the main building.
Milloin ja missä on aamiainen? Kuinka liittyä Majvikin verkkoon? Kuinka pääsee löylyihin? Lataa Hotelli-info, josta löydät vastauksia käytännön kysymyksiin vierailusi aikana.
When and where is breakfast? How do I connect to Majvik’s network? How do I get to the sauna? Download the Hotel Info to find answers to practical questions during your stay.
