Laivurintalo
Neristan – Kokkola’s old town
Setting the scene for your special occasions
Built in the mid-19th century, Laivurintalo in the heart of Kokkola’s Old Town on the shores of the Gulf of Bothnia oozes history and atmosphere. As a venue, Laivurintalo offers a truly unique experience, like a journey back in time. Laivurintalo is a private house, which can be hired for small-scale meetings, parties and performances. Laivurintalo is my home, and I want my guests to feel at home too. I am a hostess, a caterer and a certified tourist guide, and I give talks on the history of the house and the area, and also take groups on walking tours around the Kokkola’s Old Town.
Welcome to Laivurintalo and Kokkola’s Old Town!
Our services
Guided tours
I’m a certified tourist guide in Kokkola. I’ve guided for over 20 years and still today I’m happy to tell you about the history, current day and maybe even a glimpse to the future of Kokkola.
In the old town of Kokkola, Neristan, you will hear of the truth and the stories. I might also tell you the stories in the roles of different historical figures. Take a guide – you’ll experience more.
After the guided tour or why not before, you can order a cup of coffee or tea with a pastry served by the maid Otilia in the idyllic 19th-century Laivurintalo. Welcome to Kokkola!
Kristiina Teerikangas
Certified tourist guide
Storytelling
I am a certified tourist guide and a huge fan of history. Both Kokkola’s Old Town and Laivurintalo are full of stories, which are very close to my heart. I can corporate these stories into events, explain the history of the house, or take guests on a walking tour around the Old Town.
Venue hire
Laivurintalo provides an atmospheric setting for various kinds of events, including
– Club meetings
– Family occasions and parties
– Lectures and music performances
The house has Wi-Fi and a piano, and room for approximately 30 people. In the summertime, depending on the weather, events can also be held outdoors.
Catering
I am an experienced caterer and happy to devise a menu for any occasion.
Third-party caterers can be brought in for larger and more complex menus.
History
Laivurintalo is Finnish for the Sea Captain’s House, and the house is named after Sea Captain Johan Hillström, who lived in the house with his wife and nine children in the mid-19th century. Kokkola’s Old Town is one of the largest and most cohesive areas of old wooden houses in Finland. After many twists and turns, including a period when Laivurintalo’s kitchen was used to print the Österbottningen newspaper, the house and the outbuildings ended up in my family’s possession and became our home. It is a pleasure and an honour for me to be able to share Laivurintalo’s cultural heritage with my guests. The house has been renovated systematically over the years, always in keeping with its original Empire style and preserving the feel of the mid-19th century. Just as important as the house itself is its history – stories that can be told again and again.