Rautatienpuisto park

Buildings from 1857-1949

The first buildings in the railway park were used as apartments for railway builders, after which the area served as a residential area for railway workers. The oldest surviving building is the master builder's house from 1857. The buildings in the area represent construction methods from different eras, e.g. art nouveau, Nordic classicism, the reconstruction period of the 1940s.

The building complex of the railway park was protected due to its cultural-historical value in 1993. Today, the buildings are privately owned.

City Museum building

The building of the city museum was completed in 1858 as an official building. At first it was intended for four families. When railway traffic began in 1862, the building housed the station master's apartment, telegraph, ticket office and station space. The building was expanded in 1960. Until 1970, it served as VR's office space, after which it became a city museum. Before this, the city museum operated at Eteläinen school. The building was renovated in 1997-98.

The city museum exhibits artifacts and other materials related to Riihimäki, as well as Antrea, the homesteader of Karelian immigrants, as a special object.

Outbuilding

The outbuilding is originally complete. At its east end was an outdoor toilet, a barn and a wooden hut, at the west end was a sauna building. The station manager had a company cow, which VR acquired for winter hay. During the war, German soldiers' belongings were stored in the outbuilding.

Laundry room

The Martas of Riihimäki ran a summer cafe in the old laundry room, Öllerinkatu 3, located in the grounds of the city museum, until 2021.

Öllerinkatu

Öllerinkatu is named after the station manager Anton Wilhelm Öller (1829-1901). On the street is located, among others, the Music House and the Lounge.

Music house

The music house served as a school for railway workers after graduating in 1880. The building served as a railway hospital for five years until 1966, after which it was empty.

The Rautatiläinen Soittokunta rented the house from 1971 and made extensive renovations to it. In the 1990s, Riihimäki Rautatieläinten Soittokunta bought the Musiikkitalo for itself, and it currently serves as the association's central location, where the band's rehearsals are organized as well as, for example, youth education.

Rest room

The lounge was built in 1908 and represents the Art Nouveau style. It served as a public school until 1930 and was also a temporary accommodation for VR staff. The rest room was renovated in 1993 and currently serves as a day activity center for the elderly.

Hotel

The hotel was originally built in 1878, but burned down in 1879 in a few hours, the fire started in the attic. Verner-renki, together with another man, had lifted wine and brandy barrels into the attic. In their carelessness, they had started a fire after tasting the drinks. Wine and 130 liters of cognac were destroyed in the fire, as well as the valuables of the hotel's owner, Olivia Axeen.

The new hotel was built according to the same drawings on the old stone foundation. The hotel has had several names, initially just Hotel, later Axeens Hotell, Riihimäki-Hotell or Rautatiehotelli. In its last years of operation at the end of the 1930s, the hotel operated under the name Turisti.

The hotel was closed in 1943. The building currently serves as Paloheimo Oy's headquarters at Maantie 1.

Riihimäki's construction culture 2010

You can learn more about the above-mentioned buildings and the entire building culture of Riihimäki in the book Riihimäki Rakennuskultturia 2010 published by the planning unit.