History

Haihara Manor is currently run by The City of Tampere Cultural Affairs. The Manor has, however, an extensive history. It was mentioned in local land records for the first time as early as 1554. The best-known owners of the manor include Captain Anselm Grahn, who commissioned the construction of the present Haihara main building in the 1870´s, and his daughters, "The Haihara Ladies", Alina, Jenny and Naima. The granddaughter of Anselm, Mrs Gunvor Ekroos, founded the Haihara Museum of Dolls and Costumes in 1966. The museum was functioning in the area until 1992. The Doll Museum has now been permanently situated in the Museum Centre Vapriikki. The Haihara estate has been slowly changed into an outdoor museum since the 1960’s and it became a property of The City of Tampere in 1982 when Gunvor Ekroos passed away. The estate has been held in a trust since then.
Like many old manor houses, Haihara has its ghosts. The most famous of these is the “Blue Maid” who is a former servant of the house. The maid has been known to wander around the rooms of the main building.

The Haihara estate comprises several buildings of great historical value, the servants’ and farm workers’ quarters, stable and storehouses being the oldest. Unfortunately the main building was damaged in a fire in the 1940’s and the former two-storey building was changed into its current simpler one-storey design. The park within the mansion’s area has a rich, fertile grove that is a valuable vegetation area. Many of the plants originate from when the park was founded in the 1870’s, including columbine and lily as well as white dead nettle and perennial cornflower.