Wilhelm von Nottbeck Park

What is the park like?

Wilhelm von Nottbeck Park is a landscape-styled park originally built by the owner of the Finlayson factory, Wilhelm von Nottbeck, in 1848. The park is located between the Finlayson factory area and Tallipiha Yard on the shore of Tammerkoski.

The area is a typical example of a factory manager's private garden, and it has remained a cohesive whole up until the present day. The park still features several of its original trees, as well as old shrubs and perennials. Among the original structures that have been preserved are fountain basins, a gazebo, and park vases. The Finlayson Palace, which now houses a restaurant, is located within the park grounds.

What does the park look like?

History of the Park

After Wilhelm von Nottbeck moved to Tampere to become the executive director of the factory, the old kiln building was renovated for residential use, and a garden was planted around it in 1848. In terms of style, the park represents a Finnish adaptation of the German landscape garden. Originally, the park consisted of three islands connected by arched bridges and five gazebos, one of which has been preserved in the park’s northwest corner. One of the islands was Kotkankallio, which features a sculpture of an eagle by the Russian artist Chopin, apparently erected in the 1830s or 1840s. The waterways between the islands were filled in during the 1920s, at which time the riverbank took on its current form. The current palace building was completed in 1899.

The park became city property in 1995, after which it has been restored in several phases. In this way, the city has sought to ensure the preservation of a complex that is significant both in terms of cultural history and landscape architecture.

Close to the park also

Palatsinsilta Bridge

From the corner of Finlayson Palace, a connection over the Tammerkoski Rapids was opened in 2012, when the Palatsinsilta Bridge completed. The pedestrian and bicycle bridge connects the areas of Finlayson and Tampella. The "Palace route", Palatsinraitti, begins on Polttimonkatu and continues across the bridge to Aleksandra Siltanen Park and on to Keernakatu.

Tallipiha Yard

On the west side of the park is a unique area called Tallipiha Yard, which features an ornamental stable building constructed in the 19th century and the former residential buildings of the Finlayson drivers. The buildings house a café and several small shops, and there is a small fairy-tale trail for children in the apple orchard. There is also a children’s playground in Tallipiha Yard.